1
Ex-Ireland prop: 'We don't have enough competent fatties to compete'
By Liam Heagney
Retired Ireland front row Nick Popplewell has questioned the IRFU’s development system for props, claiming too many youths coaches select “slow wing forwards” ahead of specialist loose and tightheads.
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The 60-year-old, who was a 1993 British and Irish Lions Test team pick in New Zealand, won 48 caps for his country in a career that also included winning the English league with Newcastle.
Now working in property sales, he has taken to LinkedIn to share his thoughts on the state of the props in Ireland following last Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations trouncing by France.
It is widely claimed that the Irish have an excellent conveyor belt of talent frequently emerging from the Leinster schools system, but Popplewell has argued that this development doesn’t extend to props.
Rather than hailing the existing system, he claimed that the desire to win at youths level had instead resulted in coaches not placing enough emphasis on properly developing specialist props.
Six Nations
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
France
4
3
1
0
16
2
England
4
3
1
0
15
3
Ireland
4
3
1
0
14
4
Scotland
4
2
2
0
11
5
Italy
4
1
3
0
4
6
Wales
4
0
4
0
3
Focusing on the debate ignited by the French selecting seven forwards and just one back on their Six Nations bench in Dublin, Popplewell pondered: “The 7-1 split yea or nay? Unfortunately the reality is there are countries who have been ignoring the importance of the scrum and want a rule change as they feel they are at a disadvantage.
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“Why our opposition to the 7-1? We don’t have enough competent fatties to compete. Why? We have been assuming that those selected to represent the country at U20s level are best placed to do so at senior level.
“Maybe this assumption is incorrect? Maybe for the last five, six years those in charge in selecting and binning young hopefuls have been making incorrect choices and we are now counting the cost at national level. (Don’t forget I am talking fatties here: props = chaps that from birth are built like a Hereford bull and talk about all things scrum-related at the bar).
“Maybe our U20s props are being selected for speed and agility (heaven forbid) rather than grunt and strength. Coaches are human and like to be seen as successful so short-term optics and silverware are important for their egos and young bulls are being overlooked and replaced by ‘slow wing forwards’.
“Unfortunately there is no quick fix. It takes time to strengthen and fatten up young props (even more time with young wing forwards). But we need to acknowledge that we need change.
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“The harsh reality is: For the last four years our Irish U20s have been stuffed at scrum time, especially against English and French sides, and yet year on year the four, five props included in the squad are rewarded with three-year academy contracts. Why?
“How can we improve this? We need a greater pool of kids brought in from a wider catchment area and let a FAIR culling process evolve over a period where those not progressing are moved on and or maybe replaced by someone showing promise in the All-Ireland League.
“We need a greater involvement of props in the decision making and culling. Why? Because only a prop has the sixth sense of true ability. We have all seen young, promising bulls disappear and wonder why? The powers that be respond that they didn’t have the mental stamina or will to put in the hard work.
“Maybe if they had been offered the same opportunities as their ‘blue blooded peers’ they could be out there wearing the green jersey and Ireland would be leading the charge in the 7-1 split!”
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At least the thought to grow their own full blooded props who can take on the challenge the Bomb Squad pose for instance would be a step in the right direction. Instead of having peeps complaining about Rassie and now Fabién of unfairly using 7-1 bench splits, they could try their hands at growing some of their own. It might take a few years but boy it would make a huge difference. Imagine if there was an O’ Bombe Squaddie, Le Bombe Possé, Die Bomb Span, etc each fan that had that could really get even more involved in the game. Set-pieces actually would increase the pace of the game because players could have more chances to breathe and rest for a bit.
Watch out NZ . Irelands coming for some props
Incorrect: No props are allowed to be bought in to Irish provinces (Slimani was last one) due to necessity of developing our own.
Too true
Never thought of getting my fix of rugby opinion and analysis on LinkedIn. I bet the comments are at least more intelligent than around these parts.
In 2023 U20 WC, I am not sure the irish problem was props. The key of the game was more the french backrow with Jegou, Nouchy, Gazzoti and next Castro Ferreira. Prendergast had, too, a bad day at office this day.
Useless comments. Both teams had the same number of props (4) and France had 4 backrow players, 2 mixed lock/backrow (flament Guillard) and only 2 pure locks. Gros, the French loosehead is himself a former backrower. The French have the edge on athleticism and dynamism, not actually that much on weight or size apart from 1 or 2 players (atonio and meafou who were not on the pitch at the same time).
Im sure you will find that a) the front row weight combined for France is higher than Ireland and b) that Ireland are ineffective at using their weight.
What I find interesting is that Irish Rugby refuses to test schoolboys for drugs.
Do you really want to get into a conversation about schoolboy rugby and steroids as a South African with yer history, record and acceptance of taking them???
Can you provide substantiation for this “Refusal” and the context around it?
I understand South Africa are also World Champions at abusing performance assisting drugs so thsi is concerning praise from you.
Oh wow. Didn’t know that. Wada this and that and yet…
Steroids aren’t good for making props though.
They’re right not to focus on it. The recent Ireland v France game had a 6:2 bench against a 7:1 bench. It produced just 8 scrums.
Waste of resources to focus on it. It’s not difficult to keep a scrum out of the game