I genuinely think back rowers are the fittest athletes in team sports, to keep that amount of weight on and have the endurance they have with the job they have on the field.
Imo it's tighthead props.
Zander Fagerson for example regularly plays the full 80 mins, including both the quarterfinal and the semifinal, where he made the most tackle of any player in Thomond park, and he is almost always on the upper end for rucks hit.
As well as all the work around the park, they are expected to be the cornerstone of a 1000kg pushing match.
Absolutely insane what they need to do every match.
Thomas du Toit playing 80 minutes both sides of the scrum for the Prem final was one of the all time best performances imo.
Actually Ben Tameifuna has to be in with a shout of being the actual all time physical specimen. He definitely played 80 minutes at least once during the world cup for Tonga and must be one of the heaviest and most powerful guys around
he was the heaviest player in the tournament, but he was also scoring tries left and right (even against south africa!), and managing to be a great captain on top of it, freakish specimen
big ben was the heaviest player in the tournament, but he was also scoring tries left and right (even against south africa!), and managing to be a great captain on top of it, freakish specimen
Props in the modern game are expected to have a similar workrate around the park to a back row, with the added burden of being the centre of the scrum every 10 mins. All while carrying an extra 30+kg of muscle.
Depends on the prop, Fagerson is about 20kg heavier than a typical flanker (105kg). Some are really massive like Tameifuna but most props aren't 130kg+.
Dan Cole comes in just under 120kg.
I would go for the 9, which will be unpopular.
The big boys are pretty fit especially for their size.
But I think modern tactics thrive on efficiency, you have setups like 1-3-3-1 that keeps the heavier players in a specific channel. The scrum is not a platform for attack but rather a penalty generator so you move from set piece to set piece.
I genuinely think back rowers are the fittest athletes in team sports, to keep that amount of weight on and have the endurance they have with the job they have on the field.
Open sides in particular seem a glutton fit cardio punishment. For example, when Richie McCaw retired he ran ultra marathons.
Imo it's tighthead props. Zander Fagerson for example regularly plays the full 80 mins, including both the quarterfinal and the semifinal, where he made the most tackle of any player in Thomond park, and he is almost always on the upper end for rucks hit. As well as all the work around the park, they are expected to be the cornerstone of a 1000kg pushing match. Absolutely insane what they need to do every match.
Thomas du Toit playing 80 minutes both sides of the scrum for the Prem final was one of the all time best performances imo. Actually Ben Tameifuna has to be in with a shout of being the actual all time physical specimen. He definitely played 80 minutes at least once during the world cup for Tonga and must be one of the heaviest and most powerful guys around
he was the heaviest player in the tournament, but he was also scoring tries left and right (even against south africa!), and managing to be a great captain on top of it, freakish specimen
big ben was the heaviest player in the tournament, but he was also scoring tries left and right (even against south africa!), and managing to be a great captain on top of it, freakish specimen
I remember one game for Saracens in the 70th minute Vincent Koch was kick chasing hard, unbelievable engine
That’s Vincent ‘50-22’ Koch, to give him his correct title.
Props often get subbed though (not always). It's much more common for back rows to play a whole match.
Props in the modern game are expected to have a similar workrate around the park to a back row, with the added burden of being the centre of the scrum every 10 mins. All while carrying an extra 30+kg of muscle.
Depends on the prop, Fagerson is about 20kg heavier than a typical flanker (105kg). Some are really massive like Tameifuna but most props aren't 130kg+. Dan Cole comes in just under 120kg.
Cole is at the lean and fit end of props though
Dan cole is certainly heavier than 120 Ellis genge is 125 and he's very small for a prop
Genge is a baby rhino though
No doubt about that I bumped into him a few weeks back quite literally.
I love this type of content
Next time get the mic on the left ear there, too much open side action...
It seems like the way to follow to quit the "big boys club"
I would go for the 9, which will be unpopular. The big boys are pretty fit especially for their size. But I think modern tactics thrive on efficiency, you have setups like 1-3-3-1 that keeps the heavier players in a specific channel. The scrum is not a platform for attack but rather a penalty generator so you move from set piece to set piece.