The stats don't lie: Week six preview

The Crusaders have the wood on the Sharks having won 12 of their 16 games. Photo / Getty Images

This week the Hurricanes travel across the ditch to play the Rebels, the Blues go down the motorway to take on the Chiefs in Hamilton, and the Crusaders play the Sharks in London for the first ever Super Rugby game to take place out of the southern hemisphere. The Highlanders have the bye.

HURRICANES v REBELS
Livescoring tonight from 9.40pm

- Several ex-NZ players are turning out for the Force this year, with former Hurricanes hooker Ged Robinson to take on his old team mates.

- The Hurricanes have named an unchanged side from last week's loss against the Blues, with Dan Kirkpatrick to start again at first-five. Kirkpatrick's goal kicking success rate last week was just 50 percent, although his overall average so far this season is 64 percent.

- The Hurricanes have the worst points differential of all the NZ sides, having scored 55 points but conceded 81. They have only scored three tries in the three games they have played this season.

CHIEFS v BLUES
Livescoring Saturday from 7.30pm

- The Blues have won nine of the 15 games played between these two sides, but overall the Chiefs have scored more points across these encounters and when they do manage to beat the Blues it is usually a 13+ points victory.

- Last year the Blues won this game 30-20, keeping up their average 12-and-under points differential for wins over their neighbouring franchise.

- The Blues have the better lineout, winning 81 percent of their throws to the Chiefs' 75 percent. However, the Chiefs locking duo of Craig Clarke and Isaac Ross are the leading NZ locks for winning ball on the opposition's throw, having stolen seven so far.

- Luke McAlister has the best goal kicking success rate of all NZ kickers to date, sitting on 78 percent for a personal tally of 39 points. The Chiefs' Mike Delany goes into this game with a success rate of 73 percent.

- The Blues have made 28 clean linebreaks, averaging over five per game with Isaia Toeava the leading NZ linebreaker with six. The Chiefs have made 18, averaging three per game with Tim Nanai-Williams their best with five.

CRUSADERS v SHARKS
Livescoring Monday morning from 5am

- The Crusaders have the wood on the Sharks having won 12 of the 16 games between the two sides, drawing once and only losing three times.

- Games between the two sides tend to be high scoring with the Crusaders averaging 31 points and the sharks 25, although last year the Crusaders won 35-6.

- This match will be the first Super Rugby game to be played outside of the southern hemisphere and a crowd of up to 55,000 is expected.

- Dan Carter is the leading NZ points scorer with 62 points.

- Sonny Bill Williams is the top off-loader in the tackle, with six to his name.

- The Crusaders locking duo of Brad Thorn and Sam Whitelock still have not lost a ball on their throw, but hooker Cory Flynn is the worst thrower with five not-straight throws to date.

- When it comes to winning ball at the breakdown the Crusaders' loose trio are tops having stolen 11 off their opposition in the four games they have played.