The stats don't lie: Week seven preview

Isaia Toeava has the most line breaks of all New Zealand players this season. Photo / Getty Images

Four New Zealand teams are in action this week, with the Crusaders having the bye. Rugby goes to the provinces in New Zealand this weekend, with all three games being played in the smaller towns of the franchises.

HIGHLANDERS v BRUMBIES (Invercargill)

- Colin Slade finally returns after suffering a broken jaw to make his first start for the Highlanders, matching up against Matt Giteau.

- There have been 15 matches played between these two sides and the score is 8-7 to the Brumbies.

- Both these teams sit third in their conferences, but the Highlanders have won three from five games whereas the Brumbies have just one win from their five games to date and that was back in round one.

- Last time the Brumbies played the Highlanders in New Zealand it was a close affair with the Brumbies winning 33-31.

- The Highlanders lineout is running at 86 percent on their own throw, but their scrum has conceded nine penalties in five games.

WARATAHS v CHIEFS (Sydney)

- The Waratahs have won nine out of the 15 games played between these two teams, and on average beat the Chiefs by five points

- The Chiefs last victory in Sydney was back in 2007 when they won 28-23.

- Last year the Waratahs thumped the Chiefs 46-19 in Hamilton.

- Though the Chiefs are sitting last in the NZ conference, they have only lost their last two games by less than seven points.

- The Chiefs will be looking to their two leading linebreakers, Tim Nanai-Williams and Lelia Masaga who have both made five, to provide them with strike power out wide.

BLUES v CHEETAHS (Whangarei)

- The Blues have never won three games in a row under coach Pat Lam, but must surely fancy their chances against the Cheetahs who are playing their third game on the road.

- The Cheetahs did manage to beat the Blues 36-32 last year, for their sole win in 2010.

- The Blues three quarters Isaia Toeava (seven), Jarrod Payne (five) and Joe Rokocoko (five) are the leading New Zealand line breakers.

- The Blues have won 79 percent of their own lineouts, with Keven Mealamu the best of the New Zealander hookers with no overthrows or crooked throws to his team.

- Luke McAlister (78 percent) only sits behind Dan Carter (79 percent) for successful kicks at goal by New Zealand players.

- The Blues average 10 penalties a game with only 56 percent of their penalties conceded at the breakdown. However, they have conceded 15 penalties so far this season for off-side play.

HURRICANES v BULLS (Napier)

- The Hurricanes will need to improve their 65 percent tackle success rate from last week if they want to beat the Bulls in Napier this weekend, having conceded 40+ points two weeks in a row.

- The Hurricanes backline has made 22 clean line breaks in the four games they have played, yet the team is only averaging 20 points a game while conceding an average of 31.

- Dan Kirkpatrick retains his spot at first five-eighth despite only running at a 60 percent success rate with the boot. He was, however, their leading line breaker last week with three.

- The Hurricanes lost 18-19 to the Bulls in Pretoria last year. The last time the two sides met in New Zealand the Bulls were victors 19-13.

- Accuracy at the breakdown will be required, with the Hurricanes conceding 70 percent of their penalties in this area of the game.