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Heavy-hitters: Every Top 14 side by height, weight and age

Perpignan lock Posolo Tuilagi (C) runs with the ball during the French Top14 rugby union match between USA Perpignan and Racing 92 at the Aime-Giral stadium in Perpignan, south-western France on April 22, 2023. (Photo by RAYMOND ROIG / AFP) (Photo by RAYMOND ROIG/AFP via Getty Images)

The Top 14 has long been thought of as the land of giants in a rugby union context and here we test the theory with a look at the average physical make-up of a player in each squad.

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As you’d have guessed the league is broadly heavier across the board than both the URC and Gallagher Premiership, although it’s notably shorter than the English league.

The below squads’ statistics should be read in context of course: with a roster favouring a higher ratio of forwards to backs in terms of personnel likely to be taller and heavier than one that has a higher proportion of backs etc

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    Caveat: The statistics do not include extensive ‘Espoirs’ rosters which include players that will feature in the Top 14 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.

    The only exception to this is where we have included France international Posolo Tuilagi in Perpignan’s equation as it seemed churlish not to include a regular player and indeed, a Test player, who happens to be on an academy contract.

    14. Perpignan
    It wasn’t that long ago [circa 10 years] that USA Perpignan were one of the heaviest squads in the league. Now they are one the lightest, even if they have the giant Posolo Tuilagi bringing up the average.

    Average age: 28.1 years
    Average height: 185.9 cm
    Average weight: 104.5kg
    Tallest player: Adrien Warion – 202 cm
    Heaviest player: Posolo Tuilagi – 149kg
    Oldest player: Seilala Lam – 35 years
    League finish last time out: 10th

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    Perpignan Tuilagi
    Perpignan lock Posolo Tuilagi (C) runs with the ball during the French Top14 rugby union match between USA Perpignan and Racing 92 at the Aime-Giral stadium in Perpignan, south-western France on April 22, 2023. (Photo by RAYMOND ROIG / AFP) (Photo by RAYMOND ROIG/AFP via Getty Images)

    13. Montpellier
    The perception about Stuart Hogg’s new team is that they are made up of heavyweight imports but in fact they go into the new season as the second lightest in the league.

    Average age: 28.5 years
    Average height: 186 cm
    Average weight: 104.7kg
    Tallest player: Bastien Chalureau – 203 cm
    Heaviest player: Billy Vunipola – 134kg
    Oldest player: Cobus Reinach – 34 years
    League finish last time out: 13th

    12. Vannes
    The Top 14 new boys from Brittany are the shortest squad in the top flight and the third lightest at 104.8kg a man.

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    Average age: 28.2 years
    Average height: 185.4 cm
    Average weight: 104.8kg
    Tallest player: Anton Bresler – 200 cm
    Heaviest player: Phil Kité – 140kg
    Oldest player: Paga Tafili – 37 years
    League finish last time out: N/A

    11. Racing 92
    Stuart Lancaster’s Racing 92 had been one of the heavier sides in recent years but his current crop is decidedly mid-table in terms of mass this term, maybe reflecting Lancaster’s desire for a fitter side.

    Average age: 27.5 years
    Average height: 185.5 cm
    Average weight: 105.1kg
    Tallest player: Will Rowlands – 203 cm
    Heaviest player: Romain Taofifenua – 135kg
    Oldest player: Henry Chavancy – 36 years
    League finish last time out: 6th

    10. Stade Francais
    South African lock JJ Van der Mescht is listed at 145kg, although Paul Gustard revealed on the podcast last year that he tipped the scales at 154kg, or 24 stone 4Ibs in old money. We’ve taken his listed weight for this article in the interest of fairness.

    Average age: 27.0 years
    Average height: 186.1 cm
    Average weight: 105.2kg
    Tallest player: JJ Van der Mescht – 200 cm
    Heaviest player: JJ Van der Mescht – 145kg
    Oldest player: Francisco Gomez Kodela – 39 years
    League finish last time out: 2nd

    9. Lyon
    Lyon is the culinary capital of France and the city will no doubt have plenty of LOU forwards stalking local eateries this season. The exit of 132kg Paulo Tafili is offset to a degree by the arrival of Jermaine Ainsley and Tomas Lavanini (both 127kg) and 126kg Irakli Aptsiauri.

    Average age: 27.6 years
    Average height: 187.1 cm
    Average weight: 105.6kg
    Tallest player: Tomás Lavanini – 201 cm
    Heaviest player: Feao Fotuaika – 135kg
    Oldest player: Steeve Blanc-Mappaz – 34 years
    League finish last time out: 11th

    Top 14
    Pablo Matera, Tomas Lavanini and Francisco Gomez Kodela of Argentina sing the national anthem prior The Rugby Championship match between Argentina and South Africa at Jose Amalfitani Stadium on August 5, 2023 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)

    8. Bayonne
    The arrival of 130kg Veikoso Pololinati and 127kg Alex Moon will help bring up the average at Bayonne, although they lost 127kg Konstantin Mikautadze over the summer.

    Average age: 27.5 years
    Average height: 187.1 cm
    Average weight: 105.7kg
    Tallest player: Alex Moon & Veikoso Poloniati – 203 cm
    Heaviest player: Tevita Tatafu – 150kg
    Oldest player: Guillaume Rouet – 36 years
    League finish last time out: 12th

    7. Castres
    132kg prop Wilfrid Hounkpatin may have gone to Montpellier but Castres’ average weight is now tipping on towards 17 stone a man.

    Average age: 28.3 years
    Average height: 187.5 cm
    Average weight: 106.0kg
    Tallest player: Guillaume Ducat – 205 cm
    Heaviest player: Levan Chilachava – 130kg
    Oldest player: Leone Nakarawa – 36 years
    League finish last time out: 7th

    6. Toulon
    Giant Samoan lock Brian Alainu’uese remains the tallest and heaviest player at RCT. The heaviest new signing is 132kg prop Daniel Brennan, son of famous Ireland, Leinster and Toulouse second-row Trevor.

    Average age: 27.3 years
    Average height: 187.3 cm
    Average weight: 106.5kg
    Tallest player: Brian Alainu’uese – 202 cm
    Heaviest player: Brian Alainu’uese – 135kg
    Oldest player: Mickaël Ivaldi – 34 years
    League finish last time out: 4th

    Samoa Top 14
    Brian Alainu’u’ese of Samoa looks on during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between Argentina and Samoa at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on September 22, 2023 in Saint-Etienne, France. (Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images)

    5. La Rochelle
    Despite an enormous forward pack with multiple players over 22 stone, a relatively modestly sized back division has limited Ronan O’Gara’s squad’s average weight.

    Average age: 29.6 years
    Average height: 186.6 cm
    Average weight: 106.7kg
    Tallest player: Will Skelton – 203 cm
    Heaviest player: Uini Atonio – 147kg
    Oldest player: Kane Douglas – 35 years
    League finish last time out: 5th

    4. Toulouse
    The fourth-heaviest squad in the top flight haven’t recruited any high-mass individuals in the off-season but they remain one of the heaviest sides in the league thanks to a broadly meaty forward pack and a relatively heavyweight back division.

    Average age: 26.9 years
    Average height: 186.8 cm
    Average weight: 106.9kg
    Tallest player: Richie Arnold – 208 cm
    Heaviest player: Emmanuel Meafou – 145kg
    Oldest player: Richie Arnold – 34 years
    League finish last time out: 1st

    3. Clermont
    Mid-table Clermont find themselves towards the heavier end of the scale on this list, with an average weight of over 17 stone. The arrival of 130kg Michael Alaalatoa from Leinster has helped prop up the average.

    Average age: 28.5 years
    Average height: 188.0 cm
    Average weight: 107.7kg
    Tallest player: Oskar Rixen – 204 cm
    Heaviest player: Régis Montagne – 133kg
    Oldest player: Benjamin Urdapilleta – 38 years
    League finish last time out: 8th

    2. Pau
    Sébastien Piqueronies’ Section Paloise are just 100g lighter than the heaviest team on this list. The likes of Jon Zabala and Harry Williams (both 132kg) and the aptly named 133kg Jimi Maximin certainly helps, although it’s a pack with just four players under 110kg that gives this side a high average.

    Average age: 27.6 years
    Average height: 187.6 cm
    Average weight: 107.8kg
    Tallest player: Jimi Maximin – 205 cm
    Heaviest player: Jimi Maximin – 133kg
    Oldest player: Luke Whitelock – 33 years
    League finish last time out:

    1. Bordeaux Begles
    No surprise that Bordeaux top the list at just under 108kg a man, although they’re 0.4kg lighter than Exeter Chiefs, the Gallagher Premiership heaviest side.

    Average age: 28.7 years
    Average height: 187.3 cm
    Average weight: 107.9kg
    Tallest player: Adam Coleman – 207 cm
    Heaviest player: Ben Tameifuna – 151kg
    Oldest player: Ben Tapuai – 35 years
    League finish last time out: 3rd

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    Comments

    3 Comments
    N
    NK 208 days ago

    Toulouse are not only the best team in the comp, but also the youngest - I reckon that's ominous for the pretenders to the throne.

    G
    GH 208 days ago

    To come back to this present paper, are we in some kind of butcher shop ? Will we have the price per kg to see who has the cheapest or most expensive meat ? 😂

    S
    SadersMan 209 days ago

    213 foreign players including 22 Kiwis & 23 Saffas across 14 squads is just nuts.

    G
    GH 208 days ago

    You answer to a previous paper from Rugbypass. What lacked in this previous paper was the number of foreign players who are also "JIFF" (players coming from the french academies). The real importance is how every teams will be able to put 16 "JIFF" on the average on each game roster. Montpellier for instance has been fighting to maintain its place in top 14 while being slightly behind at the end of the season. Even if some foreigners are also "JIFF", it is clear that some of the others will not play often in top 14. But there is still six european games to add without limitations.

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    J
    JW 1 hour ago
    Razor has an about turn on All Blacks eligibility rules

    Yep, another problem!


    I think he would have, in the instance I mentioned, which wasn’t changing anything other than correctly applying todays eligibility quidelines. Which is an arbitrary construct, as the deal likely would have played out completely differently, but I just ‘allowed’ him to have 1 year sabbatically for his ‘loyalty’, rather than having some arbitrary number like 70 caps required.


    So if Richie had a 3 year deal, and the first year he was allowed to use him still, I don’t think he’d really not transition to Dmac being his main 10, as he’s obviously the only one he can use for the following two years, therefore likely his only real option for the WC (very hard for Richie to overtake him in such a short time). Richie would purely be a security net in a situation like I proposition where there are only small changes to the eligibility.


    The system is not working well enough though, as we don’t have the Rugby Championship or World Cup trophies, do we? Well on that last question, that’s all I’m really saying but I would not believe a word this author says, so it’s entirely a ‘what if’ discussion, but if the author is right and now they are actually going to be more flexible, I think that’s great yeah. Ultimately thought I think those two players were an anomaly signing their contracts and futures up so far ahead, especially of when they were performing. Both jumped at the opportunity of good contracts when their All Black prospects weren’t looking that bright.

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