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Meet the 'super-sized' 1000kg plus pack Racing could unleash against Leinster
When it comes to forward packs, the Top14 increasingly don’t do small.
Toulouse and latterly LaRochelle have taken the concept of bigger is better to an extreme, and Racing 92 have in recent seasons followed suit. With the league largely centred around the mauling game, there is some logic to the approach.
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The evolution of professional rugby has of course seen an increase player sizes across the board, with an average international pack generally weighing in at over 900kg or 112.5kg a man. During this year’s Natwest Six Nations England, for example, regularly weighed in at 918kg or over and – in fact – Tier 1 international packs under 900kg are becoming more scarce.
The Top14 however is a different kettle of fish.
A theoretical pack constituted from Racing’s heavyweight stable of forwards would make your average International pack look more akin to a schoolboy team. With this in mind with a combined pack weight of 1004kg, the average man in our “Frankenstein’ Racing pack would tip the scales at 125.5kg (19 stone 11Ibs/276Ibs).
This weekend the Parisians take on the toast of the PRO14 and tournament favourites Leinster, a team that dominated the Scarlets around the breakdown with ruthless, bullying pick and goes. The Leinster pack that played that day weighed 897kg.
Of course this is a paper exercise, and this selection will not be picked by headcoach Laurent Labit, but all the same, an impressive prospect none-the-less.
Continue reading below…
1 Census Johnston
6′ 2.5″, 135kg
While he more often lines out at tighthead, the Samoan veteran is equally adept at loosehead where he has played for both Samoa and Toulouse. The 37-year-old previously weighed in at 140kg but has spent the latter part of his career in the mid 130s.
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2 Wayne Ole Avei
5′ 10″, 115kg
The Wellington born Ole Avei has 34 caps for Samoa and comes to Racing via UBB.
3 Ben Tameifuna
6′, 134kg
‘Big Ben’ Tameifuna is listed at 134kg, but going on his current physique that might be a little shy of his real weight. In off season the Tongan has been as high as 149kg, and indeed weighed in at 148kg for the ‘Fight for Life’ charity boxing event in which he fought Willie Mason.
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4 Patrico Albacete 122kg
6’7″, 122kg
The 37-year-old may be in the Autumn of his career and playing less rugby but the Argentinian still boasts a solid 122kg of mass on his 6’7 frame.
5 Edwin Maka
6’5″, 147kg
One of the heaviest professional rugby players on the planet, like Johnson, Maka made his way to Racing from Toulouse, who fielded some massive packs under Guy Noves. Very hard to stop near the line.
6 Bernard Le Roux
6’5″, 112kg
The South African born French international is a relative lightweight in this pack at a modest 17 stone 9 pounds.
7 Boris Palu
6’4″, 112kg
With an impressive 93% tackle completion rate in 2018, Palu tips the scales at 112kg.
8 So’otala Fa’aso’o
6’5″, 127kg
Just 23-year-old, the former Samoa U20s backrow came to Racing via Counties Manukau and is already wreaking havoc in the Top14, barging past four defenders for a magnificant try just this weekend.
Comments on RugbyPass
I’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
4 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
6 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
11 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
11 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
4 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to comments