We're just about through the first third of the Super Rugby season and the unbeaten Hurricanes are clear at the top of the standings. The competition leaders have played five games after having the bye last week, with the Brumbies, Force, Chiefs, Sharks and Lions the only teams to have featured in each of the six rounds. At this juncture, we've decided to use the Opta Index to take a look at some of Super Rugby's top early performers for season 2015.

Going by Opta's points-scoring system, which is explained at the foot of this article, we take the top scoring forwards and backs of the season and examine why our number crunching has them as the top dogs.

Backs

Handre Pollard (Bulls): 449

• The tournament's top points-scorer (92) has maintained the best goal-kicking success rate (85%) of any player to successfully land at least 15 shots at goal.
• No fly-half has scored more tries than Pollard.
• Just two other No.10s have managed more defenders beaten than the South African.
• He landed a goal kick from more than 59 metres this season.

Springboks tyro Handre Pollard continues to impress in Super Rugby © Getty Images

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Israel Folau (Waratahs): 388

• The tournament's top metre-maker.
• He has made the most offloads and beaten the most defenders.
• Ranks third for try assists this season.

Israel Folau enjoyed his best performance in 2015 against the Brumbies last weekend © Getty Images

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Patrick Lambie (Sharks): 369

• Ranks equal first among fly-halves for tries scored.
• One of two players to score 90+ points, at least 30 more than anybody else.
• Has gained more metres than any other fly-half.

Patrick Lambie continues to lead the way for the Sharks © Getty Images

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Ben Smith (Highlanders): 337

• Among the tournament's top five offloaders and top five ball carriers.
• Among the top 10 players for defenders beaten, clean breaks and metres gained.
• No other full-back has won more turnovers than Smith.

Waisake Naholo (Highlanders): 335

• Has won the joint-most turnovers in the competition.
• One of four men to beat more than 20 defenders and also ranks equal fourth for clean breaks.
• Seventh in the competition for total metres.

Forwards

Warren Whiteley (Lions): 367

• The top tackler in the tournament, Whitely has made at least 18 more than other player.
• His 99% tackling success rate is the best of any player to make 30+ tackles.
• He is one of two forwards to manage more than one try assist so far.
• He ranks equal seventh among all players for turnovers won.

Warren Whiteley is easily the hardest working defensive player in Super Rugby © Getty Images

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Sam Cane (Chiefs): 337

• One of 10 forwards to score two or more tries.
• He is the top offloading forward in the competition, and fourth overall.
• Just four others have won more turnovers than Cane.
• Ranks equal fifth among forwards for defenders beaten.

Chiefs flanker Sam Cane is proving a handful at the breakdown © Getty Images

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Sean McMahon (Rebels): 320

• He s the third-ranked forward for defenders beaten.
• Ranked fifth for average tackles per game.
• Has made the sixth most metres and ranks third for defenders beaten from the forwards.

Michael Hooper (Waratahs): 316

• Has made more metres than any other forward.
• Sits in top spot for clean breaks of any player wearing 1-8.
• Is ranked equal first for defenders beaten among the forwards.

Michael Hooper was in fine form against the Brumbies © Getty Images

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Luke Braid (Blues): 288

• Ranks equal first among all players for turnovers won.
• Of players to make over 30 tackles, he ranks sixth for success rate.
• One of six forwards to reach double figures for defenders beaten this year.

How the Opta Index works

The Opta Index allows genuine opportunities to compare and contrast both player and team strengths and weaknesses across top flight rugby, providing real insights as follows:

After every match Opta completes a video analysis of every touch of the ball in rugby matches. Each action in the match is awarded a points value depending on the relative importance of the action.

For example, a try scores more points than a tackle but a player loses points for a missed tackle. The points are then weighted against the score at the time when the action took place (higher points if the score is closer), the time in the match (higher points at the start of the match) and the position on the pitch where it took place (higher points for actions closer to the goal line).

The player is then given a score for the match by adding up all his actions while he was on the field.