Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'He's the best part of 21-stone but ridiculously fit, low body fat, just an anomaly'

(Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images for Harlequins)

Sale boss Alex Sanderson hit the front-rower nail on the head the other week when he colourfully suggested: “Getting a tighthead that can scrum and run is as rare as teddy bear s***.” This was precisely the fear that would have engulfed Harlequins fans when they learned in January 2020 that England No3 Kyle Sinckler would be joining Gallagher Premiership rivals Bristol that summer.

ADVERTISEMENT

Losing your favourite tighthead is a monstrous headache for any scrum but Harlequins had their homework done in advance of the Sinckler departure being made official. South Africa had become a happy recruitment ground for them during the Paul Gustard era and just 17 days after the confirmation that Sinckler was leaving Harlequins for a two-year Ashton Gate deal, the Londoners announced they had captured the signature of Wilco Louw.

They bought well. Here was a seasoned tighthead with 13 Springboks caps, someone who was just back on the Super Rugby scene with the Stormers following a short World Cup cover stint at Toulon in the Top 14.

Video Spacer

RugbyPass is sharing unique stories from iconic British and Irish Lions tours to South Africa in proud partnership with The Famous Grouse, the Spirit of Rugby

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 6:53
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 6:53
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected
    Video Spacer

    RugbyPass is sharing unique stories from iconic British and Irish Lions tours to South Africa in proud partnership with The Famous Grouse, the Spirit of Rugby

    He didn’t light up the Premiership when he arrived for the post-lockdown restart of the suspended 2019/20 campaign. However, the fingerprints of Louw are all over the 2020/21 season where Harlequins have qualified for the semi-finals with two rounds of regular-season matches to spare.

    It’s an achievement made all the more laudable given how the sudden January exit of Gustard as the boss should have had damaging consequences, not galvanise them to go on a run of ten wins in 14 league outings ahead of this Friday night’s visit to fellow semi-finalists Sale.

    For a change, Louw will be marked absent as Will Collier starts and Simon Kerrod provides the bench back-up, but this has been a campaign where the 26-year-old Springboks prop has ensured Harlequins have not missed the esteemed Sinckler. Nineteen league appearances Louw has made so far, 16 as a starter, and he has packed quite a lot into 1,042 minutes.

    According to Premiership Rugby’s stats cave, there have been 78 carries for 102 metres, 140 tackles, five turnovers won, four defenders beaten, three clear breaks, two offloads, one try. More importantly, the Harlequins scrum has been a weapon and as much as scrum coach Adam Jones understandable wants to equitably pass around the praise, listing off practically every front-rower at the club and their usefulness, it is Louw’s impact that has most ensured the Sinckler departure didn’t leave their set-piece vulnerable.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “A good boy, quiet, just gets on with things. Very honest in and around his game,” said Jones when asked by RugbyPass for his summation of the 2020/21 Louw effect at Harlequins. “It doesn’t make any sense as big and as fit as he is because he is the best part of 21-stone but he is ridiculously fit, low body fat, just a bit of an anomaly really. I know what I’m like at that weight and there is no chance I’d be running around the field like he does so he has been great. It took a bit of time for him to get used to the Premiership but he has been a massive part.

    “Every (training) session is incredibly competitive. There are no gentleman’s agreements anymore where we will let you win this one. We wouldn’t do a lot of live scrums in the week but when we do them they are incredibly competitive and it’s just getting the best out of everyone.

    “The boys have been strong. They do a lot of good stuff in the gym and we spend a little more time analysing than we had done in the past. It has been good. Losing Kyle was a massive hole but we filled it with a substantially sized South African who we knew could scrum.

    “To be fair he took a little bit of time to get used to how we scrum in the Premiership but he is showing now why we signed him and we know you have got a big bullseye on your back if you have got a good scrum. We drive it hard around the mental side of it but it certainly has been going pretty well for us.”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Asked why it took Louw a little time to get clued into the nuances of the Premiership scrum with Harlequins compared to elsewhere, Jones added: “Go to the Top 14 it’s very hit as hard as you can, driving in at angles whereas in the Premiership it’s still aggressive in the set but it’s a little bit squarer. Certainly, we try to scrum a little bit squarer.

    “Instead of hitting and going straight in across, we have had to square him up a little bit and someone that size, you want him to stay as square as possible for as long as you can. It’s not rocket science but you watch Top 14 scrums, they bash into each other and next it is up in the air or collapsed whereas here it is refereed a bit different.”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    O2 Inside Line: All In | Episode 5 | Making Waves

    Confidence knocks and finding your people | Flo Williams | Rugby Rising Locker Room

    Tackling reasons for drop-out in sport | Zainab Alema | Rugby Rising Locker Room

    Krakow | Leg 3 | Day 2 | HSBC Challenger Series | Full Day Replay

    Kubota Spears vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

    Jet Lag: The biggest challenge facing international sports? | The Report

    Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

    Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry? | New Zealand & Australia | Sevens Wonders | Episode 5

    Trending on RugbyPass

    Comments

    0 Comments
    Be the first to comment...

    Join free and tell us what you really think!

    Sign up for free
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Latest Features

    Comments on RugbyPass

    E
    Eliza Galloway 20 minutes ago
    Geoff Parling: An Englishman roasting the Lions?

    Email: prowizardgilbertrecovery(@)  engineer.comWhatsApp: +1 (920) 408‑1234Telegram: https://t.me/Pro_Wizard_Gilbert_RecoveryI never imagined I’d become a victim of a scam—especially in the fast-moving world of cryptocurrency. When I was offered a chance to appear on a popular crypto podcast, I was excited. It seemed like a golden opportunity to gain exposure, connect with industry professionals, and build credibility within the crypto community. The podcast appeared legitimate, complete with a sleek website, professional branding, glowing testimonials, and an active social media presence.After a few exchanges with the supposed host, I was asked to pay $9,500 to secure my spot on the show. Trusting the apparent professionalism of the platform, I went ahead with the payment. I envisioned the new doors this would open—partnerships, recognition, and new opportunities. But everything changed once the payment was made.Suddenly, all communication stopped. My emails and messages went unanswered. The podcast’s website vanished, and so did their social media presence. That’s when reality hit—I had been scammed.I was devastated. Angry, embarrassed, and desperate to find a solution, I began searching for help. That’s when I discovered PRO WIZARD GILBERT RECOVERY. At first, I was skeptical, but with nothing left to lose, I decided to reach out.To my surprise, their team responded quickly and took my case seriously. Using advanced investigative tools and digital tracking techniques, they began tracing the scammer’s digital footprint. I watched as they worked tirelessly, putting the pieces together.Amazingly, PRO WIZARD GILBERT RECOVERY was able to recover 95% of my lost funds. The relief I felt was indescribable. Not only did I get back most of what I lost, but I also walked away with a hard-earned lesson about the importance of due diligence and caution in the digital world.While I wish I had never fallen into the trap, I’m incredibly thankful for the support and professionalism of PRO WIZARD GILBERT RECOVERY. They didn’t just recover my money—they helped restore my peace of mind. I’m sharing my story in hopes that it helps others avoid the same mistake and encourages them to stay vigilant in the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrency.

    44 Go to comments
    J
    JW 52 minutes ago
    James O'Connor, the Lions and the great club v country conundrum

    Lol you need to shoot your editor for that headline, even I near skipped the article.


    France simply need to go to a league format for the Brennus, that will shave two weekends of pointless knockout rugby from their season and raise the competitions standards and mystique no end.


    The under age loophole is also a easy door to shut, just remove the lower age limit. WR simply never envisioned a day were teams would target people under the age of 17 or whatever it is now, but much like with Rassie and his use of subs bench, that day was obviously always going to come. I can’t remember how football does it, I think it’s the other way around with them, you can’t sign anyone younger than that but unions can’t stop 17 or 18 yo’s from leaving for a pro club if they want to. There is a transaction that takes place of a few hundred thousand for a normal average player. I’d prefer rugby to be stricter and just keep the union bodies signoff being required.


    What really was their problem with Kite and co leaving though? Do we really need a game dominated by Internationals? I even think WR’s proposed calendar might be a bit too much, with at minimum 12 top tier games being played in the World Championship. I think 10 to 12, maybe any one player playing 10 of those 12 is the best way to think of it, for every international team is max, so that they can allow their domestic comps to shine if they want, and other nations like Japan and Fiji can, even some of the home nations maybe, and fill out their calendar with extra tours if they like them as a way to make money. As it is RA don’t have as good a pathway system, so they could simply buy back those players if they turn good. Are they worried they’ll be less likely to? We wait for baited breath for the new season to be laid out in front of us by WR.

    It could impose sanctions on the Fédération Française de Rugby, but the body which runs the Top 14 and the ProD2, the Ligue Nationale de Rugby, is entirely independent.

    It’s not independent at all. The LNR is a body under, and commissioned by, the FFR (and Government control) to mediate the clubs. FFR can simply install a new club competition if they don’t listen, then you’d see whether the players want to stay at any club who doesn’t tow the line and move to the new competition, as they obviously wouldn’t fall under the auspice of world rugby. They would be rebels, which is fine in and upon itself, but they would isolate themselves from the rest of the game and would need to be OK with that. I have no doubt whatsoever that clubs would have to and want to fall in line to remain part of the EPCR and French rugby. Probably even the last thing they would want is to compete with another French domestic competition that has all the advantages they don’t.


    All those players would do good for a few seasons in France, especially the fringe ones, with thankfully zero risk of them being poached if they turn good. New Zealand had a turn at keeping all of it’s talent, and while it upticked the competitiveness of the Super Rugby teams into a total dominance of Australian and South African counterparts (who were suffering more heavily than most the other way at that stage), it didn’t have as positive an effect on the next step up as ensuring young talents development is not hindered does. Essentially NZR flooded the locate market with players but inevitably it didn’t think the local economy could sustain any more pro teams itself, so now we are seeing a normal amount of exodus for the availability of places again. Are Australia in exactly the same footing? I think so, finances where dicey for a while perhaps but I doubt they are putting money constraints on their contracting now. It’s purely about who leaves to open up opportunity.

    58 Go to comments
    C
    Colin Friels 2 hours ago
    Is the All Blacks captaincy right for Scott Barrett?

    CALL OR VISIT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY ON WhatsApp    +15617263697   Or  Telegram  +15617263697  Several weeks ago, my life was irrevocably altered by a crypto romance scam, a cruel amalgamation of emotional manipulation and financial exploitation. A person I believed to be my partner, whom I had met on a niche trading forum, gradually ensnared me into investing in a purportedly “groundbreaking” decentralized finance (DeFi) project. Over several months, they meticulously cultivated trust, shared fabricated returns, and even orchestrated video calls with supposed “developers” to lend credence to the scheme. By the time I discerned the truth, a staggering $215,000 of my life savings had evaporated into a labyrinth of blockchain addresses, and the individual I thought I knew had vanished without a trace. The betrayal was paralyzing; I felt not only financially devastated but emotionally shattered. As a small business owner, I am no stranger to risk, but this was a domain far beyond my comprehension. I promptly filed reports with the FTC, collaborated with cybersecurity experts, and spent countless sleepless nights poring over Etherscan, desperately attempting to trace the transactions. However, the scammers’ adept use of privacy coins and offshore exchanges rendered the trail elusive, dissipating like smoke. Each dead end deepened my despair and sense of helplessness. Amid this turmoil, I confided in a family friend about my harrowing ordeal. After hearing my story, he referred me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. Initially skeptical but driven by desperation, I visited their website and was struck by their no-nonsense commitment to transparency. Unlike other firms that promised miraculous recoveries, Tech Cyber Force Recovery provided a clear breakdown of their process: forensics, collaboration with international legal networks, and direct engagement with exchanges to freeze illicit funds. When I contacted Tech Cyber Force Recovery, their team approached my case faster. They meticulously analyzed my situation, keeping me informed at every stage of the recovery process. Ultimately, they succeeded in recovering my entire investment, restoring my financial stability, and rekindling my faith in the possibility of justice in the digital age. This experience has imparted invaluable lessons about vigilance and the importance of seeking help when navigating the dangerous currents of cryptocurrency. Tech Cyber Force Recovery has proven to be a beacon of hope for those ensnared in the web of crypto fraud, demonstrating that recovery is indeed possible with the right support and expertise.

    7 Go to comments
    TRENDING
    TRENDING 'Are there 3 better fly-halves in Britain and Ireland... I don’t think so' 'Are there 3 better fly-halves in Britain and Ireland?'
    Search