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With the pool stage of the Rugby World Cup coming to a close, 8 teams have progressed to the knockout rounds while 12 nations have been sent packing. The tournament has already seen great matches such as the clash between Australia and Wales, and shocking upsets like Japan over Ireland. With the tournament on a break for a few days, here's a look at the players who have scored the most points thus far.
#3 Elton Jantjies – South Africa – 28 points
South African fly-half Jantjies has notched 28 points in the tournament’s pool stage, making him the third top scorer of the tournament thus far. Somewhat surprisingly, all of Jantjies' points were scored in just 2 games and all of them via conversions. Jantjies drilled 6 in South Africa’s 57-3 route of Namibia and then added 10 more in the team’s 66-7 mugging of Canada.
While you could consider the 29-year-old who plays his club rugby for the Lions as somewhat fortunate to have reached his current points tally, he is sure to look to add even more in South Africa’s quarter-final match-up with Japan.
#2 Felipe Berchesi – Uruguay – 30 points
Though Berchesi’s tournament may sadly be over, he currently sits on the second-highest points tally in the World Cup. The 28-year-old fly-half reached his total solely from his boot with his 6 conversions and 6 penalties helping him. Berchesi converted 3 tries and scored 3 penalties in Uruguay’s enormous upset win over Fiji. He added 2 more points converting his nation’s only side in their 33-7 loss to Georgia and 1 conversion and 1 penalty in their 45-10 loss to Australia.
Lastly, Berchesi fired 2 penalties alongside 1 conversion in Uruguay’s 35-13 loss to Wales which saw the nation finish bottom of the Pool D. While that fact won’t please Berchesi, who plays his club rugby for French club US Dax, his nation's huge upset against Fiji will surely be one he holds dear.
#1 Yu Tamura – Japan – 48 points
Tamura’s whopping 48 points have been instrumental in Japan’s shocking pool-topping run thus far. Having converted a try and scored two penalties in the tournament’s opening game against Russia. Tamura added another conversion and 4 crucial penalty kicks that saw Japan upset Pool A favorites, Ireland.
The 30-year-old’s most prolific game came against Samoa where he converted 3 tries and scored 4 penalties before he finished off the pool stage in style going a perfect 4 for 4 on conversions in Japan’s vital win over Scotland.
