Fatso Union v Muscle League

[slippery eel]

While watching the Rugby World cup, ive noticed that some of the forwards playing in their game are fat!. No six pack or washboard stomach with some of those guys.... similar to the NFL in America. Not one rugby league player is overweight. League players must work out more or something???.

 

[EdBurton]

While watching the Rugby World cup, ive noticed that some of the forwards playing in their game are fat!. No six pack or washboard stomach with some of those guys.... similar to the NFL in America. Not one rugby league player is overweight. League players must work out more or something???.

Yeah, I mean Owen Cragie is considered fat but he's a rake comparerd to some of those blokes!

 

[JJ]

I'm not one to point the finger at ft guys, and I agree with your point - beer bellies in the front rows has always been a great feature (perhaps the only one of union) - gives us all some hope.

But, non of the following can be accused of having wash-board abs
Owen Craigie
Josh Perry
Mark Tookey

But, the latter is the only that compares with the Rah Rah boys

 

[Dean Moriarty]

Stand up, Mark Riddell!

 

[wittyfan]

Yeah, those Union forwards are usually quite fat and chubby, but haven't you ever seen Mark Riddell, slippery eel? ;-)

 

[JJ]

Big front row
Tookey - Riddell - Perry

 

[In-goal]

i would say these blokes are only seen as fat in league circles due to the average player

 

[CouldaBeenAnything]

I could bore you for hours on the hows and whys of this phenomenom and why union forwards are tubby bastards.

the training demands of league compared to union are way different. A union front rower will be more concerned with tight play, such as crummaging, lifting in lineouts, rucks and mauls. They need to be able to catch and pass, but they can get by with an average skill level in this.

league props are generally far more athletic and better movers. They don't need to be able to scrummage very well at all and don't lift anyone. They play a different game completely. They have to be able to carry the ball at pace, offload and tackle.

Comparing them is almost a futile exercise. Neither would transfer from one code to the other and play in the front row. Most league props if went to union would play as loose forwards and most union [props if they swapped would be orange peelers

 

[JJ]

To be fair - Tookey is the same build as most Rah Rah props, and fatter than most.

Check out Kees Meeuws (All Blacks) - not all props are tubby

 

[CouldaBeenAnything]

To be fair - Tookey is the same build as most Rah Rah props, and fatter than most.

Check out Kees Meeuws (All Blacks) - not all props are tubby

Tookey is similar in build, but much more mobile than a vast majority of union props, and has better hands.

Meeuws is an exception to the rule, he could probably swap over ok if he gained some mobility. He runs hard already, but his lateral movement, which would be necessary for defence is shite

 

[JJ]

I agree that they are different specialties.

But, there are many props in similar moulds to Meeuws - in the All Blacks alone, Carl Hoeft and Greg Sommerville - previously Craig Dowd- are very mobile and have good hands. Rugby props have developed so that they hit the ball up now in a manner similar to league - except defenses are much closer - so good hands and ball security are essential.

Also, the lateral movement in defence has improved greatly - to the extent that, I think, without much trouble the likes of Dowd and Sommerville would adapt (I'm not saying they could be Shane Webcke, but they certainly could be Mark Tookey, lol). Still, many couldn't, but the reverse is also true, Shane Webcke would be very unlikely to make it as a union prop.

 

[Bengal]

I agree that they are different specialties.

But, there are many props in similar moulds to Meeuws - in the All Blacks alone, Carl Hoeft and Greg Sommerville - previously Craig Dowd- are very mobile and have good hands. Rugby props have developed so that they hit the ball up now in a manner similar to league - except defenses are much closer - so good hands and ball security are essential.

Also, the lateral movement in defence has improved greatly - to the extent that, I think, without much trouble the likes of Dowd and Sommerville would adapt (I'm not saying they could be Shane Webcke, but they certainly could be Mark Tookey, lol). Still, many couldn't, but the reverse is also true, Shane Webcke would be very unlikely to make it as a union prop.

Dead right!

They are getting more League like by the day, well the best in the business are anyway. Some of them can really fly, some can really tackle as well.

 

[Brutus]

You don't need to be athletic to stand around waiting for the ball to be in play.