Rugby World Cup 2023: Few greatest front-rows and center mixtures for RWC
With the France Rugby World Cup looming, rugby analysts will be taking a look at the units of a team to measure who has the benefit in the lead-up to the competition. We continue with an area which doesn’t get the applause it deserves but one that forms the pillar of the pack and creates the platform for others to thrive; the front row.
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New Zealand Rugby World Cup: Ethan de Groot, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tyrel Lomax
Presently lower down than they would like to be, but there is plenty of possibilities in this trio and by the end of the RWC 2023, they could be at the top of this list. New Zealand has struggled in the front row during Ian Foster’s tenure, but with these three, the head trainer appears to have found his answer. All are in their mid-20s, with Lomax the oldest at 27, which means they have plenty of growth left in their game.
It is surely exciting for New Zealand RWC groups, who have been desperate for answers up front due to the ageing Joe Moody and Dane Coles/Codie Taylor, while they have wriggled to replace Owen Franks. However, De Groot, Taukei’aho and Lomax, have three brilliant set-piece exponents. The two props are wonderful scrummagers, with the hooker providing outstanding support in the middle and accuracy in the lineout.
Although the loosehead and tighthead perhaps lack the explosiveness with the ball in the hand of others in this grade, they are very powerful and have other assets. They clear out professionally at the contact area, are good counter-truckers and get around the field to make their attacks defensively. With Taukei’aho the Rugby World Cup player providing that mobility and vitality in the carry, it means that they are a well-balanced unit.
France Rugby World Cup: Cyril Baille, Julien Marchand, Uini Atonio
This trio was perhaps up there with the South Africans in the first part of 2022, but their scraps in the opening few rounds of the 2023 Six Nations have seen them slip down the striking order. They were almost put into fifth behind New Zealand, but the better performances from Baille in the final two games of the recent competition have saved them.
The Toulouse loosehead is, at his peak, the premier loosehead in the world, while Marchand is also up there with the best hookers. Atonio is considered the ‘weakest’ of the three, but the La Rochelle man has improved massively to become a genuinely top-class tighthead. His scrummaging has come on tremendously on a technical level and, combined with that size and power, it makes him a fearsome proposition for RWC 2023.
As a unit, France’s front row wasn’t at its best in the Six Nations, but you get the sense that they are somewhat saving themselves for the big competition Rugby World Cup 2023, which starts in September. Backed by a fervent French crowd later this year, Baille, Marchand and Atonio could be sending their opposition packs into opposite for those two months. Rugby fans can book RWC 2023 Tickets on our website at exclusively discounted prices.
South Africa RWC: Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe
This was the starting three during the Autumn Nations Series, and it wouldn’t be an amazement should Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber keep this unit together during the Rugby Championship and France Rugby World Cup 2023. Interestingly, there is an important size difference between Malherbe and his compatriots, Nche and Mbonambi, but it did not affect their set-piece dominance.
The Stormers’ tighthead leftovers the best scrummaging prop in the world, while his loosehead companion is a destructive presence in both the free and tight. With Mbonambi in the middle, who does a dazzling job in the set-piece his darts at the lineout are among the finest they lay an outstanding platform for when the bench comes on in the second period.
They aren’t, Nche apart, quite as thrilling to watch with ball in hand as others on this list, but the trio do their jobs intensely. No opposition front row likes to face them and as Nche, Mbonambi and Malherbe wear them down, the South Africa rugby team then land the killer blow by bringing on their exceptional replacements for Rugby World Cup 2023.
Ireland Rugby World Cup: Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong
These three didn’t get too much time calm in the Six Nations, with Furlong missing the opening three rounds due to a calf wound, but there is no doubting this mixture when they are all fit. Porter, who has swapped between loosehead and tighthead during his profession, has at times had his technical issues in the scrum, but it is their only weakness.
With Sheehan’s quick rise to the top, thanks to his dynamism with the ball in hand and solidity in the set-piece, and Furlong’s nonstop excellence in pretty much every facet of the game, Ireland RWC team presently has an incredible front-row unit. They provide a superb platform at scrum time, but their main strength comes in the loose, with Porter, Sheehan and Furlong all exceptional carriers.
They are also the latter two specifically very skilful, and their ability to create through their passing and off-loading game gives them a benefit over the other sides in the sport. However, they aren’t quite the best trio in rugby union.
South Africa Rugby World Cup: Steven Kitshoff, Malcolm Marx, Vincent Koch
You didn’t think we would miss out on these three, would you? We simply had to comprise both South Africa units, and for us, this is the finest front-row grouping in the world game. Adding Frans Malherbe over Koch would make it even better from a purely scrummaging viewpoint, but there is not much drop-off with Koch at the tiller, while his flexibility in the loose makes him a well player to have in the second half.
Alongside fearsome set-piece operators Kitshoff and Marx, it allows the South Africa RWC side to dominate the scrum right throughout the game. Those two also provide plenty outside of their nuts and bolts, with the loosehead and hooker two of the best breakdown fans in the game. With them often playing for less than 40 minutes, it means that tiredness is not a factor, and they can control the interaction area.
Nienaber’s men are therefore such a hard side to break down and especially in the knockout stages of a Rugby World Cup 2023. France may well be the favourites, while Ireland and New Zealand will also be in the estimate, but the Boks have something the others don’t, and that’s two sincerely world-class front rows. With set-piece so crucial in tight games, that could be the decisive factor in deciding the outcome of the upcoming RWC.
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England RWC players were very close to the top five and on pure ability alone, with Ellis Genge, Jamie George/Luke Cowan-Dickie and Kyle Sinckler in tandem, they are right up there, but the set-piece, and especially the scrum, has been a real issue for some time. They are in a similar situation to Scotland, with Pierre Schoeman, George Turner and Zander Fagerson outstanding around the field. Schoeman and Fagerson are good technically but not at the level of the top five.
Elsewhere, the Georgia Rugby World Cup team have a plethora of quality front rows, and next a brief calm, they are starting to find some supremacy. Nika Abuladze, Shalva Mamukashvili and Alexander Kuntelia were excellent late on in their victory over Wales, with Guram Gogichashvili, Beka Gigashvili and Guram Papidze props that have consistently enthralled with their club sides in France. Rugby fans can book Rugby World Cup Tickets on our website at exclusively discounted prices.
The Lelos front row is one to a lookout, given the extended preparation time they will have before the France Rugby World Cup. Others who are not far away are Italy, who showed vast progress in the Six Nations thanks to the form of Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera and Simone Ferrari, and Argentina, who are effectively a tighthead away from finding an outstanding trio.
Few supreme dreaded centre pairings to watch at France Rugby World Cup
With the Rugby World Cup 2023 looming, rugby analysis will be taking a look at the units of a national team to measure who has the benefit in the lead-up to the competition. The series continues with the heart of the backline and players that are required to complete a variety of tasks in their character; the centres.
New Zealand Rugby World Cup: David Havili/Jordie Barrett and Rieko Ioane
Whether Havili will be back from a wound and playing at a high enough level for the showpiece in France (Rugby World Cup 2023) remains to be seen. However, both he and Barrett offer a ball-playing choice at 12 while also being relaxed by putting a boot to the ball. Havili almost always makes Richie Mo’unga inside him look better by sharing some features of the role and freeing the playmaker up.
The centre is also a playmaker himself and is surely a threat with the ball in hand. Barrett is maybe the straighter runner of the two and has a gun for a boot. Either way, the selection goes, Rieko Ioane will not hesitation be at 13. The RWC star recently stretched his stay in New Zealand until 2027 and deservedly so. He could be measured as the most lethal and pacey outside centre in the game at the moment and with 59 Test caps at the age of 26.
He has so much more to give to the game. Make no error he is a game-breaker in every sense of the word and he will only get improved. Their strengths are X-factor, try-threat and kicking out of hand and their weaknesses are unsure of their best mixture.
South Africa Rugby World Cup: Damian de Allende and Lukhanyo Am
The South Africa rugby team duo have been the first choice in green and gold for some time now, largely due to the balance in the grouping concerning the team’s game plan. De Allende’s talent to insistently carry the ball up and almost always make metres offers a good platform for the South African to set their assemblies. He is a brave RWC player who has always been devoted to defence.
The former Stormers and Munster man is a huge physical presence in the middle of the park and one that is very dependable. Outside of De Allende is Am, who has become famous for his silky touches, unsettled game awareness and astute defensive prowess. The Shark is debatably one of the most significant South Africa RWC sides and his absence is always felt particularly in the defensive shape.
13 is the toughest place on a rugby field to defend and requires a clever rugby mind and clear decision-making to excel; all of which Am has in droves. Perhaps the duo could be higher up the list if they were afforded more of a chance through the game plan and building but this centre pairing is certainly very dependable in executing basics. Their strengths are physicality, reliability, and defensive understanding. On other hand, they have weaknesses they could be more dynamic, with heavy reliance on Am.
Scotland Rugby World Cup: Sione Tupulotu and Huw Jones
Probably the most popular centre pairing in world rugby at the instant, ‘Huwipulotu’ rose to fame in this year’s Six Nations after the duo performed intensely to be named in the team of the competition. The most inspiring aspect is the synergy between the two. Both have great abilities but the way the pair combine them is bright. Tuipulotu can be robust and ruthless with the ball in hand but can also throw the deftest of passes. Rugby fans can book RWC Tickets on our website at exclusively discounted prices.
He is a very, very bright rugby player and that is evident on the field. He helped his centre partner in three of Jones’ four tries in the Six Nations. Jones respects Tuipulotu well through the sensational angles he runs in support and aggressive structure. The Glasgow man has always been good at picking his lines but through his companion has been able to unlock defences more often and in turn is showcasing his power running and try-scoring nature.
Adding to their magazine is thoughtful of both players of the roles of inside and outside centre. The duo can often be seen switching between the two positions in-game. The best part is that they will only get healthier as they both play for Glasgow Warriors. Their strengths are synergy and line-break ability and their weaknesses are to play better as a combination than separately building reliance on both.
France Rugby World Cup: Jonathan Danty and Gael Fickou
The France rugby team centre pairing is truly excellent and contested very closely for the top spot in the rankings due to their inspiring attributes and balance. Danty is a huge strength and is pretty much a flank who wears 12. With the ball in hand, he is ruthless and will go hard at defences all day long either running them over, getting over the gain line and/or playing in one of his co-players.
On the other side of the ball, he is a loyal defender and is very talented over the ball, which is where some of the flank comparisons originate from. Next to him is wise and skilled Fickou, who is one of those players who never seem to make many prominent errors. Like most outstanding 13s, the Frenchman is a master of defence and defensive forms. He is the main decision-maker for France and a very reliable one at that.
With the ball in hand he is lethal if he turns to his running game, can allocate well and can even spark some magic will his boot. Eventually, the duo is right up there with the best in the world and it is seen why. Heading into a home Rugby World Cup the French centre pairing will be hoping to set the major stage alight. Their strengths are defensive prowess, and decision-making and their weaknesses are Anty’s injury woes.
Ireland Rugby World Cup: Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose
The top centre pairing in the realm is fittingly from the best RWC team in the world and this year’s Grand Slam winners. Fascinatingly the pair is probably the most complete players in their positions in the world. Henshaw struggled with injury earlier this year but has repaid and always looks brilliant when he plays. He is a ball-playing 12 who can take it to the line or allocate it to those around him.
His support lines are sound and he is dedicated to the kick-chase. A player who can also play 13 and one with an imposing rugby IQ. Then there is Ringrose, who was already world-class but has exceeded into a different sphere this season. The outside centre is the most whole star on the list with exceptional skills across the board. Going forward he is almost as lethal as Ioane, protectively as good as Am or Fickou with a complete skill set to match.
Ringrose has also grown as a leader which has helped him take his game to an extra level. Put plainly, the centre is a coach’s dream. Remarkably Ireland has shown their depth through Stuart McCloskey and Bundee Aki in particular. Their strengths are beautiful balance, rugby IQ, complete skill sets, and depth and their weaknesses are Henshaw’s injuries.
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England claims a decent centre stock, especially after Ollie Lawrence’s breakthrough during the Six Nations. He looks perilous and very useful, there is also Manu Tuilagi and Henry Slade who are bright RWC players. What remains is for head coach Steve Borthwick to find his best mixture. Argentina also has solid centres in Jeronimo de la Fuente, Matias Moroni and Matias Orlando who are all quality rugby actors.
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