Brumbies sign 125kg prop

[aussies1st]

THE ACT Brumbies signed West Harbour Pirates prop Salesi Maafu today to finalise their 2006 Super 14 playing roster.

Maafu, a 184cm and 125kg specialist loosehead, represented the NSW A side this year and has been a member of the NSW Academy since 2004.



The 22-year-old Sydneysider has been a long-term member of the Pirates, joining the club when he was 11 and playing through the grades including the last three years in first grade.

Maafu says he is excited at the prospect of furthering his career with the Brumbies.

"It's a great opportunity for me and I can't wait to learn from Laurie and the senior players including one of the best loosehead props in the world in Bill Young," he said.

Maafu completes the Brumbies' 33-man playing roster for the inaugural Super 14 season, which includes 28 fulltime contracted players and five rookies.

Brumbies coach Laurie Fisher said Maafu was a valuable addition to the Brumbies' squad.

"From what I have seen of Salesi playing for West Harbour he scrummages very well at loosehead, he is a good explosive runner, he has an increasing work rate and he will definitely be competing for a starting position next season," he said. "We may need to work on his conditioning but he certainly has the size to hold his own.


"And at 125kg and with his ball running capacity, it's definitely an attribute that we are looking for."
2006 Brumbies squad: Adam Ashley-Cooper, Ben Batger, Luke Burgess, Alister Campbell, Mark Chisholm, Tim Curran, Anthony Faingaa, Saia Faingaa, Gene Fairbanks, Mark Gerrard, Matt Giteau, George Gregan, Daniel Heenan, Nic Henderson, Stephen Larkham, Salesi Maafu, Stirling Mortlock (c), Peter Owens, David Palavi, Jeremy Paul, Patrick Phibbs, Clyde Rathbone, Julian Salvi, Radike Samo, Guy Shepherdson, George Smith, Richard Stanford, Jone Tawake, John Ulugia, Adam Wallace-Harrison, Ben White, Joel Wilson, Bill Young.

At last Aus rugby has a beefy prop. Probably will be on the bench next year.

 

[Iafeta]

Matt Dunning's now beefy enough? Mwahahaha!

The likes of Somerville, Carl Hoeft, Kees Meeuws, Carl Hayman, Tony Woodcock out of NZ are not overly massively big blokes (well, perhaps Kees has got on the perpignon in France and ballooned out, who knows, who cares, meh) - it comes down to strength and technique moreso.

Not only Dunning, but Bill Cabuvati was an example of one hyped as being a man mountain. More of a cult figure more than anything.

 

[Southern Warrio]

Matt Dunning's now beefy enough? Mwahahaha!

The likes of Somerville, Carl Hoeft, Kees Meeuws, Carl Hayman, Tony Woodcock out of NZ are not overly massively big blokes (well, perhaps Kees has got on the perpignon in France and ballooned out, who knows, who cares, meh) - it comes down to strength and technique moreso.

Not only Dunning, but Bill Cabuvati was an example of one hyped as being a man mountain. More of a cult figure more than anything.

Then we have this bloke for the future too

Player:Jamie MackintoshPosition:PropBorn:20/02/1985 InvercargillPhysical:1.92m; 129kgTests:0Test Points:0

He will probarbly make the Highlanders squad for next year, and be a starting super 14 prop around 2007. Just think of him and Hayman in the same scrum

 

[Mal Meninga]

The Tahs have signed a future Wallabie in Dan Roach. He's a man mountain of a teenager, and a really good bloke too.

 

[aussies1st]

Dan Roach would fit the AB's prop. Not bulky but good in the scrum department.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

The optimum size for a really good prop is in the 110-120kg bracket I reckon, anything over 120kg tends to be dead weight, while under 110 they tend to struggle to match it with the big boys. Most of the guys you mention below are in the 115-120 range (Meeuws was massive but realively short).

Bill Cavubati is still a legend simply to still be playing for Fiji at his age/size though, he must be 150kg and pushing 40!!!

Matt Dunning's now beefy enough? Mwahahaha!

The likes of Somerville, Carl Hoeft, Kees Meeuws, Carl Hayman, Tony Woodcock out of NZ are not overly massively big blokes (well, perhaps Kees has got on the perpignon in France and ballooned out, who knows, who cares, meh) - it comes down to strength and technique moreso.

Not only Dunning, but Bill Cabuvati was an example of one hyped as being a man mountain. More of a cult figure more than anything.

 

[Thomas]

The Reds front row for next year is actually getting me excited.

Greg Holmes

Stephen Moore

Rodney "Rodzilla" Blake. He's toned down from the 145kg monster he was a few seasons ago to a svelte 120-something....

 

[Southern Warrio]

Where would you rate the Reds front row in terms of the other front rows in the super 14?

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Matt Dunning's now beefy enough? Mwahahaha!

The likes of Somerville, Carl Hoeft, Kees Meeuws, Carl Hayman, Tony Woodcock out of NZ are not overly massively big blokes (well, perhaps Kees has got on the perpignon in France and ballooned out, who knows, who cares, meh) - it comes down to strength and technique moreso.

Not only Dunning, but Bill Cabuvati was an example of one hyped as being a man mountain. More of a cult figure more than anything.

ummmm...Somerville is about 115kg, Hayman is 120kg and absolutely HUGE (although that's cos he's so tall), Woodcock is 118kg, Meeuws was 121kg throughout his international career. Dunning is usually listed between 115kg and 120kg isn't he? Dunning is pretty much the same size as most NZ props imo.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Matt Dunning is 115kg, with the exception of Hoeft (who I believe is also 115kg) he's smaller than all of the guys you listed!

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Also, with the exception of Hayman they are all between 1.80m and 1.84m. So they are all basically identical.

 

[aussies1st]

Reds pack would be the best in Aus. Compared to the rest may beat the Chiefs and Wellington.

 

[Jackal Dog]

Thomas I have been keeping track of "Rodzilla" for a while now and yes I agree he looks the goods.

 

[Iafeta]

How can Dunning weigh the same? Got me perplexed, he's the only one in a test match playing with a double D bra..... he's a few villagers short of Bill Cabuvati.

The point is, weight isn't the be all and end all of propping, it comes down to good technique moreso IMO. The likes of Carl Hayman are terrific scrummagers due to good technique.

 

[Jackal Dog]

The point is, weight isn't the be all and end all of propping, it comes down to good technique moreso IMO.

Not according to the saffas;-)

Ollie le Roux and Richard Bands, need I say more?

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

How can Dunning weigh the same? Got me perplexed, he's the only one in a test match playing with a double D bra..... he's a few villagers short of Bill Cabuvati.

The point is, weight isn't the be all and end all of propping, it comes down to good technique moreso IMO. The likes of Carl Hayman are terrific scrummagers due to good technique.

Mate, all of the guys you mentioned are barrell-chested thunder-thighed tanks just like Dunning. He is exactly the same size if not smaller than Woodcock, Somerville, Meeuws etc. If anything he has a fat face which makes him look fatter, and maybe he has more fat and less muscle than the other props, but he is the same size. Another good example is Thomas Waldrom from Wellington, he is a speedy loose-forward but has the head of a 400kg man who washes himself with a rag on a stick. Even Mark Riddell cops it unfairly- he weighs 99kg, Matt Hilder from the Sharks is 101kg and the same height, and nobody says he's too fat to play hooker.

Weight isn't the be all and all exactly because all props these days are pretty much the same size. You can only really contrast them with the rare absolute monsters like Cavubati etc.

 

[aqua_duck]

speaking of big prop's, does anyone else here rate John Afoa?

 

[aussies1st]

Not too bad haven't seen enough of him yet. But NZ have so many props that you have to be the best to get a mention.

 

[Iafeta]

I understand Afoa has come through the AB's junior ranks with some credit.

He hasn't really impressed me thus far from what I've seen of him - but to be fair, neither did Tony Woodcock when he was propping the Blues scrum but as the test matches came around I'd not have any other loosehead in the world propping the ABs scrum. I think in Super 12 the top props are those who get around the track more, its more an open game, whereas test rugby still has a focus on the set piece where Woodcock/Hayman excel. Perhaps Afoa is another who's yet to really conquer Super 12 but has the tools to be a top test match prop.