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O'Brien, who has been at the heart of Leinster's qualification for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals, extended his lead as the top performing player in European club rugby and surpassed the 2,000 Index points mark. Over the course of the pool stages, he made more carries (89) and more metres (348) than any other forward in the competition.
Meanwhile, O'Brien's Leinster teammate, the high-scoring Jonathan Sexton, confirmed his place as the leading back of the European season to date.
To access all the information from this week's Amlin Opta Index, please click here.
AMLIN OPTA INDEX - explanatory notes
Amlin, title partner of the Amlin Challenge Cup and premium partner of the Heineken Cup, has joined forces with Opta to create an official ERC index - the Amlin Opta Index.
The Amlin Opta Index is a unique study differing from any kind of previous statistical rugby analysis. Taking conventional match statistics to a new level, it compares the performances of players competing in the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup generating enhanced understanding of elite performance and stimulating debate among rugby fans and media.
The Index is based on several years of historical data from both European competitions, which is overlaid by the team and player statistics detailed below and combined with a series of co-efficients to reflect the true value of each action:
Stage 1: On a round-by-round basis, all games across both European competitions are analysed using a post-match system that provides detailed statistical and individual scoring information. Each individual action (e.g. try, missed tackle, offload, break, assist) is then assigned a points value depending on the relative importance of the action. Points are weighted against the time in the game that the event took place, the match score at the time and the position on the pitch.
Stage 2: Due to the varying levels of teams competing in the European competitions (particularly in the pool stages), the Amlin Opta Index is also driven by co-efficients which factor in team and player strength into the analysis.
For example, a coefficient for each of the four domestic leagues has been developed to work out the relative strength of Aviva Premiership, the Magners League, the Top 14 and the Super 10 in Italy using results of matches between teams from different leagues. This would mean that the analysis takes account of the differences of opposition playing in the European competitions. The rating system would be based on a team's previous results and current league position
This allows the analysis to be presented as a fair and accurate reflection of player performance, a unique way of objectively analysing elite European club rugby.
