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Meet the 'super-sized' 1000kg plus pack Racing could unleash against Leinster

Tongan prop Ben Tameifuna. Photo / Getty Images

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…

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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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Ben Tameifuna

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.

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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