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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 210 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 210 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 210 days ago

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

G
GH 210 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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I
IkeaBoy 50 minutes ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.”

Good lad, just checking. So you’re not a bot! Chelsea bombed the 2008 final more than United won it. John Terry… couldn’t happen to a nicer fella.


“The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made.”

So the difference between 2021 and 2023 would of course be TWO YEARS. 24 months would account for 3 different seasons. They contested ECL finals twice in two years. The first in 2021 - which they lost - was still the first elite European final in the clubs then 141 year history. Explain clearly how that’s not an achievement? Guess what age he was then…


“I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright.”

I thought you don’t care what certain managers did 10 years ago…

Why would I address Eddie Jones? Why would he be deserving of a single sentence?


“I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.”

So you haven’t watched even a minute of Super Rugby this year?


“lol u really need to chill out”

Simply frightful! If you’re not a bot you’re at least Gen-Z?

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f
fl 1 hour ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca”

Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.


“The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made. With Barcelona, Pep made the semi final four consecutive times - with City he’s managed only 3 in 8 years. This year they didn’t even make the round of 16.


To re-cap, you wrote that Pep “has gotten better with age. By every measure.” There are some measures that support what you’re saying, but the vast majority of the measures that you have highlighted actually show the opposite.


I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.


I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright. You’ve also not addressed Eddie Jones.


I agree wrt Schmidt. He would ideally be retained, but it wouldn’t work to have a remote head coach. He should definitely be hired as a consultant/analyst/selector though.


“Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.”

lol u really need to chill out lad. Kiss and Schmidt would both be great members of the coaching set up in 2025, but it would be ridiculous to bank on either to retain the head coach role until 2031.

171 Go to comments
I
IkeaBoy 2 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca. The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.


His time with City - a lower win ratio compared to Bayern Munich as you say - includes a 100 PT season. A feat that will likely never be surpassed. I appreciate you don’t follow soccer too closely but even casual fans refer to the sport in ‘pre and post Pep’ terms and all because of what he has achieved and is continuing to achieve, late career. There is a reason that even U10’s play out from the back now at every level of the game. That’s also a fairly recent development.


How refreshing to return to rugby on a rugby forum.


Ireland won a long over due slam in 2009. The last embers of a golden generation was kicked on by a handful of young new players and a new senior coach. Kiss was brought in as defence coach and was the reason they won it. They’d the best defence in the game at the time. He all but invented the choke tackle. Fittingly they backed it up in the next world cup in their 2011 pool match against… Australia. The instantly iconic image of Will Genia getting rag-dolled by Stephen Ferris.


His career since has even included director of rugby positions. He would have an extremely good idea of where the game is at and where it is going in addition to governance experience and dealings. Not least in Oz were many of the players will have come via or across Rugby League pathways.


Gatland isn’t a valid coach to compare too. He only ever over-achieved and was barely schools level without Shaun Edwards at club or test level. His return to Wales simply exposed his limitations and a chaotic union. It wasn’t age.


Schmidt is open to staying involved in a remote capacity which I think deserves more attention. It would be a brain drain to lose him. He stepped in to coach the ABs in the first 2022 test against Ireland when Foster was laid out with Covid. They mullered Ireland 42-19. He was still heavily involved in the RWC 2023 quarter final. Same story.


Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.

171 Go to comments
f
fl 3 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“He won a ECL and a domestic treble at the beginning of his career.”

He won 2 ECLs at the beginning of his career (2009, 2011). Since then he’s won 1 in 15 years.


“He then won 3 leagues on the bounce later in his career”

He won 3 leagues on the bounce at the start of his career too - (2009, 2010, 2011).


If we’re judging him by champions league wins, he peaked in his late 30s, early 40s. If we’re judging him by domestic titles he’s stayed pretty consistent over his career. If we’re judging him by overall win rate he peaked at Bayern, and was better at Barcelona than at City. So no, he hasn’t gotten better by every measure.


“You mentioned coaches were older around the mid-2010’s compared to the mid-2000’s. Robson was well above the average age you’ve given for those periods even in the 90’s when in his pomp.”

Robson was 63-64 when he was at Barcelona, so he wasn’t very old. But yeah, he was slightly above the average age of 60 I gave for the top 4 premier league coaches in 2015, and quite a bit above the averages for 2005 and 2025.


“Also, comparing coaches - and their experiences, achievements - at different ages is unstable. It’s not a valid way to compare and tends to torpedo your own logic when you do compare them on equal terms. I can see why you don’t like doing it.”

Well my logic certainly hasn’t been torpedoed. Currently the most successful premier league coaches right now are younger than they were ten years ago. You can throw all the nuance at it that you want, but that fact won’t change. It’s not even clear what comparing managers “on equal terms” would even mean, or why it would be relevant to anything I’ve said.


“You still haven’t answered why Kiss could be a risker appointment?”

Because I’ve been talking to you about football managers. If you want to change the subject then great - I care a lot more about rugby than I do football.

But wrt Kiss, I don’t agree that 25 years experience is actually that useful, given what a different sport rugby was 25 years ago. Obviously in theory more experience can never be a bad thing, but I think 10 years of coaching experience is actually more than enough these days. Erasmus had been a coach for 13 years when he got the SA top job. Andy Farrell had been a coach for 9 when he got the Ireland job. I don’t think anyone would say that either of them were lacking in experience.


Now - what about coaches who do have 25+ years experience? The clearest example of that would be Eddie Jones, who started coaching 31 years ago. He did pretty well everywhere he worked until around 2021 (when he was 61), when results with England hit a sharp decline. He similarly oversaw a terrible run with Australia, and currently isn’t doing a great job with Japan.

Another example is Warren Gatland, who also started coaching full-time 31 years ago, after 5 years as a player-coach. Gatland did pretty well everywhere he went until 2020 (when he was 56), when he did a relatively poor job with the Chiefs, before doing a pretty poor job with the Lions, and then overseeing a genuine disaster with Wales. There are very few other examples, as most coaches retire or step back into lesser roles when they enter their 60s. Mick Byrne actually has 34 years experience in coaching (but only 23 years coaching in rugby) and at 66 he’s the oldest coach of a top 10 side, and he’s actually doing really well. He goes to show that you can continue to be a good coach well into your 60s, but he seems like an outlier.


So the point is - right now, Les Kiss looks like a pretty reliable option, but 5 years ago so did Eddie Jones and Warren Gatland before they went on to prove that coaches often decline as they get older. If Australia want Kiss as a short term appointment to take over after Schmidt leaves in the summer, I don’t think that would be a terrible idea - but NB wanted Kiss as a long term appointment starting in 2027! That’s a massive risk, given the chance that his aptitude will begin to decline.


Its kind of analagous to how players decline. We know (for example) that a fly-half can still be world class at 38, but we also know that most fly-halves peak in their mid-to-late 20s, so it is generally considered a risk to build your game plan around someone much older than that.

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AlanCriner 3 hours ago
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