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Heavy-hitters: Every Top 14 side by height, weight and age
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
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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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
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
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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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.
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 ? 😂
213 foreign players including 22 Kiwis & 23 Saffas across 14 squads is just nuts.
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.