Props who can scrummage both sides

[Loob19]

Being a scrum half and, having no ideas about the dark arts, I found this article to be incredibly interesting. Had Nephi on my mind whilst reading it.

https://www.rugbyworld.com/countries/so ... ead-129975

[Scott1]

The best ever for me was John Smit. World class in all 3 front row positions imo

[sk 88]

Nephi, Logo Mulipola, Bateman (+hooker) all played both recently, slightly longer ago but Castrogiovanni was the same too. Balmain & Cole played both for the first team in their younger days, most of the props in the development squad have played both, certainly Whitcombe played both at U18s as did Rowntree Jnr (and Rowntree Snr but that was obviously a long time ago now).

It's tricky but most props can turn their hand to it. The reason they don't is that since they added the second prop on the bench it is as McIntyre says, better to specialise in one than be half decent in both.

[johnthegriff]

Many young props can play both sides not many are able to continue with it as they mature physically. Graham Roundtree was frankly poor as a tighthead although brilliant at loose, Castro lost the ability to play at loose head. Few have the ability to play both sides to a high standard as well as say Jason Leonard. Greg Bateman certainly played all three front row positions but was not top quality in any of them, good step though.

[Scott1]

Many young props can play both sides not many are able to continue with it as they mature physically. Graham Roundtree was frankly poor as a tighthead although brilliant at loose, Castro lost the ability to play at loose head. Few have the ability to play both sides to a high standard as well as say Jason Leonard. Greg Bateman certainly played all three front row positions but was not top quality in any of them, good step though.

Bateman would've made the perfect midweek Lion though ,surprised he wasn't even thought of in 2017 when he was in top form

[mightymouse]

Fran Cotton would have the best I’ve seen

[sam16111986]

Many young props can play both sides not many are able to continue with it as they mature physically. Graham Roundtree was frankly poor as a tighthead although brilliant at loose, Castro lost the ability to play at loose head. Few have the ability to play both sides to a high standard as well as say Jason Leonard. Greg Bateman certainly played all three front row positions but was not top quality in any of them, good step though.

Bateman would've made the perfect midweek Lion though ,surprised he wasn't even thought of in 2017 when he was in top form

Greg Bateman was a good squad man and when in peak form a good Prem player. He was never close to international quality in any of the three positions. His try Vs Quins was a wonder try though, left Mike Brown looking very red faced.

[mol2]

The requirement to have a full front row took away the emphasis on having props capable of playing on both sides so specialism increased.
Jason Leonard was perhaps the last of that era of international quality on both sides in terms of English players.

As for Bateman, I felt we made a mistake in converting him to prop. He could have perhaps played at a higher level but we, at the time favoured shorter hookers. (Perhaps one of Cockers weaknesses, or a recognition he was competing for a starting berth with an international in Tom Youngs)

[mightymouse]

I agree, a hooker who has converted to a prop is a real asset when returning to hooker because to the. Incremental power gained.
I found I became a much more powerful hooker after I had played tighthead for many years . Sadly my throwing in became rubbish due to shoulder problems!
I would definitely have put Bateman back to hooker

[johnthegriff]

I believe it was Bateman who decided he didn't want to be considered as a hooker and I don't think Cocker had any particular preference for smaller hookers, Ben Kayser was not short it is just that the job ideally needs someone of about 5'10 or less and Bateman certainly fitted into that category.

[BFG]

We so rarely get props who can play on both sides now because you need natural talent to be able to do it and they select players into the system so young nowadays.
They select size and coach it because that is what the youth and senior playing systems currently dictate.
Youngsters are picked and the rest mostly cast aside at 15/16 years old.
Obviously size matters, they've got to be able to attain a certain size to be strong enough at the top level.
At the same time though you've got to exhaust the time for lads to actually grow to their full potential and if you don't exhaust that time needed for growth then potential talent is probably being wasted, but I am not even sure it is what modern coaches want anyway because rugby playing tactics have become so micromanaged.
Senior Italian and Argentinian props were so much more talented before they started taking the age grade competitions more seriously.
Mulipola and Sio were chalk and cheese and in how and when they were plucked out showed something.