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France to field heaviest pack in international rugby union history
By Online Editors
France's monster pack that will face Wales at the Stade de France on Friday night could well be the heaviest international pack ever to take to the field in the game's history.
Brunel is clearly looking to take the battle to Wales upfront, naming a gargantuan pack that tips the scales at over 950kg.
The total weight of the pack is a staggering 962kg, a full 60kg heavier than most international sides. While it's significantly less than a one tonne pack fielded by Toulouse in 2017, it's almost certainly the heaviest pack fielded in international rugby history.
That puts the average weight of a player at slightly over 120kg, or a shade under 19 stone a man in old money (or 265 pounds in American). The average height of the pack is 6 foot 4 inches.
1 Jefferson Poirot
Bordeaux Begles
5'11
117kg
2 Guilhem Guirado (captain)
RCT Toulon
5'11
105kg
3 Uini Atonio
La Rochelle
6'5
152kg
4 Sebastien Vahaamahina
ASM Clermont
6'8
125kg
Paul Willemse
Montpellier Herault
6'7
135kg
Wenceslas Lauret
Racing 92
6'2
103kg
Arthur Iturria
ASM Clermont
6'6
109kg
Louis Picamoles
Montpellier Herault
6'4
116kg
The size of the pack isn't the only shock.
Centre Mathieu Bastareaud (126kg) – who captained France last year – not only misses out on a place in the starting line-up, but he will not be on the bench at Stade de France either.
Coach Jacques Brunel has put his faith in the 19-year-old Ntamack, whose father, Emile, won 46 caps for Les Bleus, to take on Warren Gatland’s side after some eye-catching displays for Toulouse and France Under-20s.
Ntamack – the youngest player in any of this year’s Six Nations squads – will be paired with Wesley Fofana, while South African-born lock Paul Willemse will also make his debut in Paris.
Brunel has reunited experienced scrum-half Morgan Parra and fly-half Camille Lopez for the start of the tournament.
Promising pop Demba Bamba, who made his international bow against Fiji last November, has only been named among the replacements.
France: Maxime Medard, Damian Penaud, Wesley Fofana, Romain Ntamack, Yoann Huget, Camille Lopez, Morgan Parra; Jefferson Poirot, Guilhem Guirado (captain), Uini Atonio, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Paul Willemse, Wenceslas Lauret, Arthur Iturria, Louis Picamoles.
Replacements: Julien Marchand, Dany Priso, Demba Bamba, Felix Lambey, Gregory Alldritt, Baptiste Serin, Gaël Fickou, Geoffrey Doumayrou.
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Latest Comments
Can we also show some love for Tane Edmed’s fantastic draw and pass? Put his body on the line and committed the defender before letting go of that pass. Flawless skill.
Go to commentsYou forget this is Rassie Erasmus who is still holding the Springbok keys. Even with Felix Jones orchestrating a really tight RWC SF last year. It still wasn't enough to get England past their particular Springbok Monkey in world cups. The reason is FJ was going off of what they did in 2019 not necessarily adapting to current Springboks. So yes, Australia can get passed England because let's be honest, England have a one track strategy, Springboks do not. Even with rush defense I wouldn't be surprised if Rassie continually tweaks it. Also bear in mind Rassie is happy to sacrifice a few mid year and inter World Cup matches to pin point how opposition plays and how to again tweak strategies to get his Springboks in peak performance for the next World Cup. As much as most teams like to win games in front of them and try to win everything, Rassie always makes sure to learn and train for the greatest showdown International Rugby has to offer. Tbh, most people remember World Cup wins and ignore intermediate losses as a result but will remember also WC losses, Ireland, even if they won games in the interim. So even if games are won against the Springboks, it's likely Rassie is just getting a feel for how opposition is moving and adapt accordingly…in time. For Rassie, a loss is never a loss because he uses it as a chance to learn and improve. Sometimes during a game, again like the England match in last year's Semi Final.
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