Bastareaud epitomises the trend for bigger players

Friday 12 February 2010
Published By: Jon Welch
International Rugby > France

Rugby union is no longer a place for anyone other than impressive natural athletes, according to one expert, who said the size of the average player has rocketed in the last decade.

The Guardian's Harry Pearson said that large backs like France's Mathieu Bastareaud are the norm now rather than the exception.

"Once there was room on the field of play for the svelte and the tubby, but nowadays it is filled with towering, muscular beasts whose heads disappear directly into their shoulders without the intervention of anything so namby-pamby as a neck," he stated.

The expert added that a key part of any team's game plan against the French must be to stop Bastareaud who caused big problems for Scotland last weekend.

France coach, Marc Lièvremont, recently said that his team are their own worst enemy and Ireland fans will be hoping this is the case when the countries meet this weekend.