Building the perfect rugby player: Lock
With props and hookers now in the books, the RugbyPass series looking at building the perfect rugby player now moves on to the locks, arguably the position that has seen the largest evolution of all in the modern era. While players built in the mould of a traditional enforcer or a lineout-centric lock might still have their places in the game, professional rugby has moved in a direction where these two roles are no longer exclusive and many international engine rooms are built around two players who can fulfil both of the requirements asked by these older archetypes.
We are witnessing a generation of second rows who are not only technically skilled, but who also might be the most impressive athletes on show anytime that they take to the pitch. As with the front rowers, there is still a core set-piece responsibility for any second row and that is their ability to be a consistent and effective target at the lineout.
Primarily, that means securing attacking ball, but the ability to steal or at least hinder opposition ball has become every bit as vital, with attacking lineouts proving to be such a prolific foundation from which to score. His abilities might slightly be waning as he enters the latter stage of his career, but New Zealand’s Sam Whitelock has personified attacking and defensive lineout ability for the last decade.
He doesn’t always get the recognition he deserves, packing down alongside ex-World Rugby player of the year Brodie Retallick, but Whitelock was integral to the All Blacks’ success in the 2010s, giving them a rock-steady platform at the lineout.
Building on that need to be a defensive weapon at attacking lineouts, locks are now also required to be a difference-maker at the breakdown and in other areas of the game where they are able to force turnovers and hand possession back to their side. Few opportunities to attack are as conducive to scoring points as transition rugby.
No one is as adept a defensive irritant as Maro Itoje, with the Saracen regularly accounting for more turnovers than any other England player. His balance and ability at the contact area is extraordinary given his lofty frame, though it is also in mauls and in the tackle where he is able to rip free balls and give his team extra possessions.
Of course, certain areas of the more ‘old school’ locks’ games still persist and provide plenty of value, such as the impact a big hitter or enforcer can have on a game. No player who is only an enforcer and nothing else can be carried anymore, but well-rounded locks who have that element to their style of play are still worth their considerable weight in gold.
There are a few candidates here, though none who have done it so consistently on the international stage as South Africa’s Eben Etzebeth. The gargantuan lock has made fringe defence, pick and goes and generally exerting himself physically around the pitch an art form over the span of his career to date. There are few to no players who have come off better than him in a one-on-one contest of physicality in recent years.
As with the front rowers, the evolution of the game has seen more demanded of locks as playmakers and ball-handlers. Always required to shoulder the burden of carrying, second rows now need to be able to link play and create attacking opportunities for others around them, rather than just by setting up another phase of rugby.
There can be no arguments about Fiji’s Leone Nakarawa’s proficiency in this particular category, with the long-armed lock a cornucopia of audacious offloads and consistent skill levels in the loose. Though not always given the same value by coaches as set-piece contribution, Nakarawa has repeatedly turned games with his ability to keep phases alive and play with ambition and flair.
Last but not least, we come to the athletic demands that are now placed on second rows. Where you used to be able to get by being an enforcer or by being a valuable component at the lineout, you now need the athletic X-factor to make game-changing plays in both attack and defence.
Again, there are a number of candidates here, though for consistently pulling off those athletic feats, there aren’t too many more adept than Ireland’s James Ryan.
He has the pace to gallop through holes in defences and make big gains, he can shoot off the line in defence and shut down attacking moves, and his vertical burst and explosion makes him a valued weapon at the lineout and in charging down kicks.
Lineout ability – Sam Whitelock
Breakdown and turnovers – Maro Itoje
Big hitters – Eben Etzebeth
Playmaking and ball-handling – Leone Nakarawa
Athleticism – James Ryan
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments