Having fun yet with all of the rugby?

Plenty of the players leading the stat category charts at the moment at the 2023 Rugby World Cup sure are.

Through three match weeks in France, fans across the globe have been treated to a healthy helping of spectacular tries, monumental shocks and groundbreaking performances. But who’s been the best of the lot, as the pool stage games have now crossed the halfway point, and the final is about a month away?

Don’t forget the names on these lists — many of them should be bound to make even more noise as the pressure ramps up soon.

Here’s a look at some of the top performers through three weeks at the Rugby World Cup — and how they got there to their current stature:

NOTE: Numbers and placements are accurate to the conclusion of Week 3. The top five are determined by the Rugby World Cup's official stat leaderboards.

Most Tries

Henry Arundell, England (5)

Equalling an all-time England record in your World Cup debut? All part of the routine for the 20-year-old Arundell, who was signed this summer by French giants Racing 92. Top 14 fans in the stands got a preview of him when England ripped Chile apart by a 71-0 margin Saturday in Lille: Arundell rocketed to the top of the World Cup try leaders charts with a stunning England joint single-test record five tries against the Condores.

Bundee Aki, Ireland (4)

The barrelling centre has been lethal for Ireland as it seeks to officially top the “Pool of Death” in Pool B with a win over Six Nations rival Scotland in its finale — and finally, break its World Cup hex by winning the whole thing next month. Aki secured braces in both of Ireland’s blowout victories against Romania and Tonga, then subsequently put up a man-of-the-match performance in arguably the biggest game of the tournament so far: Ireland’s 13-8, nail-biting victory over defending world champion South Africa.

Damian Penaud, France (4)

The hosts have oozed class and quality in Pool A, and Penaud is the ringmaster of it all on the right wing. The Bordeaux Begles standout scored a crucial second-half try in France’s epic World Cup opener against New Zealand that helped turn the tide of the match (and hand the All Blacks their first-ever pool play loss), then he and his teammates seemed to run all over Namibia for fun in a 96-0 demolition, with Penaud earning man of the match honours with a hat-trick.

Sama Malolo, Samoa (3)

No player from outside of the Tier 1 nations has found the try line more than Malolo, making his World Cup debut with Le Manu after previously appearing at youth level for Australia. The 25-year-old, New Zealand-born hooker — who plays at club level for the San Diego Legion in North America’s Major League Rugby — has been fantastic in two matches off of the bench, scoring twice in Samoa’s bonus-point win over Chile and nabbing a try late in Le Manu’s defeat to Argentina, as well.

Louis Bielle-Biarrey, France (3)

Les Bleus have scored so many tries thus far in this World Cup (19, second only to Ireland tournament-wide) that it’s easy to forget how good of a run of form Bielle-Biarrey is on despite only turning 20 in June. Penaud’s club teammate, perhaps he learned a thing or two from him on how to find five points frequently; Bielle-Biarrey scored late in France’s hairy win over Uruguay to drive the final nail in Los Teros’ coffin, then had two more tries against Namibia to contribute to France’s most lopsided test victory ever.

NOTE: Others with three tries include Johnny Sexton, Ireland; Makazole Mapimpi, South Africa; Tadhg Beirne, Ireland; Cobus Reinach, South Africa.

Most Points

Johnny Sexton, Ireland (45)

The ageless wonder surpassed Ronan O’Gara’s all-time Ireland points record in his country’s win over Tonga, and even at the age of 38, Sexton still looks like one of the (if not the) best fly-halves in the world on his day. A scoring machine, Sexton tripled Romania’s total point output by himself (24-8), went a perfect 5-for-5 kicking along with a try in his record-breaking performance against Tonga and was vital against the Springboks, drilling both of his kicks as South Africa continued to struggle off of the tee in a monumental Irish victory.

Thomas Ramos, France (41)

A sure-footed fullback, it takes some skill with the boot to unseat the numerous talented talisman in the French team who could also handle kicking duties, but Ramos has earned his role as Les Bleus’ man from the tee. A Champions Cup winner with Toulouse, Ramos scored most of his points during the World Cup thus far in France’s rout over Namibia, when he went an incredible 12 for 13 on conversions to make him tied for second overall on points in the competition. He likely would’ve had more, too, had Melvyn Jaminet not taken over kicking in France’s win over Uruguay.

George Ford, England (41)

Famed English No. 10 Jonny Wilkinson would be proud of Ford’s fantastic start to the World Cup off the tee when England needed it most. With multiple key men out (including captain Owen Farrell due to suspension), Ford scored every single point — six penalties, three drop goals — in a crucial 27-10 victory over Argentina, then went six for seven off of his boot in the win over Japan to give England a pair of victories in likely its two toughest Pool D matches. Farrell reclaimed his spot at fly-half upon his return for the Chile match, but it’s hard to imagine Ford not having a further impact later on in the World Cup.

Ben Donaldson, Australia (36)

It’s been a pretty miserable World Cup for the Wallabies as they look bound for their first exit from the pool stages ever, but Donaldson has had a whirlwind past 12 months that’s resulted in him being a great option for Australia to turn to at fly-half. He was man of the match in the Wallabies’ win over Georgia following a brace, kicking three conversions and penalties each along with it. A first defeat since 1954 to Fiji and the country’s largest loss ever to Wales didn’t have much in the way of positives, but Donaldson did add to his point tally in each match through kicking. 

Tommaso Allan, Italy (26)

Italy has been plenty entertaining in its opening Pool A matches against Namibia and Uruguay, partly because having Allan on the tee has been as sure of a thing as you can possibly get so far in this tournament. The Perpignan player (formerly of Harlequins and Benetton) is a perfect 13 for 13 on his kicks through two matches, converting all seven conversions in Italy’s rout to open its World Cup against the Welwitschias and five more against Los Teros to burst into the top five of points despite only playing two games.

Most Runs

Bundee Aki, Ireland (53)

It’s hard to imagine that anyone fancies trying to bring down Aki when he has a full head of steam, making it easy to believe that he has 20 more runs than any other player at this year’s World Cup. The heart of the No. 1-ranked team in the world, Aki has been an absolute powerhouse and arguably the best player in the tournament to date; the 5-foot-10 dynamo was the best player on the park against South Africa as he muscled his way through the Boks on multiple occasions. 

Davit Niniashvili, Georgia (33)

Georgian rugby prides itself on grit and toughness, but Niniashvili is breaking the mould and stereotype as a dynamo from the back, one game-breaking run at a time. At just 21 years old while playing for French club Lyon — home to some of the most world-class rugby teams on Earth — Niniashvili at the No. 15 is one of the Lelos’ most exciting young talents in recent memory, holding a game-high 20 carries with multiple line breaks in his squad’s tense 18-18 draw with Portugal in Pool C.

Paolo Garbisi, Italy (31)

Together with brother Alessandro — whom he started with during Italy’s win over Uruguay —, Paolo’s been a firestarter in the attack thus far for the Azzurri as the meat of Pool A play against hosts France and the always-dangerous All Blacks looms. His role in Ange Capuozzo’s blistering second-half try against Namibia, where Paolo and Juan Ignacio Brex helped the Toulouse standout exploit space and scamper for a brilliant score, comes to mind in particular as an exciting attacking push that Paolo can find himself apart of at a moment’s notice.

Hugo Keenan, Ireland (31)

Ireland, which holds the world’s most lethal, in-form attacking force at the moment, comes at you in waves. Keenan is among the top drivers. “The Fox” scored a try in the rout over Romania and just missed out on another one early in the match against the Springboks after breaking free behind the South African defense, though it’s done little to impact just how fantastic his first World Cup is going for both he and the rest of the Irish squad.

Mark Nawaqanitawase, Australia (30)

Part of Wallabies coach Eddie Jones’ risky call to go with a youth-heavy setup to take to France, the New South Wales Waratahs’ Nawaqanitawase, aged 23, seemed to have a jetpack strapped to him against Georgia, flying all over the park and leaping into the air for long kicks as he scored the second of Australia’s four tries in the match. He scored again in the loss to Fiji, being one of the brighter spots in what’s been, by and large, a disastrous tournament for the two-time world champions.

NOTE: Others with 30 runs include Rob Valetini and Samu Kerevi, both from Australia.

Most Tackles

Jac Morgan, Wales (44)

If you want a simple breakdown as to why and how Australia couldn’t get anything going on the attack at all in Wales’ 40-6 statement win over the Wallabies in Lyon on Sunday, that conversation begins with captain Morgan’s sublime performance at outside flanker. Battered and bloodied against Australia, the 23-year-old Ospreys man has been immense by often going right into the fray of bodies with a ballcarrier and coming out of it with a tackle added to his tally, even adding a pair of tries and a 50:22 kick across his tournament thus far to put the bow on top of it all. 

Sione Talitui, Tonga (37)

Signed by Moana Pasifika this summer after a successful run with plenty of silverware at the Crusaders, Talitui has been tasked with being one of Tonga’s main men to stop a pair of powerful attacks — Ireland and Scotland, both Sea Eagles losses — in Pool B thus far, and he’s held up OK as Tongan physicality didn’t make things easy (or at least without a little bit of bruising and soreness in the morning) for either side. 

Gareth Thomas, Wales (37)

One thing is for certain when you play Wales, at least thus far this tournament — you’re likely to be in for a world of hurt. The powerful prop and Morgan’s teammate with the Ospreys has made for a demolishing duo that has Wales being the World Cup’s first team to clinch a berth in the quarterfinal, getting his tackle tally across arguably Wales’ two toughest matches (Australia and Fiji) as Thomas sat out the Welsh win over Portugal.

Martin Sigren, Chile (37)

As debutants, it was always going to be a tough time for Chile to get past the established names it was drawn up against in Pool D, with many of Sigren’s tackles coming when the Condores were stuck on the back foot defending for their lives. Still, that’s not a slight at the squad’s captain — formerly of the Doncaster Knights in the RFU Championship, making him the first Chilean to play professional rugby in England — who is taking the initiative and ensuring that even as massive underdogs, Chile won’t go back to South America without a fight.

Jack Cornelsen, Japan (35)

Born in Australia, Cornelsen’s first World Cup with the Brave Blossoms has seen him deployed as both a lock and a No. 8, the latter role of which he played against Chile after Kazuki Himeno was a late withdrawal due to injury. That versatility puts him in a variety of places on the pitch, leaving him often at the right place and at the right time to make some crunching tackles to quell an opposing attack.

NOTE: Michele Lamaro, Italy, also has 35 tackles.