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Heavy-hitters: Every Pro D2 team by height, weight and age
By Ian Cameron
The upcoming Pro D2 season sees some absolute giants across the league, with the French second flight rivalling the Top 14, URC and Gallagher Premiership for sheer size.
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The tallest player across the teams is Valence Romans’ Darren O’Shea, standing at an imposing 206 cm, closely followed by Oyonnax’s Manuel Leindekar at 205cm.
The heaviest player in the competition is US Dax’s Nephi Leatigaga, tipping the scales at 149 kg, with Nice’s Aselo Ikahehegi weighing in at 140 kg, as does Ali Oz.
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Among the veterans, Aix’s Jimmy Gopperth leads the way at 41 years old, the former Hurricanes, Leinster, Newcastle, Wasps and Leicester playmaker still going strong.
Caveat: The statistics do not include extensive ‘Espoirs’ rosters which include players that will feature in the Pro D2 regular season.
As such this list trends higher for age than our previous breakdown of both the URC and Gallagher Premiership statistics, where there are typically fewer players on academy contracts.
16. Mont-de-Marsan
David Auradou’s Stade Montois finished mid-table in the last campaign. They’re the lightest squad in the league and also one of the youngest.
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Average age: 27.4 years
Average height: 185.7 cm
Average weight: 101.7 kg
Tallest player: Myles Edwards – 199 cm
Heaviest player: Myles Edwards – 125 kg
Oldest player: Anthony Alvès – 35 years
League finish last time out: 8th
15. Soyaux-Angoulême
One of the lightest in this season’s Pro D2, SA XV Charente squad’s big-name signing was England winger Jonny May.
Average age: 27.2 years
Average height: 185.8 cm
Average weight: 102.1 kg
Tallest player: Ian Kitwanga – 201 cm
Heaviest player: Ian Kitwanga – 122 kg
Oldest player: Motu Matu’u – 37 years
League finish last time out: 12th
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14. Biarritz
The former European Cup finalists sank to a lowly 14th in last year’s Pro D2, with the once mighty club needing to be rescued off the pitch due to their dire finances. They have made some noteworthy signings, including former Scotland back-row Cornell du Preez and Masivesi Dakuwaqa.
Average age: 27.9 years
Average height: 185.1 cm
Average weight: 102.1 kg
Tallest player: Charlie Matthews – 202 cm
Heaviest player: Nodar Shengelia – 127 kg
Oldest player: Piula Fa’Asalele – 36 years
League finish last time out: 14th
13. Grenoble FC
They came within a whisker of being promoted back to the Top 14 and are likely to make a strong case for promotion again this season.
Average age: 26.5 years
Average height: 185.5 cm
Average weight: 102.3 kg
Tallest player: Pierce Phillips – 203 cm
Heaviest player: Cody Thomas – 125 kg
Oldest player: Pierce Phillips – 31 years
League finish last time out: 4th
12. Beziers
Pierre Caillet’s Bezier finished third in last Seaon’s campaign and are among the favourites to contest for promotion again this time around. They won’t be relying on many mass monsters to do it either, with the squad averaging 102kg a man. They’ve signed Saracens prop Christian Judge among others.
Average age: 28.0 years
Average height: 185.2 cm
Average weight: 102.4 kg
Tallest player: Cam Dodson – 201 cm
Heaviest player: Yannick Arroyo – 137 kg
Oldest player: Francisco Fernandes – 39 years
League finish last time out: 3rd
11. Colomiers
Colomiers heaviest player is Marco Fepulea’i and their tallest is former Waratah Jack Whetton.
Average age: 25.9 years
Average height: 185.6 cm
Average weight: 103.2 kg
Tallest player: Jack Whetton – 200 cm
Heaviest player: Marco Fepulea’i – 128.0 kg
Oldest player: Anthony Coletta – 35.0 years
League finish last time out: 10th
10. Agen
A lowly 13th last season, SUA will be hoping that the new additions Billy Searle and Jack Maunder can help turn the tide.
Average age: 27.3 years
Average height: 186.1 cm
Average weight: 103.7 kg
Tallest player: William Demotte – 202 cm
Heaviest player: Lasha Macharashvili – 128 kg
Oldest player: Vincent Farré – 34 years
League finish last time out: 13th
9. Stade Aurillacois
A relatively modest recruitment drive over the summer after they finished 9th last time out.
Average age: 25.4 years
Average height: 187.2 cm
Average weight: 103.9 kg
Tallest player: Koen Bloemen – 203 cm
Heaviest player: Mehdi Slamani – 131 kg
Oldest player: Elijah Niko – 34 years
League finish last time out: 9th
8. Valence Romans
Six-foot-nine Munsterman Darren O’Shea is the tallest in the squad. The squad includes former Melbourne Rebels and Leicester Tigers fullback George Worth.
Average age: 28.5 years
Average height: 186.6 cm
Average weight: 104.0 kg
Tallest player: Darren O’Shea – 206 cm
Heaviest player: Gareth Milasinovich – 134 kg
Oldest player: Florian Goumat – 34 years
League finish last time out: 11th
7. Nice
Newly promoted after winning the Championnat Fédéral Nationale last season, the squad include former Leinster centre Tom Daly and Los Pumas prop Facundo Gigena.
Average age: 26.6 years
Average height: 184.6 cm
Average weight: 104.8 kg
Tallest player: Ugo Vignolles – 204 cm
Heaviest player: Aselo Ikahehegi – 140 kg
Oldest player: Jason Fraser – 33 years
League finish last time out: Promoted to ProD2
6. US Dax
Fifth last time out, their heaviest player is former Leicester Tigers loosehead, Nephi Leatigaga, who tips the scales are 23.5 stone.
Average age: 27.3 years
Average height: 187.1 cm
Average weight: 105.2 kg
Tallest player: Alexandre Manukula – 202 cm
Heaviest player: Nephi Leatigaga – 149 kg
Oldest player: Genesis Mamea Lemalu – 36 years
League finish last time out: 5th
5. Nevers
Xavier Péméja’s USON Nevers have five Georgians on the books and with an average bodyweight of 105.5kg across the squad, are getting up there in terms of size as the fifth heaviest in the league.
Average age: 26.2 years
Average height: 185.5 cm
Average weight: 105.5 kg
Tallest player: Ugo Vignolles – 204 cm
Heaviest player: Aselo Ikahehegi – 140 kg
Oldest player: Jason Fraser – 33 years
League finish last time out: 7th
4. Aix-en-Provence (Provence Rugby)
They topped the league last time out but lost out in the promotion play-offs. Have been bolstered by the likes of British & Irish Lions star George North, former Sarries prop Hayden Thompson-Stringer and ex-France flyhalf Jules Plisson.
Average age: 28.2 years
Average height: 186.1 cm
Average weight: 106.4 kg
Tallest player: Izack Rodda – 202 cm
Heaviest player: Thomas Vernet – 127 kg
Oldest player: Jimmy Gopperth – 41 years
League finish last time out: 1
3. Oyonnax
A number of very heavy forwards and a relatively large back division make Oyonnax one of the heaviest rosters in the league. 140kg Ali Oz is the heaviest. They’ll be hoping to bounce back up into the Top 14 after being relegated last season.
Average age: 28.1 years
Average height: 187.5 cm
Average weight: 106.5 kg
Tallest player: Manuel Leindekar – 205 cm
Heaviest player: Ali Oz – 140 kg
Oldest player: Benjamin Gélédan – 34 years
League finish last time out: Relegated from the Top 14
2. Montauban
Ten forwards over 120kg and a heavyweight back line that includes 115kg centre Seva Galala and 108kg Josu Vici help make this one of the most physically imposing teams in the Pro D2.
Average age: 28.9 years
Average height: 187.4 cm
Average weight: 107.1 kg
Tallest player: Frank Bradshaw – 205 cm
Heaviest player: Lucas Seyrolle – 131 kg
Oldest player: Dimitri Vaotoa – 35 years
League finish last time out: 8th
1. Brive
No less than eleven Brive forwards weigh over 120kg while five of their back division weigh over 100kg, making them the league’s heaviest squad.
Average age: 27.2 years
Average height: 187.0 cm
Average weight: 107.4 kg
Tallest player: Renger Van Eerten – 203 cm
Heaviest player: Nathan Fraissenon – 130 kg
Oldest player: Sitaleki Timani – 38 years
League finish last time out: 6th
Nice and Nevers seem to share certain players according to this summary.
Only 140s? Theyve gone down in size then.