Damian McKenzie named Super Rugby Player of the Season

  • 07/08/2018

Chiefs first-five Damian McKenzie has been named Super Rugby Player of the Season by SANZAR.

The 23-year-old topped Richie Mo'unga as the tournament's top pivot, based on "comprehensive statistics that monitor in detail every action of every match", according to the official Super Rugby Twitter page.

No player beat more defenders during the 2018 competition than McKenzie, while he was also the top-ranked number 10 for carries, metres, clean breaks, offloads and try involvements (six tries, eight assists).

McKenzie scored 177 points during the season, running for 950 metres, with 26 clean breaks.

Damian McKenzie named Super Rugby Player of the Season
Damian McKenzie named Super Rugby Player of the Season

Seven New Zealanders earned a spot on the Team of the Season, including All Blacks squad members McKenzie, Brodie Retallick, Anton Lienert-Brown and TJ Perenara.

Standout Crusaders winger George Bridge was selected on the left wing, the only member of the champion side to make the cut.

Blues forward Akira Ioane and Chiefs winger Solomon Alaimalo were also selected.

1-Steven Kitschoff (Stormers), 2-Malcolm Marx (Lions), 3-Taniela Tupou (Reds), 4-Brodie Retallick (Chiefs), 5-Lodewyk De Jager (Bulls), 6-Pablo Matera (Jaguares), 7-Jean-Luc de Preez (Sharks), 8-Akira Ioane (Blues), 9-TJ Perenara (Hurricanes), 10-Damian McKenzie (Chiefs), 11-George Bridge (Crusaders), 12-Michael Little (Sunwolves), 13-Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs), 14-Solomon Alaimalo (Chiefs), 15-Israel Folau (Waratahs)

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