PLAYER POWER RANKINGS | 4. TIGHT HEAD LOCK

[@clementbatut4053]

Meafou is more than just a giant human, he's got skills, give him a few years and he'll be the best by far

[@jameswyatt4443]

Bro, Ebtzebeth is the best lock ever.

[@marco-dn7kd]

Meafou is very talented, with a lot of potential, but still relatively new player at high level at 26 and several wounds already. Eager to see him with Toulouse vs Sharks and the 6 Nations.

[@malkelwhites]

And soon Posolo coming 😄

[@marco-dn7kd]

@@malkelwhites did he get surgery when recently wounded!?

[@malkelwhites]

@@marco-dn7kd yes on his broken leg

[@richardmaclean6738]

Boks at 1 and 2… good on ya Tim 🤙

[@Jelkin02]

I think putting locks on a particular list is a tricky task as you said - maybe next time we just get a top 20 locks instead?

[@markymark8]

The enforcer's job isn't to be loved, in fact it's the opposite! Love him or hate him, you can't deny him. Etzebeth has defined the role in the modern era.

[@ritchiebirnie6124]

A name that will be on future lists...glasgow and Scotland player Jare Oguntibeju. This youngster is going to be special

[@kwaggapoot9834]

Yawn , only Scottish player wortha medal in Finn and Duon

[@kwaggapoot9834]

Not Scottish Lad. Name like Jare Oguntibeju? More likely Fijian

[@sirfrancis6058]

Never heard of him until his game against Toulon, guy was unreal

[@ritchiebirnie6124]

Wrong​@@kwaggapoot9834

[@moshechen3582]

@@sirfrancis6058That was his 2nd pro game.

[@FraserTopham]

Joe Mccarthy will be brilliant once he learns what he can get away with. Learn the dark arts in the scrum and maul.

[@AllInTheGame01]

Crazy impressive that the 2 most capped International Players will be Second Row Forwards or any Forwards at all ahead of a Back! Cobus Wiese & Cormac Izuchukwu are another two guys who've been doing the dual lock & flanker roles very well. Been liking Gloucester's pairing of Freddie Thomas & Arthur Clark.

[@kwaggapoot9834]

Cormac Izuchukwu? Who was he?

[@aaronreid116]

Edwin Edogbo! Watch this space!

[@aonghus3860]

If he ever gets back from injury

[@aaronreid116]

He's still young. Hopefully he gets over it

[@danielmacdonald721]

Nah too short for a tight head lock probs more suited to a lock loose forward hybrid

[@mattmasksforehead620]

Tighthead lock should wear number 5 - he's behind the 3, if you draw a diagram out then 5 is in that position. I am willing to die on this hill.

[@bigdru888]

Nope. 5 runs the lineout and 4s the enforcer.

[@EggchasersRugby]

That does make sense - when you look from overhead it goes, left to right 1,2,3, then 4,5. But then 4 in my head was always the harder, tougher one...Martin Johnson, for example.

[@spacejambdx]

@@bigdru888 at leas in France the 5 is the biggest like Skelton at La Rochelle or Meafou at Toulouse. And the more aerial lock is 4

[@spacejambdx]

@@EggchasersRugbyIn France the 5 is the enforcer Skelton and Meafou are 5 in La Rochelle and Toulouse and 4 are like Flament and Woki more mobile and aerial ( and the one who jump in touch)

[@joshhunter1129]

I’ve always looked at it as the lower the number in the forwards the bigger the guy, and the higher numbers are “closer” to being built like backs in terms of speed over strength

[@richardstark9064]

Grant Gilchrist plays for Edinburgh

[@EggchasersRugby]

Ha. Quite right....my mistake. Cummings might feature tomorrow ;)

[@richardstark9064]

@EggchasersRugby loving the rankings!! Updated Lions squad pls 🙏

[@01stephe21]

Still deserves a place on this list. Zander and Gilchrist are first names on Scotland's team sheet if they want their pack to be competitive against the big boys.

[@richardstark9064]

@01stephe21 totally agree and I hope Cummings makes tomorrow's ranking!! Both have a shout with the Lions too

[@blueboy1788]

Thought Martin was very disappointing in the Autumn. Perhaps just out of form at the time, but looked very slow footed and got exposed quite a few times, while not providing quite the same impactful physicality. Still hold out a lot of hope for him long term, but made me think his best medium term role might be bench impact behind Chessum & Itoje.

[@RossoVerdeNero]

I remember when Joe McCarthy first burst on the scene a couple of years ago, someone in the know said we should wait for his younger brother to hit the scene - apparently he's even more scary.... Does anyone know his name and what stage he's at in his development?

[@jasonwall5012]

His name is Paddy McCarthy, and he only joined Leinsters Senior team 24/25 aka this season, from Leinsters Academy. Yea he has a lot of potential. Hes a prop. He played for Ireland U20's and won Grand Slams. He got to the final of the world championships. He's only 21, so a bit more patience, but he's coming.

[@jimbo1706]

As a Leinster fan ì can't understand how Skelton's form doesn't transfer from LaR to Australia. Half our players bear scars he trampled into them. Maybe his heart just isn't in it

[@EggchasersRugby]

100% agree. Makes no sense

[@drinkingup2157]

It a difficult run he has had in the Wallabies. Started well then out with injury's, Back playing in 2016 then a big gap until being picked in 2021 as an off the bench player. Then picked as captain for the 2023 World Cup which was a total disaster. Enough to do anybody's head in.

[@kwaggapoot9834]

Because rugby players are playing for the money these days

[@katatonickiwi8310]

Same old reason. Club football is NOT International. He was the same with the Waratahs, flat track against club players, couldn't dominate at the international level. He never seemed fit enough for me

[@designmanagementconsultanc4143]

Eben likes a good scrap but very seldom gives away penalties or gets cards. Favourite player

[@greenplasticgun]

Nortje probably needs to be on this list

[@jameswyatt4443]

He’s a 5.

[@greenplasticgun]

@ fair. I misread the title. Thought it was both locks.

[@murraysmith595]

Amazing how rugbys changed. As a kiwi this is the first time the last couple of year we don't dominate lists like these. To be fair i cant even argue our players should be rated higher 😂😂

[@HarryTheHacker55]

Grant Gilchrist plays for Edinburgh Tim!

[@c0222]

4:51 Grant Gilchrist doesn't play for Glasgow Warriors.

[@Deadlift14]

Grant Gilchrist should absolutely be a BIL.

[@takeitdown-y4r]

Expecting Iain Henderson to drop a few spaces, needs a bit more consistency

[@dublin7]

Big Joe McCarthy, George Martin and Dafydd Jenkins for me for the lions tour.

[@notmcgreo764]

Will be McCartyh Martin Itoje and dafydd I predict!

[@dublin7]

@notmcgreo764 I can see them bringing 6 locks. TH LK McCarthy, Martin Jenkins. LH LK Itoje, Beirne and James Ryan. With Beirne being the starting BS Flanker with Courtney Lawes off the bench

[@NicolasFernandez-tc5xp]

Rubiolo plays 5. He's only 22, tackling machine.

[@subbie5498]

retallick and whitelock feels like they were 2 loosehead locks retallick was more of a can run can offload can step best lineout jumper type lock this whole tighthead loosehead lock can get confusing and is snyman a tighthead or loosehead lock i feel he can do both skelton too bit of skill france seem to have 5 as the tighthead lock paul willemse meafou tauififenua and itoje plays 4 but is he not a loosehead lock one thing for sure though every lock is a different level of tall compared to us regular sized humans

[@michaelmoynihan9591]

Retalick and whitlock gone kid.old kiwi deadwood now. Still living in your hasbeen bubble I see.😂😂😂😂😂

[@PeterRattenbury-h1e]

@@michaelmoynihan9591Don’t worry, ‘lad’, we’ve got plenty of talent coming along, but I won’t name them because you will just get nasty again

[@michaelmoynihan9591]

Peter rat.im only stating facts they are hasbeens like current kiwi side.current crop are inept talentless lot.you can't name any good player.rugby has moved on kid.rewind old video recorder kid to review any good kiwi side.yer finished.😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@michaelmoynihan9591]

Peter rat.im only stating facts kid Current kiwis prob two to three good players. Rest are talentless lot.fàcts are kiwi rugby is finished. Bye now I know its hard to accept the truth.but I tell you what i love is the donkey bawling or haka so it's not so bad.😂😂😂😂😂😂😂.

[@michaelmoynihan9591]

Peter rat.kiwi talent is a thing of the past.😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@thephantomstranger4073]

No Cannone??? ok... Be interesting if Ruzza is not for the 5s the line out guy in the 6N

[@lesliedickson-tetteh5197]

Love these videos but not sure about some of these ratings. I feel that Tuipolotu is underrated and George Martin/Chessum overrated. This one might get me in trouble but I think RG Snyman great as he is might be overrated too and gets a lot of attention because of his flashy playstyle. I reckon Tuipolotu, Barrett and McCarthy are consistently better overall players. No disagreements with Etzebeth at 1

[@danielmacdonald721]

Can’t lie I don’t rate meafou that highly. Yes he’s got size and physicality but other locks like McCarthy, etzebeth and snyman have the size and the extra qualities and way more skilled

[@tvpc3194]

frost

[@lizzyhanahoe4197]

RG Snyman has length of arms and legs, it’s no wonder he can reach out and grab what others can’t reach, other than that I don’t rate him in 2nd, more 6 or 7.

[@danielmacdonald721]

Nah man sorry that’s ridiculous he’s clearly at least top 3 in the world miles above everyone below him in this list

[@jameswyatt4443]

No way, he’s an absolute freak. He’s 2’d place. Look at how he stands out when playing for Leinster with so many great locks around him.

[@designmanagementconsultanc4143]

He also scores tries and gains plenty of metres

[@Camcolito]

Munster fan?

[@takeitdown-y4r]

I agree, he's got bags of unique talent and athleticism, but you don't see that translate to the same impact on the pitch as many of the other guys, would have him down towards the bottom of the table, there's some real leaders in there

[@DM-rp9ik]

I don't care if he has one working leg I'm not taking Gilchrist over Skelton

[@kwaggapoot9834]

I would not choose Eben. He is 33. I am sure there are younger lads than him however he started playing around 15 years ago. Close to retirment

[@jameswyatt4443]

What are you on about? How does him being 33 mean anything? He played more international rugby than he has in any other year virtually. He’s still the best lock in the world, and all time.

[@designmanagementconsultanc4143]

This is based on merit and he's been the best lock in the world for 2024

[@kwaggapoot9834]

Nope fool. There hasbeen better. Victor Matfield , Bakkies Botha , the list goes on. Listen to this wannabe that wants to ipact worl rugby. What a fool

[@kwaggapoot9834]

@@designmanagementconsultanc4143 Only for 2024?

[@kwaggapoot9834]

What about Bakkies or Victor?