Money up front

FORMER All-Black tight-head Craig Dowd made a very notable description of rugby props around the world by comparing them to fine wines in that they take time to mature.

Dowd’s ex-partner in the Test arena, Kees Meeuws, is living proof that props have a longer shelf life in the northern hemisphere than anywhere else in the world. There are reports that Meeuws had little hassle acquiring a £200,000 a year contract, as well as a house and car, at French club, Agen.

“There’s no doubt a tighthead prop is more valuable than any other player because there’s fewer of them of the right quality,” said Mike Burton, a leading player agent and veteran of England’s front row of the 1970s.

“There are lots of boys between 6ft and 6ft 6in who are not squat enough to be props and not tall enough to be locks,” Burton said.

“So there is a surfeit of back rows. If you’re in the backs, with a few tweaks you can play in any position. But if you want a prop there are fewer men around of the required size and durability. And then there’s the mental approach. You need someone who’s a gunslinger,” he added.

“If I’ve got a young prop I rate highly I’ll make sure he’s not on a long contract. Because as soon as he goes in and holds his own in a big game his value will shoot up.”

Former All Black Mike Brewer, now assistant coach at Leinster, agrees.

“If you look at the economics, it’s probably a supply and demand situation; they’re short in supply so the price of a very good prop is bound to be high as a result. Tight heads are particularly precious; every team that wants to win a Heineken Cup or a World Cup, wants that kind of commodity.

“Have a look at the number of quality guys around the world and there probably wouldn’t be any more than 10 of them in total.”

Part of the reason to the lack of numbers, particularly in the northern hemisphere, has been due to the de-powering of the scrums at under-age level.

“If you’re coaching at that level, particularly in Ireland, there’s no reason to play two props in your front row; you’re better off to play five loose forwards, a hooker and a couple of second rows. You’re better looking at mobility and at guys being able to carry the ball around the park,” adds Brewer.

Things are a bit different in the southern hemisphere, particularly in New Zealand where set piece forward play had fallen behind Europe.

“It came down to somebody deciding that New Zealand packs used to get beaten up and that it was the backs that got them out of trouble,” says Brewer.

“Because defences are so strong and so well organised now, the easiest place to score from is from a scrum because you’ve got 16 players confined to a small area. If you can create very good possession that’s not fractured, then you have a chance of breaking down the opposition to score a try.”