Best Second Rows in the World Right Now (Ranked 5–1)

These players bring a blend of physical dominance, set-piece excellence, and relentless work rate that can tilt the balance at the highest level.

From lineout leaders to bruising carriers and tireless defenders, the modern lock has evolved into one of the most complete roles on the pitch. Here’s a look at the best second rows in the world right now, ranked from 5 to 1.

Powerful, composed and quietly authoritative, Scott Barrett has grown into one of the defining locks of the modern era, a forward whose influence extends far beyond the tight exchanges.

Since debuting for New Zealand in 2016, marking the occasion with a try against Ireland in Chicago, Barrett has become a mainstay of the All Blacks pack, blending physical edge with a tireless work rate and sharp rugby intelligence.

A product of Taranaki’s rich rugby heartland, Barrett’s rise has been intertwined with one of the sport’s most famous families, making history alongside brothers Beauden and Jordie in 2017 as the first trio to feature in the same All Blacks squad. Yet his achievements stand firmly on their own merit. A stalwart of the Crusaders’ dynasty, Barrett has been central to multiple Super Rugby titles, providing the steel and consistency that underpin sustained success.

Appointed All Blacks captain in 2024, Barrett’s leadership reflects his character—calm, resilient and relentlessly driven. Whether calling the lineout, anchoring the scrum or carrying in heavy traffic, he sets the tone through action as much as voice.

In an era demanding more from second rows than ever before, Barrett exemplifies the modern lock: athletic, intelligent and uncompromising, a cornerstone of New Zealand’s forward dominance. A true leader in every sense, the no-nonsense lock weathered the storm of the Scott Robertson era and will now guide the All Blacks into a fresh start. Ollie Chessum

It’s easy to spot the towering 6ft 7in figure of Ollie Chessum on the pitch. Chessum rapidly climbed through the ranks of Leicester’s academy before moving on to Championship club Nottingham for a brief spell. He now finds himself playing a pivotal role in the Tigers side. The 6ft 7in lock featured in Steve Borthwick's squad for Rugby World Cup 2023 in France and started alongside Maro Itoje in the side’s Bronze Final match against Argentina. Chessum was recently named in Borthwick’s squad ahead of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations 2025.

Mickaël Guillard is rapidly emerging as one of the most exciting second rows in world rugby, a modern lock whose athleticism and versatility mark him out as a player of rare potential. The 2026 Guinness Men's Six Nations was the true break-out of Guillard, as France head coach Fabien Galthie entrusted him as a reliable, first choice lock.

Standing just shy of two metres, the Lyon forward combines physical presence with a relentless engine, evolving from a dependable workhorse into a dynamic ball-carrier capable of shifting momentum in an instant.

Developed at RC Massy before joining Lyon in 2020, Guillard’s rise has been steady rather than explosive, but no less impressive. By the 2023–24 campaign he had cemented himself as a regular starter, despite operating outside the traditional European powerhouses. That context only enhances his reputation, as Guillard has become a standout performer in a Lyon side often competing against more star-studded opposition.

His international breakthrough arrived in 2024, debuting for France on their tour of Argentina before quickly becoming a regular feature across the Autumn Series and Six Nations campaigns. A two-time Six Nations winner, Guillard announced himself on the global stage with a standout 2026 Championship, where his dominance in the air and ability to disrupt opposition lineout ball proved invaluable.

Still only 25, Guillard represents the prototype of the modern lock, as he is mobile, skilful and relentlessly physical. With his trajectory suggesting he is only just scratching the surface of his immense potential, we hand the entry to Guillard ahead of his French teammate Thibaud Flament following an outstanding run of current form.

Respected by teammates and feared by opponents, few players in rugby history command a presence quite like Eben Etzebeth. A cornerstone of the Springbok pack, Etzebeth has long established himself among the elite second rows in world rugby, and is considered by many to be the second row G.O.A.T.

A double Rugby World Cup winner, Etzebeth played key roles in South Africa’s 2019 triumph over England in Tokyo and their 2023 defence against the All Blacks in Paris. With those victories, he cemented his status as a modern-day Springbok great and continues to edge closer to legendary status in green and gold.

His honours also include multiple Rugby Championship titles, with 2019, 2024 and 2025 among his haul, the latter two marking back-to-back triumphs for South Africa. In 2024, Etzebeth surpassed Victor Matfield to become the most capped Springbok, reaching 128 Test appearances in a dominant win over Argentina that secured another Rugby Championship crown.

At club level, he has starred for the Sharks, winning the 2023/24 EPCR Challenge Cup, as well as previous spells with Toulon and the Red Hurricanes in Japan. His rise began with Western Province, winning the 2011 Currie Cup before breaking into Super Rugby. Etzebeth remains a defining figure of his era — a relentless enforcer at the heart of South African rugby.

To earn yourself a nickname like ‘The Pearl’, you seriously have to be a stand-out talent. Maro Itoje certainly lives up to it, as the Saracens lock commands respect across the rugby world. Itoje began his career in Camden before earning a scholarship to Harrow School, where he was fast-tracked into the Saracens senior squad.

After a young Itoje made his debut at just 19, he quickly became a serial winner. The lock lifted his first Premiership title in 2015, followed by multiple domestic crowns and three Champions Cup honours. Despite his physical presence, Itoje’s greatest weapon is his unmatched rugby intelligence. The England captain's outstanding breakdown awareness famously led to the introduction of the “Itoje Law” in 2017, preventing players from kicking the ball out of a ruck.

At international level, Itoje has been a cornerstone of the England team since debuting in the Eddie Jones era, for a 2016 Six Nations clash against Italy. Itoje went on to win the Grand Slam that year, plus further Six Nations titles in 2017 and 2020, as well as the 2020 Autumn Nations Cup. The England skipper also holds Rugby World Cup silver and bronze medals from 2019 and 2023.

A born leader of men, the Saracens and England captain also excelled with the British & Irish Lions, starring in both the drawn 2017 series in New Zealand and the 2021 tour of South Africa, where he was named Players’ Player of the Series. Itoje would then captain the Lions to the latest tour of Australia this past Summer, where he guided Andy Farrell's team to a successful 2-1 series win over the Wallabies, across Tests in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

Tadhg Beirne has established himself as one of the most complete forwards in world rugby, a lock who operates with the instinct of a back-rower and the engine of a Test match workhorse. Released by Leinster after his academy progression, Beirne rebuilt his career at the Scarlets, where his breakdown threat and tireless physicality powered their 2017 Pro12 title and earned him the Players’ Player of the Season award.

That resurgence earned a move to Munster in 2018, where he rapidly became the heartbeat of the pack, delivering consistent high-level performances in the Champions Cup and United Rugby Championship and eventually captaining the province to URC glory in 2023.

At international level, Beirne has become a vital cog in Ireland’s golden era, featuring in the 2023 Grand Slam and 2024 Six Nations successes, while showcasing remarkable adaptability across the second row and back row.

A British & Irish Lion in both 2021 and 2025, Beirne has repeatedly delivered on the biggest stages, including a series-winning tour of Australia where his influence in the pack was decisive, and saw him named 'Player of the Series' by his peers. Combative, intelligent and consistent, Beirne embodies the evolution of the elite modern day lock, equally capable of disrupting opposition ball or shaping attack with subtle precision.