“Would knock ****ing s**t outta ya!” – Joe Marler ranks his five best front-rowers
Rugby NewsSaturday, 28 January 2023 at 08:46
England and Harlequins loosehead-prop Joe Marler has named ‘five of the best’ players he’s faced.
It’s fair to say, it’s a sensational selection from the prop.
#1. CARL HAYMAN
- Major teams Barbarians, Highlanders, Newcastle Falcons, Toulon, New Zealand, New Zealand Maori
- Position Prop
- Caps 45
MARLER SAID: “I played against him when he was at Newcastle and he basically Would knock **ing s**t outta ya for 80 minutes. It was like play against a prop with the fitness levels of a flanker.”
#2. RORY BEST
- Major teams Barbarians, British and Irish Lions, Ireland A, Munster, Ulster, Ireland
- Position Hooker
- Caps 124
Marler said: "Best is hard as nails and a great thrower at the line plus great in the loose. He was pretty underrated in my opinion."
DID YOU KNOW? Best followed his elder brother Simon into rugby, playing alongside him for both province and country.
#3. TADHG FURLONG
- Major teams Leinster, British and Irish Lions, Ireland
- Position tighthead-prop
- Caps 55
#4. TONY WOODCOCK
- Major teams Blues, Highlanders, North Harbour, New Zealand
- Position Prop
- Caps 118
MARLER SAID: "I think he was a farmer. He epitomised those earthy, no-nonsense values on the rugby field, getting on with the job. The player I looked up to most early in my career."
#5. DAN COLE
- Major teams Leicester, England, Lions
- Position Prop
- Caps 98
MARLER SAID: "He looks like a polar bear, an animal renowned for being miserable. A really good friend of mine, but always a tough opponent."
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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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