James Lowe Named the 'Most Irritating' Rugby Player in the World
Rugby NewsSaturday, 08 February 2025 at 14:27
James Lowe’s latest antics in Ireland’s Six Nations opener against England have sparked outrage, making it the perfect time to look back at some of the biggest shithouses in rugby history.
Greene King and settle in for the 2025 Six Nations!
From skilled manipulations of referees to blatant unsporting behaviour, these players manage to both infuriate opponents and entertain fans in equal measure.
Whether it's for their gamesmanship or pure nastiness on the field, these players have built a legacy of being the ones you love to hate.
#8. Peter "Pushing the Limits" O'Mahony (Ireland)
O'Mahony has earned a reputation for being one of rugby's most shithouse players due to his aggressive and often controversial on-field tactics. The Irish forward is known for his tough and confrontational style of play, especially at the breakdown.
His ability to rile opponents and push the boundaries of what's acceptable in rugby has made him a key figure in many high-intensity matches. O'Mahony’s constant niggling and his occasional gamesmanship have earned him both admiration and disdain in equal measure.
#7. Bakkies "Brawn and Bother" Botha (South Africa)
Bakkies Botha, a towering figure for the Springboks, built a career on being one of rugby’s most feared players. Known for his aggressive physicality, Botha didn’t hold back when it came to intimidating his opponents. His no-nonsense approach led to multiple suspensions, but it’s also what made him so effective. If you’ve been on the receiving end of his ferocious tackling and no-pity approach, you wouldn’t be a fan—but you couldn’t help but respect him for it
#6. Joe "The Banter King" Marler (England)
Marler has spent a career perfecting the art of the “shithouse” role. His blend of mischief and unrelenting gamesmanship has made him a fan favourite for England, but not so much for opposition fans. Known for winding up rivals, Marler’s infamous antics include cheeky altercations with the likes of Alun Wyn Jones and calling it “just a bit of banter.” However, his off-the-field moments, like his Twitter altercations, have only added to his notorious reputation.
#5. Dan "Frustration Express" Biggar (Wales)
Amusingly, Biggar epitomizes the kind of player who can invoke strong dislike, but once he's on your team, you'd defend him to the hilt. Known for his fiery temperament, the Welsh fly-half has perfected the art of berating referees. His arm-raised frustration towards officials has become his trademark. Online personality Glove39 even created a hilarious video titled 'birdman' to parody Biggar’s signature expression.
#4. Johnny "The Play-Actor" Sexton (Ireland)
The master of gamesmanship. Sexton is infamous for exaggerating contact and distracting referees, knowing precisely when to unleash his bag of dirty tricks.
One of his most recent examples came against Wales when he drew a yellow card for Liam Williams after a supposed high hit. Fans were not impressed, with many accusing Sexton of play-acting a head injury to force the yellow card.
#3. Nic "The Drama King" White (Australia)
Arguably one of the most unpopular players in rugby over the past year, Nic White has ruffled feathers for his theatrics. The Australian scrum-half was at the centre of a major controversy after he dramatically fell to the ground when Faf de Klerk accidentally made contact with his face. White's overreaction earned de Klerk a yellow card, and rugby fans were quick to call out White for bringing the game into disrepute.
#2. Eben "No Mercy" Etzebeth (South Africa)
A world-class lock, Etzebeth’s ferocity on the field has made him a nightmare for opponents. Known for his dirty play, he’s a shithouse of the highest order, and if you’ve faced him, you’re likely not a fan. Despite his brute strength and impressive physique, Etzebeth’s reputation as one of the sport’s most aggressive players has earned him the disdain of many.
#1. Owen "Shoulder Boy" Farrell (England)
Could it be anyone else? Farrell is the quintessential “our guy” player—easy to hate unless he's wearing your team's jersey. England's former captain, affectionately known as ‘Shoulder Boy’ for his controversial high tackles, frequently found himself at the centre of criticism for poor tackling technique. His retirement from international rugby, following a series of controversial moments, has solidified his place as one of rugby’s most divisive figures.
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UPDATED: Foreign-born players in the 2025 Six Nations
The Six Nations is always a showcase of top-tier talent, but not every player pulls on their nation's jersey having been born there.
With eligibility rules allowing selections through ancestry, residency, or other pathways, squads feature a fascinating mix of homegrown stars and those who developed their skills elsewhere before qualifying for their adopted countries.
The following breakdown, based on data compiled by Americas Rugby News, examines the composition of various national teams, shedding light on the number of foreign-born players and how they qualify for their respective squads.
This international blend underlines rugby’s global nature, with some nations leaning on overseas-born talent more than others. Ahead of round two, we've broken down the squads – and Scotland lead the way by a mile when it comes to foreign-born players.
ENGLAND
HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 39/41 (95.2%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 3/41 (7.3%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 3/41 (7.3%)
- Bevan Rodd (Scotland) - Parent
- Chandler Cunningham-South (England) - Born in England
- Harry Randall (England) - Born in England
- Marcus Smith (Philippines) - Parent
- Tom Roebuck (Scotland) - Parent
FRANCE
HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 39/42 (92.8%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 6/42 (14.2%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 6/42 (14.2%)
- Dany Priso (Cameroon) - Residency (2008)
- Uini Atonio (New Zealand) - Residency (2014)
- Giorgi Beria (Georgia) - Residency (2002)
- Joshua Brennan (Ireland) - Residency (2005)
- Emmanuel Meafou (New Zealand) - Residency (2023)
- Émilien Gailleton (England) - Parent
IRELAND
HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 30/36 (83.3%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 9/36 (25%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 9/36 (25%)
- Rob Herring (South Africa) - Grandparent
- Finlay Bealham (Australia) - Grandparent
- Cormac Izuchukwu (England) - Parent
- Joe McCarthy (USA) - Parent
- Jamison Ratu Gibson-Park (New Zealand) - Residency (2020)
- Bundee Aki (New Zealand) - Residency (2017)
- Ciarán Frawley (Australia) - Parent
- Mack Hansen (Australia) - Parent
- James Lowe (New Zealand) - Residency (2020)
ITALY
HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 21/31 (67.7%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 9/31 (29.0%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 9/31 (29.0%)
- Dino Lamb-Cona (England) - Parent
- Sebastian Negri (Zimbabwe) - Parent
- Ross Vintcent (South Africa) - Grandparent
- Martin Page-Relo (France) - Grandparent
- Stephen Varney (Wales) - Parent
- Juan Ignacio Brex (Argentina) - Grandparent
- Montana Ioane (Australia) - Residency (2020)
- Ange Capuozzo (France) - Parent
- Matt Gallagher (England) - Parent
SCOTLAND
HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 25/42 (58,1.3%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 18/43 (44.1%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 18/43 (44.1%)
- Pierre Schoeman (South Africa) - Residency (2021)
- Ewan Ashman (Canada) - Parent
- Dylan Richardson (South Africa) - Parent
- Will Hurd (England) - Grandparent
- Cameron Henderson (Hong Kong) - Parent
- Ewan Johnson (England) - Parent
- Marshall Sykes (England) - Grandparent
- Josh Bayliss (England) - Grandparent
- Jack Dempsey (Australia) - Grandparent
- Alexander Masibaka (Australia) - Parent
- Ben White (England) - Grandparent
- Fergus Burke (New Zealand) - Grandparent
- Tom Jordan (New Zealand) - Residency (2024)
- Rory Hutchinson (England) - Grandparent
- Sione Tuipulotu (Australia) - Grandparent
- Arron Reed (England) - Parent
- Kyle Rowe (England) - Cumulative Residency
- Duhan van der Merwe (South Africa) - Residency (2020)
WALES
HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 26/34 (76.4%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 10/34 (29.4%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 10/34 (29.4%)
Ellis Mee (England) - Parent
WillGriff John (England) - Parent
Henry Thomas (England) - Parent
Will Rowlands (England) - Parent
Freddie Thomas (England) - Grandparent
Christ Tshiunza (DR Congo) - Residency (2015)
James Botham (Wales) - Born in Wales
Taulupe Faletau (Tonga) - Residency (2001)
Ellis Bevan (England) - Parent
Nick Tompkins (England) - Grandparent
Blair Murray (New Zealand) - Parent
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LATEST COMMENTS
- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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