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Jonny Gray's career tackling success percentage has been calculated and it's ridiculous
By Ian Cameron
Glasgow secondrow Jonny Gray is very good at tackling it has emerged.
Just how good he is at tackling, however, is really quite remarkable.
Yesterday it was confirmed the 6'6, 120kg lock had put pen to paper on a deal which will see him play his rugby at Scotstoun until at least May 2020, ending speculation that he would sign a lucrative deal with a Top14 club or Premiership Club.
Gray is a one if not the hardest working locks in European Rugby. Other statistics concerning carries, ruck success, distance covered, all bear this out. Yet his tackling is statistically mindboggling.
The 23-year-old has played 79 times for Glasgow since making his debut against Edinburgh in 2012 and in that he ha has missed just 30 tackles.
That's 30 tackles out of 1433. That's a tackle success rate of 97.9 per cent.
It's no wonder they were so keen to keep the youngster.
A product of the BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy and a recipient of the Macphail scholarship in New Zealand in 2012, Gray signed his first professional contract the same year he made his Scotland debut back in 2013.
He has since gone on to pull on the thistle 38 times, most recently in the Autumn Internationals where he scored in the games against New Zealand and Australia.
Part of Dave Rennie’s leadership group at Scotstoun, Gray spent two seasons as Club Captain under Gregor Townsend.
Speaking upon penning a new contract, Gray said: "With the new coaches coming in it has been a very exciting time. Glasgow are a really ambitious club and have been for a few years and I’m delighted to be a part of it.
“When you run out at Scotstoun you represent more than yourself, you represent your club and your city. The supporters follow us all over and we all want to make them proud.
“There are huge benefits of staying in Scotland and I really appreciate the support from Scottish Rugby in helping me stay with the Warriors for another two years.”
Glasgow Warriors Head Coach, Dave Rennie added: “We’re rapt. Jonny has achieved an enormous amount for a guy of 23. He has 38 caps for Scotland and is playing his 80th game for Glasgow this weekend.
“He’s part of the leadership group here, he’s captained the side before and is a massive contributor about the place week in, week out.
“It’s massive for us, he’s a phenomenal player with a massive work ethic and the boys love him, so we’re rapt he’s going to be here for two more years at least.”
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Latest Comments
It's the same criticism of Dmac and Mo'unga as well. Sadly the way the game has been heading recently it's the only way to break down a defence, and a player of Lawrences nature would have a very limited chance at doing that because he's too one dimensional.
Noah Lolesio is your sort of player and that worked OK, but only because his team is far more creative than Englands for example. The highly organized Irish attack was also another that didn't require much from the 10, but that is now changing with Prendergast who is in that league mold like the most new age 10's.
So it is in fact your two which would require even more change to make the most of than Marcus Smith.
Go to commentsThe Stormers sloppiness show that they are a poorly coached side. Fortunately for them, so are the Sharks.
There are tougher opponents waiting and they will be punished heavily unless the coaching improves dramatically.
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