WORLD XV: McGrath, Moody, Vunipola? Who is the world’s best loose-head prop?
Rugby NewsTuesday, 29 August 2017 at 10:55
Continuing on in our World XV series, this time we name our four best loosehead props in rugby right now and get you to vote.
They can push the most weight around in the gym, make the biggest dents in the tackle bags and are generally best avoided when it comes to drinking contests and practical jokes.
WORLD XV FRONT-ROW
The denizens of the front row put their heads in places no other player would dream of putting his feet, and they are the men who provide the platform for the rest of the team to perform.
You can skip to the poll HERE or scroll through the contenders before making an informed decision.
1. Tendai Mtawarira - South Africa
The man they call The Beast matches awesome scrummaging strength with hurtful ball-carrying ability.
Mtawarira has been the first-choice loosehead since making his debut against Wales in 2008 and at still only 32 years old, could well be in line for 100 caps (currently on 92), no mean feat in the harsh environs of international front rows.
2. Joe Moody - New Zealand
A formidable scrummager and immensely strong, Joe Moody showed enough potential in his early seasons to have pundits and the All Blacks coaches predicting a big future in the black jersey -and he has been delivering on that.
He's now a cornerstone of the New Zealand scrum and should be for years to come, including the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
3. Jack McGrath - Ireland
Jack McGrath has developed into one of the finest props in modern rugby.
A huge ball carrier who plays more like a blindside flanker whilst still being a huge asset in the scrum.
4. Mako Vunipola - England
5. Scott Sio - Australia
Australian Scott Sio boosted his reputation hugely with his performances at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Over the years the Wallabies scrum has long been a source of malign by many critics.
Whilst this may still be the case to some extent, there’s no doubting that the emergence of Sio has helped dull some of the criticism
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- 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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