Midfield mass: The changing weight of centres since the 1987 Rugby World Cup to present day
Of all positions on a rugby field, the centres remain perhaps the most unique and diverse, as no other position could see two players line-up opposite one another with such different styles and physiques.
Whilst this does happen on the wing, it is never to the same extent as seeing a diminutive, ball-playing twelve come up against a 108kg counterpart (17 stone).
The centres have also seen quite an evolution over the years, and that is made no clearer than comparing the finalists in each Rugby World Cup, and how they have changed in the space of 32 years.
Since 1987, rugby, on the whole, has encountered a seismic change, with average weights of teams increasing enormously, but while this has happened across the pitch, the role of centres has changed as well, which has beckoned the most alarming transformation.
There’s no clearer way of exhibiting this change than comparing the average weight of the starting centres in 1987 and 2019. The first ever RWC between the All Blacks and France saw Warwick Taylor and Joe Stanley line up for the former, and Denis Charvet Patrice and Philippe Sella start for the latter. The average weight of all four centres was 81.75kg (12st.12lb), New Zealand 81kg (12st.11lb) and France 82.5kg (13st.).
Fast-forward to the recent RWC final between England and South Africa, and the average weight of all four centres was 99.5kg (15st.9lb). Eddie Jones fielded the heaviest centre partnership in RWC history at 102kg (16st.1lb), helped by the 112kg (17st.9lb) Manu Tuilagi, who was unsurprisingly the heaviest centre to start a final. The Springboks’ pair of Damian de Allende and Lukhanyo Am still weighed in at 97kg (15st.4lb) on average.
The stark difference between these two sets of teams is indicative of the change that has occurred in the middle of the field, but that is not an anomaly. The average weight of centres has fluctuated between each RWC when looking over the years, but there has been a clear upwards trajectory. This century, there has not been a centre partnership in a final that has averaged under 95kg (14st.13lb), while there was not one that averaged over 90kg (14st.2lb) last century.
Of course, such a rise correlates with rugby in general, which has seen average weights baloon. For example, dual RWC winner Tim Horan would never have been deemed a small player in his time, but comparatively to this era, he would.
Small players may have lit up this 2019 World Cup, but size is still the dominant factor in the modern game. pic.twitter.com/bQDUQN46IM
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 11, 2019
What is noticeable is that seven of the nine winners have had the heavier centre pairings. It was only the first and most recent RWCs that bucked this trend, and de Allende and Am certainly are not small. This is something that most coaches are aware of, and it has seen the lithe runners of yester-era such as Philippe Sella and Frank Bunce become ousted by the likes of Ma’a Nonu, Tuilagi and de Allende.
There is still a place for fleet-footed midfielders, but certainly not as much as there once was. It is also understandable when tracking this change why former players like David Campese bemoan the lack of skill in modern rugby compared to his time, and physicality has taken precedence.
This in no way means that this era sees both the twelve and thirteen shirts occupied by monstrous ball carriers, as there is still a place for play-makers. Matt Giteau started in the 2015 final for Australia, who was minute compared to his opposite man that day, Nonu, and Owen Farrell, primarily a flyhalf, started the final in Japan in the same position, although he is certainly more robust than most tens.
Nonu’s partner in 2011 and 2015, Conrad Smith, was a brilliantly skilful and graceful runner, as was Am this year, which shows that it is not all about brawn (although their stats still dwarf the 1987 centres). As teams have become more powerful and defences stronger, bigger centres are indeed required, but there is equally a demand for those that can unlock tricky defences.
The 2019 RWC saw the tide turn, as the likes of Cheslin Kolbe and Josh Adams lit up the tournament despite being a far cry from names like Jonah Lomu and Julian Savea who have starred before. However, while power and strength in the centres is pivotal to many successful teams today, it is not the be all and end all.
1987- 81.75kg (12.st.12lb) avg. between both teams
New Zealand- 81kg (12.st.11lb) avg.
12 Warwick Taylor 79kg
13 Joe Stanley 83kg
France- 82.5kg (13.st) avg.
12 Denis Charvet Patrice 81kg
13 Philippe Sella 84kg
1991- 89.75kg (14st.2lb)
Australia- 91.5kg (14st.6lb)
12 Tim Horan 90kg
13 Jason Little 93kg
England- 88kg (13st.12lb)
12 Jeremy Guscott 87kg
13 Will Carling 89kg
1995- 84.75kg (13st.5lb)
South Africa- 89kg (14st)
12 Hennie le Roux 80kg
13 Japie Mulder 98kg
NZ- 80.5kg (12st.10lb)
12 Walter Little 76kg
13 Frank Bunce 85kg
1999- 89.5kg (14st.1lb)
Australia- 91.5kg (14st.6lb)
12 Tim Horan 90kg
13 Dan Herbert 93kg
France- 87.5kg (13st.11lb)
12 Émile Ntamack 90kg
13 Richard Dourthe 85kg
2003- 96.75kg (15st.3lb)
Australia- 94.5kg (14st.12lb)
12 Elton Flatley 89kg
13 Stirling Mortlock 100kg
England- 99kg (15st.8lb)
12 Mike Tindall 102kg
13 Will Greenwood 96kg
2007- 95.5kg (15st)
England- 92.5kg (14st.8lb)
12 Mike Catt 91kg
13 Mathew Tait 94kg
South Africa- 98.5kg (15st.7lb)
12 Francois Steyn 101kg
13 Jaque Fourie 96kg
2011- 99.75kg (15st.10lb)
France- 98kg (15st.6lb)
12 Maxime Mermoz 90kg
13 Aurélien Rougerie 106kg
New Zealand- 101.5kg (16st)
12 Ma’a Nonu 108kg
13 Conrad Smith 95kg
2015- 97.25kg (15st.5lb)
New Zealand- 101.5kg (16st)
12 Ma’a Nonu 108kg
13 Conrad Smith 95kg
Australia- 93kg (14st.9lb)
12 Matt Giteau 84kg
13 Tevita Kuridrani 102kg
2019- 99.5kg (15st.9lb)
England- 102kg (16st.1lb)
12 Owen Farrell 92kg
13 Manu Tuilagi 112kg
South Africa- 97kg (15st.4lb)
12 Damian de Allende 101kg
13 Lukhanyo Am 93kg
(all weights are taken from the Rugby World Cup website, except Francois Steyn’s in 2007, which was taken from https://www.timeslive.co.za/ideas/2013-03-28-steyn-talent-that-has-gone-to-waist/)
Comments on RugbyPass
late hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
4 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
24 Go to comments