DEFENSIVE linchpin Phil Dowson has made a whopping 128 tackles in this season’s Aviva Premiership – 17 more than any other player.

And Worcester Warriors team-mate Chris Pennell has covered 895 metres with ball in hand, topping the divisional chart by 67 metres at the midway point in the campaign.

Dowson, 34, led Warriors’ rearguard action in their disappointing 20-13 Premiership defeat against London Irish.

The former Northampton Saints and England back row star made an impressive 15 tackles in Sunday’s loss, according to the latest Opta statistics for Premiership Rugby.

Dowson is followed in the overall tackling charts by 36-year-old team-mate Donncha O’Callaghan and Exeter’s Julian Salvi, who both total 111.

Tevita Cavubati weighed in with 12 tackles at the Madejski Stadium while Matt Symons, the brother of Warriors centre Andy, made 13 for Irish.

Dowson and Fijian Cavubati both made 11 carries in the contest, with full-back Pennell leading the way for Warriors with 14.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Pennell, with 113 metres, covered the most distance by a Warrior with the ball in hand, closely followed by South African centre Wynand Olivier (109).

Pennell’s total of 895 metres for the campaign is 67 more than Sale’s Mike Haley, who is in second spot.

But late call-up Ryan Lamb, who came in as a replacement for injured fly-half Tom Heathcote (back spasm) at Irish, had an afternoon to forget.

The former Gloucester and London Irish player missed four tackles and was hauled off at half-time by Worcester director of rugby Dean Ryan.

Skipper Gerrit-Jan van Velze and prop Naama Leleimalefaga also slipped off tackles for Warriors, both missing three, according to the latest statistics.

Season’s overall Aviva Premiership stats:

Most tackles: 1 Phil Dowson (Worcester) 128, =2 Donncha O’Callaghan (Worcester), Julian Salvi (Exeter) 111;

Carries: 1 Thomas Waldrom (Exeter) 164, 2 Mike Haley (Sale), 3 Chris Pennell (Worcester) 123;

Metres made: 1 Chris Pennell (Worcester) 895, 2 Mike Haley (Sale) 828;

Most breaks: =1 Cooper Vuna (Worcester) and Frank Halai (Wasps) 14.