Heaviest rugby players of the professional era

[j'nuh]

4. The red line shows how the pack weight is climbing exponentially, so, some time around 2029, the All Blacks will start regularly packing down "one tonne scrums".

Not quite. The results have been heavily skewed by the pack weight increases since 1979. This is down to the introduction of the world cup (introducing more to the sport) and then it eventually turning professional, plus developments in the sport. The pack weight was reaching it's upper limit slowly whilst amateur, but has raced ahead since the sport became popularised, and especially since it turned professional. Expect the pack weight increases to slow down from here on, and eventually plateau.

 

[j'nuh]

You realise "fat" people have played rugby? Generally known as frontrowers.

Granted, he's a "hooker"!

Oops, double posted by accident.

 

[smartcooky]

Don't you think that pack weight (and team weight overall) has gone up because of more intensive training in the modern, more competitive pro era? I was watching some archived matches from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, and the players in general were much leaner, less muscular, back in the day, more like soccer/football players than rugby players.

No. If that were the case, there would be a jump after 1996 when the game went professional.

What we have is a steady climb from 1938 to 2009

No increase goes on forever; how much bigger and heavier do we think the human race can get while maintaining this level of the levels of fitness needed to play rugby?

I agree, it has to level off, but it shows no sign of it at the moment. I don't see any reason why a the scrum could not end up at around 1000kg

However, I don't think we have reached the limit of human strength and endurance by a long shot. 100 years ago, "experts" were convinced that no-one would ever run the mile in under 4 minutes; what is the record now; 3:43.13, by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco set 14 years ago.

 

[psychic duck]

I don't see any reason why a the scrum could not end up at around 1000kg

A 1000kg pack ...

1. Andrew Sheridan (128)
2. Christopher Tolofua (117)
3. Cencus Johnston (130)
4. Luke Charteris (123)
5. Richie Gray (125)
6. Samu Manoa (122)
7. Mamuka Gorgodze (120)
8. Opeti Fonua (135)

This isn't the heaviest pack but possible, but I tried to make as a high a quality 1000kg pack as possible. Would be genuinely intrigued as to whether this 1000kg pack would be an unstoppable force or just too heavy.

I agree that at some point one team will get the players together to form an 1000kg pack. Although it might have already happened of course, especially if there was a freak like Bill Cavubati at 160.

 

[ratsapprentice]

It's both a blessing and a curse that the S&C culture in most rugby countries isn't as insanely competitive as it is in countries like the USA and Russia.

On the one hand you get lots of guys that only work on conditioning because they have someone telling them to...
... On the other, you don't get huge systematic usage of PED's.

 

[nickdnz]

A 1000kg pack has formed. It's called North Rugby Club, Porirua U13's.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

SA could probably put out a pack of around 950kgs.

Guthro Steenkamp 122
Bismarck du Plessis 114
Coenie Oosthuizen 127
Bakkies Botha 124
Eben Etzebeth 120
F Louw 112
W Alberts 119
D Vermeulen 116

954kg's. To get to a ton you need to probably drop an out-and-out flanker and have one or two guys in the front row tipping the scale towards 140. I wouldn't select for weight as a primary reason though as these guys are big enough IMO. SA do need some size in the back three though.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Mako Vunipola 121 (Lions have him as 121, RFU and Sarries have him at 130)
Rob Webber 110
Davey Wilson 122
Dave Attwood 118
Joe Launchbury 117
Matt Garvey 127
Billy Vunipola 127
Chris Robshaw 111

That's 957kg, or 966kg if Mako is still 130, but I doubt he is.

I reckon most international teams could put out around 950, not many would be completely first choice at that weight though.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

NZ could probably go very heavy with their heavy props;

Jamie McKintosh 128
Ben Afeaki 128
Ben Tameifuna 140

for a start..

 

[ratsapprentice]

Mackintosh and Tameifuna aren't currently part of the AB's squad though are they?

 

[Big Ewis]

A 1000kg pack ...

1. Andrew Sheridan (128)
2. Christopher Tolofua (117)
3. Cencus Johnston (130)
4. Luke Charteris (123)
5. Richie Gray (125)
6. Samu Manoa (122)
7. Mamuka Gorgodze (120)
8. Opeti Fonua (135)

This isn't the heaviest pack but possible, but I tried to make as a high a quality 1000kg pack as possible. Would be genuinely intrigued as to whether this 1000kg pack would be an unstoppable force or just too heavy.

interesting, and yeh I'd be very curious to know how that pack would do. Obviously it wouldn't be 'unstoppable', other scrums with better technical units could beat this one.
I'm surprised Adam Jones is 'only' in at 120kg...but smaller, shorter guys like Thomas Domingo or Nicolas Mas (each at 110kg) are stronger pushers than guys I see in that scrum at prop.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Mackintosh and Tameifuna aren't currently part of the AB's squad though are they?

No. Was just wondering what other props we have that are heavy and couldn't get my mind away from Tameifuna.

 

[dasNdanger]

Granted, he's a "hooker"!

Oops, double posted by accident.

How many of these posters do you have hanging on your wall? (And thanks! That totally made my day!)



das

 

[Big Ewis]

How many of these posters do you have hanging on your wall? (And thanks! That totally made my day!)



das

: lol : that would be soooooo freaky. You meet this cool dude once, and he's a huge Rugby fan, and you go to his place and it's FILLED with posters of rugby players naked in black and white, with ambiguous classic artistic pauses.

I'd run like........hell.

 

[Jaguares]

A 1000kg pack ...

1. Andrew Sheridan (128)
2. Christopher Tolofua (117)
3. Cencus Johnston (130)
4. Luke Charteris (123)
5. Richie Gray (125)
6. Samu Manoa (122)
7. Mamuka Gorgodze (120)
8. Opeti Fonua (135)

I don't want to imagine the power that this scrum would have with much training. If I were Mourad Boudjellal (Toulon's owner) I would buy this package, most are good players.

Cheers