It’s merciless, virtually to the purpose of persecution, that props by no means get to win particular person awards in skilled rugby.
It’s merciless on two fronts. Firstly, no rugby crew can exist with out at the least two high quality props – particularly at Check degree. Secondly, their title ‘props’ is definitely contained throughout the phrase ‘give them their props’ (quick for giving ‘correct respect’). But props are by no means given their props relating to finish of yr awards.
This month noticed the South Africans title their URC player of the season, which went to Sacha Feinburg-Mngomezulu. SFM is a tremendous participant, a legit generational expertise, and this columnist’s favorite participant on this planet – genuinely.
However even with this overwhelmingly overt bias in the direction of SFM, it did appear somewhat uncommon {that a} tighthead prop didn’t win the award – particularly when you think about the contribution of a participant like Wilco Louw within the URC this season.
Louw has helped flip the Bulls’ scrum into a chunk of abattoir equipment that consumes all earlier than it. Within the semi-final of the URC, the Bulls’ scrum (with the assistance of Louw), processed extra sharks than an unlawful fishing vessel.
The state of affairs of props not successful prizes in South Africa is much more perplexing, as a result of, effectively, it’s South Africa. It’s the land of the tighthead. While most nations are wanting down the again of the couch to discover a scrummaging monster, you want solely be invited to a neighborhood braai in South Africa, and also you’ll spot at the least three males who can transfer a delivery container with one flick of their neck.
The ‘Bomb Squad’ gave the entrance row a brand new collective title and remodeled their model identification from being simply one other set of massive lads (to exchange the opposite large lads), right into a squadron of focused scrum killers.
As additional proof, final week the British and Irish Lions misplaced Zander Ferguson to harm and have been retaining their fingers crossed about Tadhg Furlong’s health. Beneath Will Stuart and Finlay Bealham, the cabinet seems like a grocery store’s pasta shelf throughout Covid.
Whereas in South Africa they’ve heavyweight human pasta in abundance in Frans Malherbe, Vincent Koch, Wilco Louw, Thomas du Toit, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Neethling Fouche and many others.
Let’s additionally not overlook that South Africa is a rustic which has arguably accomplished extra to glamorise the position of the entrance row than every other crew within the historical past of the sport. The Boks, by way of Rassie Erasmus and his genius, created the ‘Bomb Squad’.
It gave the entrance row a brand new collective title and remodeled their model identification from being simply one other set of massive lads (to exchange the opposite large lads), right into a squadron of focused scrum killers.
Regardless of the purpose, tightheads definitely are perceived because the ugly sisters, even throughout the propping household.
The persecution of props doesn’t fairly finish with their lack of awards both. There’s a hierarchy of reward even amongst the props – with looseheads usually getting extra pats on their large backs than tightheads.
It could be as a result of looseheads occupy a barely extra open position in section play and are typically lighter and extra cellular. Which results in extra carrying alternatives, and due to this fact extra You Tube moments, than a conventional tighthead. However regardless of the purpose, tightheads definitely are perceived because the ugly sisters, even throughout the propping household.
This shabby remedy of props (particularly tightheads) isn’t one thing new, in fact. A prop has by no means gained World Participant of the Yr within the males’s recreation. Right here’s a listing of the lads’s winners for the reason that award was first given – not a prop in sight.
2001 – Keith Wood – Runners-up: George Gregan, George Smith, Jonny Wilkinson, Brian O’Driscoll
2002 – Fabien Galthie – Runners-up: Jason Robinson, Brian O’Driscoll, Richie McCaw, Joe van Niekerk
2003 – Jonny Wilkinson – Runners-up: Phil Waugh, Steve Thompson, Imanol Harinordoquy, Richie McCaw
2004 – Schalk Burger – Runners-up: Matt Giteau, Serge Betsen, Gordon D’Arcy, Marius Joubert
2005 – Dan Carter – Runners-up: Richie McCaw, Tana Umaga, Bryan Habana, Victor Matfield
2006 – Richie McCaw – Runners-up: Chris Latham, Paul O’Connell, Dan Carter, Fourie du Preez
2007 – Bryan Habana – Runners-up: Felipe Contepomi, Juan Martín Hernández, Yannick Jauzion, Richie McCaw
2008 – Shane Williams – Runners-up: Sergio Parisse, Dan Carter, Mike Blair, Ryan Jones
2009 – Richie McCaw – Runners-up: Matt Giteau, Tom Croft, Jamie Heaslip, Brian O’Driscoll, Fourie du Preez, Frans Steyn
2010 – Richie McCaw – Runners-up: Kurtley Beale, David Pocock, Imanol Harinordoquy, Mils Muliaina, Victor Matfield
2011 – Thierry Dusautoir – Runners-up: Will Genia, David Pocock, Jerome Kaino, Ma’a Nonu, Piri Weepu
2012 – Dan Carter – Runners-up: Owen Farrell, Frédéric Michalak, Richie McCaw
2013 – Kieran Read – Runners-up: Sergio Parisse, Eben Etzebeth, Ben Smith, Leigh Halfpenny
2014 – Brodie Retallick – Runners-up: Julian Savea, Willie le Roux, Johnny Sexton, Duane Vermeulen, Johnny Sexton
2015 – Dan Carter – Runners-up: Michael Hooper, David Pocock, Julian Savea, Greig Laidlaw, Alun Wyn Jones
2016 – Beauden Barrett – Runners-up: Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje, Billy Vunipola, Jamie Heaslip, Dane Coles
2017 – Beauden Barrett – Runners-up: Israel Folau, Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje, Rieko Ioane
2018 – Johnny Sexton – Runners-up: Beauden Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Faf de Klerk, Malcolm Marx
2019 – Pieter-Steph du Toit – Runners-up: Tom Curry, Ardie Savea, Cheslin Kolbe, Joe Taufete’e, Alun Wyn Jones
2020 – Not awarded
2021 – Antoine Dupont – Runners-up: Michael Hooper, Maro Itoje, Samu Kerevi
2022 – Josh van der Flier – Runners-up: Lukhanyo Am, Antoine Dupont, Johnny Sexton
2023 – Ardie Savea – Runners-up: Eben Etzebeth, Bundee Aki, Antoine Dupont
2024 – Pieter-Steph du Toit – Runners-up: Caelan Doris, Eben Etzebeth, Cheslin Kolbe
What’s notably bizarre about props being excluded from awards, is that anybody who watches lots of rugby is aware of simply how essential props are – particularly tightheads.
And not using a Check-level tighthead, you merely can’t win Check matches. Your crew’s scrum simply turns into a merchandising machine for penalties. The opposition scrum-half merely slots the ball into the scrum and out clunks a penalty.
You would probably argue that a lot of this apathy in the direction of props (particularly tightheads) is a phenomenon that has solely appeared within the skilled period, the place the variety of scrums in a recreation has dropped considerably.
The fact is that the majority younger males would somewhat match right into a pair of denims from Stone Island, than be the identical dimension as a stone island.
For instance, within the 1987 Rugby World Cup, there have been a mean of 32 scrums per recreation, in comparison with simply 15 per recreation within the 2023 RWC. But even when scrums have been taking over a far larger proportion of the sport, props nonetheless weren’t precisely dripping in reward.
Maybe probably the most perplexing side of the dearth of respect for tightheads is that they’re such a uncommon breed bodily – in all places besides maybe South Africa.
In essence, there aren’t many people who find themselves as much as 6ft 4in tall (max), weigh 20 stone-ish and may transfer caravans on their very own. One thing which is very true within the modern-day, the place physique photographs have modified massively.
That is purely anecdotal and has no scientific citations that may arise in academia (an method you may be aware of when you’ve learn this column usually sufficient), however the creator of this column as soon as met a pupil who was writing a analysis paper on rugby in South Wales. One of many observations was that younger folks merely don’t need to be 18 stone. Many can be fairly completely happy to be 18 stone on the pitch, however not off it. The fact is that the majority younger males would somewhat match right into a pair of denims from Stone Island, than be the identical dimension as a stone island.
The rarity of tighthead props can be apparent once you see the wages they earn when in comparison with hookers and even loosehead props.
Within the Top 14 for instance, tighthead props earn on common £50,000 a season greater than each hookers and looseheads – but it’s hookers who at all times get the nominations in World Participant of the Yr.
World Prop Day/Week can be an excellent place to begin – if soil can have its personal designated ‘day’, then so ought to props
After all, the large elephant within the room, even larger than a Check-level tighthead, is that a few of the extra informal supporters don’t appear to love scrums in the intervening time.
Each time a debate erupts about why trendy rugby isn’t pretty much as good because it was prior to now (which is nonsense), it’s at all times blamed on the truth that scrums are ruining the sport (though there are half as many scrums now than in 1987).
Regardless of the causes for props being excluded from main awards, it wants rectifying. ‘World Prop Day/Week’, can be an excellent place to begin – if soil can have its personal designated ‘day’, then so ought to props.
Props are superior and rugby must recognise that.
