Rugby: Perenara has matched Smith week after week

Aaron Smith of the Highlanders. Photo / Getty Images

The Super Rugby final features some crucial match-ups and key battles.

Halfback
Aaron Smith is undoubtedly the gold standard for halfbacks in New Zealand but TJ Perenara has had a great campaign for the Hurricanes.

Both players have also kept the statisticians busy in 2015 with dynamic seasons.

Perenara is the second-top try-scorer in Super Rugby with 11 tries. Smith hasn't been far off the pace with seven.

Smith has made 16 appearances and beaten 10 defenders, while making 11 clean breaks and producing six offloads. The All Black has laid on nine tries this season too, largely due to his dangerous running game.

Perenara (15 matches) has shaded Smith in most areas, though. He has beaten 16 defenders, made 17 clean breaks and produced 16 offloads. But the 23-year-old has delivered only six try-assists.

One interesting number to compare between the players is missed tackles.

Smith, the smaller player, has missed 25 tackles and made 72, while Perenara has made 64 tackles and missed only five.

Wing
Highlanders No14 Waisake Naholo has scored the most tries in Super Rugby this season with 12.

Hurricanes left wing Julian Savea is widely regarded as one of the best outside backs in the game.

Naholo, who has made 17 appearances, leads Super Rugby with 32 clean breaks. Savea (15 games) is fourth with 27 and there are a range of comparisons that can be made between the pair.

They're two of the top tackle-busters in Super Rugby. Savea has beaten 57 defenders. Naholo is one behind with 56.

They also rank highly in carries and metres gained.

Defensively, neither has been rock solid this year.

Naholo has made 69 tackles but missed 17. Savea has made 31 and missed 22.

First five-eighths
Hurricanes pivot Beauden Barrett has been one of the most productive players in 2015 but Highlander Lima Sopoaga has also enjoyed a consistent campaign that has earned him a spot in the All Blacks.

Sopoaga has made nine clean breaks and produced 10 offloads on attack, while his kicking has been controlled. He has also nailed four dropped goals.

Barrett has improved his defence, with only 12 missed tackles to Sopoaga's 19 and his running game has also been sharp with 10 clean breaks, against Sopoaga's nine.

By the numbers

3.6
The Hurricanes lead Super Rugby with the most tries per game. The Highlanders averaged 3.4 per game.

24.7
The Canes top defenders beaten; they also boast the best numbers in carries, metres and clean breaks.

8
The Highlanders win the most scrums per match. The Hurricanes are fourth with 7.2.

95%
The Hurricanes' success rate from their own feed. The Highlanders win 92 per cent of their own scrums.

4
Highlanders dropped goals from Lima Sopoaga this season. The Hurricanes haven't kicked any.