The average height and weight of outside centres
While it is hard to perfectly describe what an ideal outside centre looks like, there are still expectations and requirements among different rugby cultures. The best No.13s in history have differed from one another in terms of height and weight, but have all been successful, as it is a position where there is not necessarily a blueprint to which players should aspire to.
But there are still patterns that emerge when comparing outside centres across the top three leagues in Europe, France’s Top 14, England’s Gallagher Premiership and the Guinness Pro14.
The best week so far in 2020 to compare the three leagues was probably the first in January, as that was the last time teams could field their strongest teams before the European cups, the Six Nations and now the coronavirus outbreak.
When looking at the No.13 position, there is a discernible divide between the Premiership and the other two leagues in Europe, with the English league fielding significantly bigger players.
The centres in the Top 14 and the Pro14 are nearly identical, only differing slightly in height. The average weight in both leagues was 94kg (14st11lb), while the French league was on average only a centimetre taller at 1m84 (6’0”) compared to 1m83 (6’0”).
There is still some differentiation between the two leagues though, partly the range of sizes in the Pro14, which had the joint heaviest, the lightest and the joint shortest players in Europe. These were the Cheetahs’ Sibusiso Sithole at 107kg (17st), the Scarlets’ Steffan Hughes at 83kg (13st1lb), and Glasgow Warriors’ Nick Grigg at 1m75 (5’9”).
So while there is quite a range of sizes of Pro14 outside centres, there is much more parity across the league in France, as was the case with inside centres as well. The Top 14 had no players over 100kg (15st11lb) while the Pro14 had three, and only two under 90kg (14st2lb) compared to the Pro14’s three, meaning the French league tends to stick roughly to the same bracket.
Likewise, no player was taller than 1m90 (6’3”) in France, while Leinster’s Garry Ringrose was, and only one player, Brive’s Guillaume Galletier, was under 1m80 (5’11”), while three were in the Pro14, and four more were exactly 1m80.
In spite of there being more extremes in size in the Pro14, it still matches up almost identically to the Top 14 in the No.13 shirt.
The stark difference is between those two leagues and the Premiership, where outside centres weighed 5kg (11lb) more on average at 99kg (15st8lb). The English league also boasted taller outside centres on this weekend on average, at 1m87 (6’2”).
This was the same in the inside centre position, which is an indication that the Premiership is a league that favours larger centres. In this circumstance, there was an even greater difference in average weights between the Premiership and the other two leagues than there was at No.12.
One feature, however, which perhaps illuminates a cultural difference between France and the British Isles, is that the outside centres in the Top 14 tended to weigh more than their midfield partner inside.
Only 43 per cent of the No.13s across France were lighter than the player inside them, with 50 per cent being heavier, and the rest being the same.
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The Premiership and Pro14 are quite similar in this respect, as only 33 per cent were heavier in the Premiership, and 29 per cent were heavier in the Pro14. Having said this, two of the No.13s in England that were lighter than their partner still weighed in at over 100kg, which is yet again another indication of the league’s proclivity to pick more sizeable midfield combinations.
In terms of height, there was more or less an even split as to whether the outside centre was taller or shorter than the inside centre in France and England, although 71 per cent were smaller in the Pro14. Then again, the height of a centre can vary, as it does not carry as much significance as it does in the pack.
French rugby has largely opted to field larger outside centres in the modern era, with players like Aurelien Rougerie, Mathieu Bastareaud and Virimi Vakatawa wearing the shirt this century to devastating effect. So in this respect, the Top 14 still maintains that custom, whereas teams elsewhere tend to deploy more colossal No.12s.
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With that in mind, there were still five players in England on this weekend that weighed more than the heaviest three players in France, Stade Français’ Gaël Fickou, Bayonne’s Alofa Alofa, and ASM Clermont Auvergne’s Isaia Toeava, all of whom were 100kg (15st11lb), as well as one that weighed the same. Leicester Tigers’ Jaco Taute, was the heaviest across England, and joint heaviest in Europe, at 108kg (17st).
Similarly, there were five players in England that were taller than Fickou, who, at 1m90 (6’3”), was the tallest player in France, with London Irish’s Curtis Rona being the tallest in Europe at 1m95 (6’5”).
This goes to show that while the Top 14 does play larger outside centres, they are still dwarfed when compared to those in England. This may surprise some given the physical nature of the French league up front.
While the packs in the Top 14 traditionally are more formidable physically than those in the Pro14, the two leagues are much more equal in the midfield. Meanwhile, the Premiership takes on the mantle of being the physically imposing league in the centres, with their players out-matching their counterparts elsewhere in Europe.
*stats are taken from each club’s website.
TOP 14
Agen: Johann Sadie- 1m88 (6’2”)/ 96kg (15st2lb)
Lyon: Pierre-Louis Barassi- 1m88 (6’2”)/ 91kg (15st5lb)
Racing 92: Virimi Vakatawa- 1m86 (6’1”)/ 92kg (14st7lb)
ASM Clermont Auvergne: Isaia Toeava- 1m81 (5’11”)/ 100kg (15st11lb)
Bordeaux-Begles: Jean-Baptiste Dubié- 1m81 (5’11”)/ 86kg (13st8lb)
Bayonne: Alofa Alofa- 1m85 (6’1”)/ 100kg (15lb11lb)
Montpellier: Arthur Vincent- 1m82 (6’0”)/ 90kg (14st2lb)
Brive: Guillaume Galletier- 1m78 (5’10”)/ 89kg (14st)
Pau: Alexandre Dumoulin- 1m89 (6’2”)/ 97kg (15st4lb)
La Rochelle: Geoffrey Doumayrou- 1m86 (6’1”)/ 92kg )14st7lb)
Toulon: Julien Hériteau- 1m82 (6’0”)/ 96kg (15st2lb)
Castres: Thomas Combezou- 1m82 (6’0”)/ 93kg (14st9lb)
Stade Francais: Gaël Fickou- 1m90 (6’3”)/ 100kg (15st11lb)
Toulouse: Sofiane Guitoune- 1m84 (6’0”)/ 97kg (15st4lb)
Average: 1m84 (6’0”)/ 94kg (14st11lb)
PREMIERSHIP
Sale Sharks: Sam James- 1m93 (6’4”)/ 98kg (15st6lb)
Harlequins: Cadan Murley- 1m75 (5’9”)/ 96kg (15st2lb)
Saracens: Alex Lozowski- 1m84 (6’0”)/ 90kg (14st2lb)
Worcester Warriors: Ashley Beck- 1m91 (6’3”)/ 100kg (15st11lb)
Gloucester: Chris Harris- 1m88 (6’2”)/ 104kg (16st5lb)
Bath: Jonathan Joseph- 1m83 (6’0”)/ 91kg (15st5lb)
Leicester Tigers: Jaco Taute- 1m91 (6’3”)/ 108kg (17st)
Bristol Bears: Piers O’Connor- 1m85 (6’1”)/ 102kg (16st1lb)
Wasps: Malakai Fekitoa- 1m87 (6’2”)/ 99kg (15st8lb)
Northampton Saints: Rory Hutchinson- 1m81 (5’11”)/ 95kg (14st13lb)
London Irish: Curtis Rona- 1m95 (6’5”)/ 101kg (16st)
Exeter Chiefs: Ollie Devoto- 1m92 (6’4”)/ 101kg (16st)
Average: 1m87 (6’2”)/ 99kg (15st8lb)
PRO 14
Ulster: Luke Marshall- 1m80 (5’11”)/ 97kg (15st4lb)
Munster: Sam Arnold- 1m83 (6’0”)/ 95kg (14st13lb)
Cardiff Blues: Rey Lee-Lo- 1m80 (5’11”)/ 90kg (14st2lb)
Scarlets: Steffan Hughes- 1m78 (5’10”)/ 83kg (13st1lb)
Edinburgh: James Johnstone- 1m78 (5’10”)/ 90kg (14st2lb)
Southern Kings: Sibusiso Sithole- 1m80 (5’11”)/ 107kg (17st)
Leinster: Garry Ringrose- 1m91 (6’3”)/ 94kg (14st11lb)
Connacht: Kyle Godwin- 1m87 (6’2”)/ 93kg (14st9lb)
Zebre: Giulio Bisegni- 1m80 (5’11”)/ 88kg (13st2lb)
Cheetahs: William Small-Smith- 1m84 (6’0”)/ 94kg (14st11lb)
Dragons: Tyler Morgan- 1m86m (6’1”)/ 104kg (16st5lb)
Ospreys: Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler- 1m90 (6’3”)/ 98kg (15st6lb)
Benetton Treviso: Iliesa Ratuva- 1m86 (6’1”)/ 100kg (15st11lb)
Glasgow Warriors: Nick Grigg- 1m75 (5’9”)/ 89kg (14st)
Average: 1m83 (6’0”)/ 94kg (14st11lb)
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to comments