Throughout the ages rugby union has famously been known as ‘a game for all shapes and sizes’ which is just as well given the amount of weight I have gained and lost from different parts of the body over the years! But the truth is…
You do not have to be tall to play rugby. However, second rows and number eights tend to be tall players. The average height of a second row in the English premiership is 1.98 metres tall and a number eight is 1.91 metres tall.
There are a few more factors to think about though when considering height in rugby, such as, the standard/level of rugby you are playing as well as the age grade and of course the position being played. Let’s dive into this in more detail.
The reason second rows need to be tall to play rugby is because they have to compete in a lineout. However, I have found that in the non professional game and school boy rugby second rows need not be tall if they have good lifters.
In fact, being of average height and weight for your age may mean it is easier for lifters to lift you in the air as you will not be as heavy and you might have a greater ‘leap’. In the professional game you need good lifters and player height in order to compete.
Average Heights and Weights of Professional Rugby Players
| Position | Averages (height/weight) |
| Loosehead prop | 1.84m/116.6kg |
| Hooker | 1.82m/106.3kg |
| Tighthead prop | 1.86m/119kg |
| Lock | 1.98m/116.4kg |
| Flankers | 1.91m/107.2kg |
| No 8 | 1.91m/111.33kg |
| Scrum-half | 1.76m/82.33kg |
| Fly-half | 1.83m/89.33kg |
| Inside centre | 1.85m/99.16kg |
| Outside centre | 1.85m/95.67kg |
| Wingers | 1.84m/92.5kg |
| Fullback | 1.83m/90.34kg |
For our full guide to the average size of a rugby player by position then go here.
Can I play rugby If I’m small?
Small people of below average height can make very fine rugby players in a variety of positions. Shane Williams scored 58 tries on the wing for Wales at 1.70m, Peter Stringer at 1.70m and 73kg won 98 caps for Ireland at scrum half, and even small forwards such as flanker Neil Back at 1.78m can win world cups.
To be honest, if you are genuinely small then you are most likely to see success as a winger, or scrum-half. If you are short and stocky then hooker might also be a good choice as well.
It is not that you cannot play other positions if you are particularly small, but, the higher up the standard of rugby you play the more you will be noticed for not being the right size. This can lead to opponents perceiving you as a weakness and targeting you for extra tackling practice!
In junior rugby, size will be a factor in choosing your position but so will your skill set and aptitude for the game too. There are many odd stories about players of the ‘wrong size’ playing in odd positions.
Current England prop Kyle Sinckler’s former P.E. teacher recalls:
“He would flit between positions in games. He’d start at fly-half and then there would be a scrum and he’d think, ‘I could be useful here’. So he’d go to prop and then back to fly-half. Playing multiple positions helped develop his game understanding and ability to bring others into the game.”
– Stacia Long (source)
Even now England have a far taller than average full back, Freddie Steward at 1.96m but at the same time they have Marcus Smith at just 1.75m and 82 kg both playing together. So there really is a place for small players in rugby.
If you think you are too small to play then check out Jaques Fouroux who played for France in the 1980s at 1.63m, and more recently Fumiaki Tanaka at 1.66m played for Japan, both scrum-halves. Tanaka played Super Rugby and in the 2011 RUgby World Cup always using his low centre of gravity to his advantage.
I go into more detail about the three best positions for small players here.
Who are the smallest players on a rugby team?
In general the smallest players on a team are the scrum-halves and wingers. The average height of a scrum half and winger in the English premiership is 1.84m and 1.76m respectively.
And don’t forget that in the premiership there are a lot of wingers much taller than that so, obviously, there are some wingers a lot smaller than that, such as England prospect Adam Radwan at 1.79m.
Suggested reading: Why Are Rugby Players So Fat?
Is being tall in rugby good?
Being tall can be a significant advantage to a rugby player depending on which position they play. For example, being tall may be a disadvantage for a scrum-half who needs to dig the ball out of rucks all game but for a second row forward being very tall could help you compete for the ball at lineouts more effectively.
Remember though that, it is all relative. Being a tall winger does not make much difference if your opposition winger is tall also. Similarly at the lineouts, It is not a massive advantage if you are 2m tall and so is your opponent. It is all relative.
For Lote Tuquiri at 1.91m playing against Jason Robinson at 1.73m it certainly was an advantage. One which they exploited for Australia’s first try with a high cross kick for him to out jump Jason Ronbison to touch down and score near the beginning of the game, in wha was clearly a pre planned move.
Later in the game though, Robinson got his own back by scoring in the corner showing dazzling acceleration to round the defenders.
To be honest, having been small all my career I’ve never been frightened of any opponents. Everyone’s always been bigger than me, stronger than me and everything else, but it’s not really something I’ve worried about.
Jason ROBINSON (source)
And finally, here’s a very odd question that sometimes gets asked:
Does rugby make you tall?
Rugby does not make you taller but it will fill you with confidence and make you feel bigger than you actually are. You can then take this confidence into your everyday life and use it to your advantage there also.
If you worry about not being tall enough to play rugby then do not fear. The game will find a place for you even if you cannot see it right now.
Stick with it, enjoy being part of the team environment and take any height related banter in your stride – it’s normally a sign that you are accepted as one of the lads anyway!
Now, you might want to check out: What Position Do The Biggest Players Play?
Photo Credits
Ireland vs Georgia, Rugby World Cup 2007. Stade Chaban Delmas, Bordeaux, France. The two locks Donncha O’Callaghan tower over Peter Stringer. Woesinger, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
