RWC 2019 squad facts, figures, & trends

Now all the final 31 man RWC squads have been confirmed. Here is a look at various facts, figures, and trends worth commenting on regarding the age, experience, and background of the squads.

Russia the oldest RWC 2019 squad with no players from past 5 years of U20 rugby

In their RWC debut in 2011 Russia were in the younger half of squads at the tournament. Since then though the average age of the Bears squads has gradually crept upwards owing to a lack of new talent emerging and now in 2019 they are the oldest squad at the RWC with an average age of 29 years and 10 months. They push down Tonga and Samoa, who usually top this category, to second and third oldest.

Nearly half (15 out of 31) the squad are aged over 31, which is 6 more than any other squad. There are still four players from the 2004 U21 squad (the most capped single age grade side of all time), but not a single player from any of their past 5 years of U20 squads. There are 131 players at this RWC (21% of the tournament) who are younger than youngest member of the Russian squad.

There has been a feeling for a while this Russian side has slowly moved past its prime. Even if a couple of young post-RWC 2011 players like Valery Morozov and Tagir Gadzhiev have come through, not many have. Hopefully for them some of their veterans can make the most of what is an unexpected and likely final RWC opportunity of their careers and produce some credible performances.

Average date of birth for each RWC squad. Russia are the oldest squad, owing to relative lack of new young talent having broken through. Uruguay, shorn of the experience of veterans Capó Ortega and Sagario, are the youngest. France are the youngest squad of the main quarter final candidates. Overall tournament average date of birth is 24/09/91 which is roughly around about where most teams fall.

Uruguay (the youngest RWC 2019 squad) built 100% from their age grade sides

The youngest RWC squad with an average age of 26 years and 2 months is Uruguay who have constructed their 31 entirely from their youth system. Every single member went through the age grade system and played for Los Teritos at the U20 Trophy (or the pre-2008 U19 version). The only minor exception being Juan Manuel Cat, who made his senior international debut in 2016, but missed the U20 Trophy that year through injury (although still remains very much a product of the Uruguay age grade system).

Uruguay includes 11 players aged 23 or younger, all from the U20 sides from this RWC cycle, which is the joint highest in the tournament alongside Georgia. Their 2011 U20 Trophy squad also contributes 8 players to the 31, the second most (behind Ireland U20 2012) from any single year's U20 side at this RWC.

Uruguay's RWC squad has been entirely built from their age grade system. 30 out of their 31 players played for Los Teritos in past U20 Trophy (or its U19 predecessor) tournaments with the one exception only not doing so due to injury. Their South American neighbours Argentina, with 28 out of 31 players having represented Los Pumitas at age grade tournaments, lean similarly on their U20s as well.

Los Teros select from their age grade setup more than anyone else as they have an eligible player pool which is totally homegrown, small, and mostly started quite young so the system unlikely to miss many players. Similar is true for their neighbours Argentina and now also Pool D opponents Georgia as well.

The young age of this squad reflects the emergence of the young players such as Germán Kessler, Ignacio Dotti, Manuel Leindekar, Santiago Arata, Juan Manuel Cat into first choice starters since the last RWC, 2018 U20 standouts Manuel Ardao or Santiago Civetta selected in their first year of international rugby, whilst experienced veterans Rodrigo Capó Ortega, Mario Sagario, Joaquín Prada all withdrawing.

Georgia and Uruguay have the joint most U23 players (born 1996 onwards and mostly graduates from U20 sides of this RWC cycle) of the RWC squads. For Georgia all 11 of those players have been part of their U20 Championship squads, and all of those are also multi-year U20s (assuming Karkadze plays again next year). There would have also been a 12th such player had Tsutskiridze not broken his ankle.

Samoa have only 3 homegrown players out of 31 (the lowest in RWC history)

Samoa only have 3 homegrown players (those raised in the country at least up to age 15/16) in their squad of 31. This has been on the cards for a while based on recent Samoan selections and a reducing number of homegrown players at pro clubs abroad, but still that is a shockingly low number.

This is the least homegrown squad in RWC history and that is a terrible indictment on their "on-island" development pathways. Questions need to be asked of why as there must be plenty more on-island talent with potential in Samoa, but lately relatively little is reaching the top level.

Melani Matavao is not only the lone homegrown player under 30 to make the RWC squad, but also one of only a couple Samoan raised players under 25 to have played Mitre10 Cup level this past year. He is the exception in terms of young "on-island" talent becoming a first choice starter for Samoa in recent times.

Whilst Samoa squads have long had many New Zealand or Australia raised players, and you obviously would expect a considerable percentage of their players to be so, but even so this has been trending upwards and 28 out of 31 is very high even by previous norms. By comparison their 2015 RWC squad had at least 13 homegrown players out of 31. Recently they have fielded matchday squads of 23 with only two homegrown players, and now it is not even implausible in future they could have one with zero.

Tonga have also selected a number of players raised in New Zealand or Australia as well (including 11 former New Zealand or Australia U20 players). However in the past few years they have also produced half a dozen homegrown Tongan All Blacks and Wallabies, young Super Rugby pros like Samisoni Taukei'aho and Folau Fakatava, plus players in Japan including their best ever forward. So that figure is not such a reflection on the recent success of their young "on-island" talent as Samoa.

Samoa have selected just 3 homegrown players in their 31 man squad which is the lowest number in RWC history. Both they and Tonga have many New Zealand or Australia raised players in their squads. Japan also selected their least ever homegrown RWC squad as well.

Samoa U20 produces lowest number of players to graduate to a RWC squad

Samoa have spent more years in the U20 Championship than any other Tier 2 side and between 2008 to 2014 did reasonably well achieving 5 top 10 finishes. Over those 8 years at the top level of U20 rugby, they must have had at least 150+ players involved who are now aged 25-31 close to their prime. Yet only 4 players from those U20 sides have made this RWC squad, the lowest number graduates of any nation.

If these squads were all low level (more along the lines of Samoa's U20 Trophy last year which got thrashed 58-8 by Fiji) it would be less surprising, but these were relatively decent sides with more U20 Championship wins over Tier 1 than any other Tier 2 nation, yet seem to have gotten lost at senior level.

Samoa's best ever U20 side of 2009 (which beat both Scotland and Ireland) has ended up producing just one player (Viliamu Afatia, who wasn't even a starter for that U20 team) to go on and represent them at a RWC. Since he is injured this time around there are no players from that team at this tournament.

Samoa pushed South Africa hard at the
2014 U20 Championship but like most of
their past U20 groups that squad has not
yet amounted to anything at senior level.

Their U20 side of 2014 also beat Scotland again and notably led for over 60 minutes against a South Africa team which went on to finish 2nd place and has since produced 8 Springboks (including Jesse Kriel, Handré Pollard, André Esterhuizen, Wilco Louw). Yet has so far that squad has produced just 2 caps for Samoa at senior level in Henry Stowers. One of the lowest returns of any U20 Championship side ever.

This Samoa RWC 31 has just 12 U20 Championship appearances between four players. By contrast Georgia has only been in the tournament four years, and even though the peak RWC for all those players won't be until 2023 or 2027, their squad has 11 players with 87 U20 Championship appearances between them. Tedo Abzhandadze on his own played 15 matches in the tournament. It's hard to know exactly what has gone on with Samoa but a lot of potential and development from all those years in the U20 Championship simply appears to have gone to waste.

Pacific Challenge provides very little pathway to the RWC for Samoans and Tongans

On the topic of non-existent pathways, World Rugby's press release for the Pacific Challenge described it as a "proven player development platform" which is "to provide pathway to RWC".

Yet only one side (Fiji Warriors) legitimately uses this tournament as a vehicle to test fringe depth and young players for the national team. Unsurprisingly they have also dominated it, as all the others field sides with little relevance to any near or even medium term international selections.

Over the course of this 2016-19 RWC cycle we have had four Pacific Challenge tournaments. From those tournaments only two players from Samoa 'A' (scrum halves Melani Matavao and Dwayne Polataivao) have reached the RWC, Tonga 'A' has just one player (reserve fly half James Faiva), whilst Junior Japan seem to use it more to prepare U20s than fringe national team players.

Tonga A has proven to be almost no
pathway to national team selection.

For Samoa and Tonga the national team simply seems disconnected from what is to supposed to be their own pathways and development programs like the 'A' or U20 sides as they instead favour dipping into what the New Zealand system provides their player pool.

That may be understandable as they have many eligible players there. However when Tonga in particular virtually ignores their 'A' team, so much so that they have just opted to pluck an amateur hooker out of Canterbury club rugby on the basis of a recommendation of Facebook (who was so obscure their own forwards coach said when he turned up "no one knew what he looked like") before considering any Tonga 'A' players, you have to then query the value for money spent on a team which has such minimal relevance to their national team program.

Number of Fiji, Samoa or Tonga RWC squad members who have represented their 'A' teams in a Pacific Challenge tournament over the course of this 2016-2019 RWC cycle. Only the Fiji Warriors (10 players) team can really be said to be a platform to the national side. The vast majority of the Tonga 'A' players in particular have never even been remotely close to making the RWC squad.

Fiji and Tonga provide 13 players for other RWC squads

Fiji has comfortably been the lead exporter of talent from a Tier 2 nation to Tier 1. In total there are six homegrown Fijian players in Tier 1 squads for this RWC. Half of them they could face in their opening match vs Australia who have Isi Naisarani, Tevita Kuridrani, and Marika Koroibete. There is also Virimi Vakatawa and Alivereti Raka with France, plus Sevu Reece with New Zealand. John McKee said earlier this year Reece "would love to play for Fiji" but restrictive Super Rugby contracts were preventing it, however his form with the Crusaders ended up being so strong he's now become an All Black starter.

In addition to this Nathan Hughes (England), Waisake Naholo (New Zealand), Sefa Naivalu (Australia) have all played for Tier 1 teams within the past 12 months but failed to make RWC squads.

Tonga have a homegrown player in both the Wallabies with Taniela Tupou and the All Blacks with former U20 Shannon Frizell, whilst Vaea Fifita was also a late cut. The Ikale Tahi in fact have 7 homegrown players in other RWC squads (not far off how many there are in their own squad), as Japan have selected five who went to University there with another former Tonga U20 Amanaki Mafi the most noteworthy.

The only other Tier 2 nation to have a produced player who is now in another RWC squad is Zimbabwe with Tendai Mtawarira. Paul Willemse from Namibia and Lucas Paulos from Spain were in wider squads for France and Argentina respectively but neither made the final cut.

The very high number of New Zealand developed players in other squads is obviously largely down to Samoa and Tonga. Although they also feature in a several Northern Hemisphere squads as well. It should be noted the Tier 1 developed players are mostly those who could not make that nation's team, whereas every one of the Tier 2 developed players are all in higher ranked nations squads.

Huge divide between Tier 1 and Tier 2 in terms of high level international experience

Tier 1 is used to describe the 6 Nations and Rugby Championship sides, those with significant in built off field advantages in terms of fixtures, finances, and WR council voting power. However there are only 9 main nations who in the professional era have held 98% of RWC quarter final spots, with Italy despite their off field advantages still on the field below them more on the level of an upper Tier 2 side.

The 10 Tier 1 squads (including Italy) have a total of 8825 caps in matches against those 9 perennial RWC quarter final sides (over 80% of their total caps), compared to the 10 Tier 2 squads 993 caps (less than 10%). None of this is to say this should be something completely even, the ideal is for a balance of fixtures against sides ranked above and below (not like Italy), but still the clear divide is demonstrable.

Vereniki Goneva and Yu Tamura are the players from Tier 2 squads with the most caps (17) against the big 9, whilst there are five other players all experienced ones in their 30s and on their third RWC with 15 or more caps. 77 players in Tier 2 squads will be playing a top 9 team for the first time at this RWC.

Total caps against the 9 usual quarter finalists per RWC squad. SANZAAR sides are the highest as they play 6 games every Rugby Championship, as opposed to the 6 Nations 4, as well as also playing Tier 2 sides less often. It is not hard to spot the divide between Tier 1 and Tier 2. Australia have very close to over 300 more caps against top 9 opposition than all 10 of the Tier 2 sides combined.

France the youngest Tier 1 squad but with the most domestic top level experience

This reminds me of Ben Ryan's lazy article on French rugby back in February which blamed foreigners for national team failings. He claimed "the best of the French" struggled to get a game in the Top 14 especially in certain positions (one of which he stated was 9 which has in fact always been the position in France with the very least foreigners), "the younger players have rarely made the matchday squads", and "the consequence has been national teams with a lack of experience". All of that is total garbage.

France are the youngest Tier 1 side at this RWC (third youngest of all 20 teams). They have more players (14) aged 25 or under than any other quarter final contenders (Ireland by comparison only have 6).

Yet despite this France's squad has a total of 4081 appearances at Top 14 or European level (Louis Picamoles short stay at Northampton the only overseas stint adding to that total). That is an average of 132 per player. This of course could not possibly have happened if as Ryan said "the younger players have rarely made matchday squads" had even been remotely close to being correct.

The idea that the leading French players and prospects, the ones with any relevance to national team and likely to succeed at international level, all get no opportunity because of the presence of foreigners is complete and utter nonsense and always has been. They in fact play more hard pro rugby from a younger age than virtually all their rivals and if anything there's a stronger argument they play too much.

France are the youngest Tier 1 squad but have the most domestic professional experience. European teams head this list because their season is longer and for the most part have more clubs they can play for (if you consider Scottish internationals are also free to play in England or France). Argentina would have been higher in previous tournaments, but now less experienced relative to other Tier 1 because largely selecting from only one pro team (although now also have much more top level international experience than before). Uruguay are a much more professional side now but minus Capó Ortega and his near 400 Top 14 matches have negligible experience (just 3 matches with Leindekar) in top leagues. Japan might have been a bit higher on this list had they used the Sunwolves differently.

It's unfortunate as France is the biggest land of opportunity in the sport for all players, and importantly so for those from Tier 2 nations, who would never realistically get any opportunity to pursue ambitions in high level pro rugby anywhere else. It's articles like that one repeating grossly inaccurate narratives that seeks to destroy those opportunities with harder restrictions on them. Harming the players themselves, the global game more broadly, the standard of French rugby, and all for very little benefit to anyone but maybe the 500th best French player (miles away from national team relevance).

To illustrate this point. As of writing there are 109 players in Tier 2 RWC squads with a professional contract in a Tier 1 country, 89 of those are in either France (with 54 players, a figure that would have been even higher had Romania and Spain not got kicked out) or England (35 players). Whilst by comparison only 9 players in those squads with a contract at a SANZAAR pro side.

However not only do French clubs offer the most opportunity in terms of numbers, but also do so for the widest range of nations as well. As written about before the Tier 2 players recruited in England are predominantly New Zealand/Australia schooled Pacific Islanders out of competitions like Super Rugby or Mitre10 Cup, and unlike France not so often ones actually recruited from Tier 2 nations. If it were not for French clubs the RWC and global game would be increasingly more like Cricket.

Number of players as of writing from Tier 2 RWC squad with a pro domestic contract for next season per Tier 1 nation. The difference between France and the rest would be even bigger still if you added all the Tier 2 players not at this RWC.

Pacific Islanders have most high level domestic experience among Tier 2 nations

Fiji's squad has 1844 appearances in top level domestic competitions  (Super Rugby, Premiership, Top 14, Pro14, or Europe) the most of any Tier 2 nation. 98.6% (1819) of those are with European clubs, with only one player (Ben Volavola) having played in Super Rugby. There are fewer players in the Fiji squad with Super Rugby experience than there are in European sides like Scotland, Italy, or Ireland.

Alivereti Veitokani had an opportunity in
Super Rugby blocked this year so had to
move to Europe to play pro rugby. Most
of Fiji's top level pro experience comes in
Europe as Super Rugby is horrible for them.

The leading Southern Hemisphere competition has been nothing but horrible for Fijian rugby. It has offered next to nothing for their young talents aside from having them either poached by New Zealand and Australia, or failing that just remain there uncapped like Pita-Gus Sowakula who Fiji can't select to keep his NZ eligibility. This year there were also reports that Australia actively prevented the opportunity for Alivereti Veitokani to play Super Rugby specifically so as not to help Fiji's RWC chances. So most of this Fijian squad has had to move to Europe, especially France, to find opportunity in pro rugby.

Samoa's squad is the second most experienced Tier 2 squad with between them 1734 top level domestic appearances, and Tonga's the third most with 1458 appearances.

Reasons behind this are players in the Samoa and Tonga squads (initially as NZ players) can play Super Rugby which is near impossible for 99% of players from other Tier 2 nations (aside from Fijians who then get poached). Over half their squads have played Super Rugby, and with that top level experience they then have an advantage in recruitment to European clubs as well especially English ones.

However these are also the two squads with least international caps. Many of those players only commit to Samoa or Tonga after having given up on New Zealand which often leads to a move in Europe as their contracts in Super Rugby get harmed. So you have got a combination of Pacific Islands only playing 6/7 tests in non-RWC years along with players like Sam Lousi and Michael Ala'alatoa only making their debuts this year at 28 which explains the relatively experienced squad with the low cap total.

Japan are the Tier 2 nation with the most individual players with some top level experience. 29 of their 31 has played Super Rugby for the Sunwolves in the past 4 years. However a number of those players did not play regularly, some not even playing at all this year. So they have lower elite level appearances than for example Georgia who have fewer players who have played elite level but individuals in their squad like Gorgodze, Nariashvili, Chilachava, Mikautadze with several long hard Top 14 seasons.

Only one player in any Tier 1 squad (Argentina centre Lucas Mensa) has no experience in a major league. The squad with the least experience is Uruguay, who are a much more professional outfit than before, but only have one player (Manuel Leindekar) to have played in a major league. Whilst the squad who remains most amateur is Namibia with 22 of their 31 locally based, although overall this will be the most professional a RWC has ever been largely thanks to the MLR which has 39 players at the tournament.

Georgia and Fiji have the largest number of RWC returnees

Pool D opponents Georgia and Fiji have selected the largest number of players from their squads of 4 years ago with 18 and 17 respectively, whilst England are third on 16 returning players.

This reflects sides that have in a number of positions actually had quite settled options for the most part over the past RWC cycle and not ones that were ripped up and started over again. That is perhaps not surprising given both Georgia and Fiji have the same coaches and not too many ancient players last time.

On the otherhand Samoa are bringing just 7 from the last RWC squad and Tonga just 9. Again not surprising as both of those sides with average ages of 29 and 30 did have older squads last time out, whilst Samoa with Steve Jackson are also on their third different coach of the RWC cycle.

Also notably Italy have a curious mix with behind only Russia (24) the joint highest number of RWC debutants (23), but alongside them also vast experience of the last remaining players from the Parisse/Castro generation that were all around back at RWC 2007 under Pierre Berbizier.

Russia have 7 players who played at RWC 2011 returning, but there are actually 9 returning from their original 30 man squad for that tournament. Andrei Ostrikov and Igor Galinovskiy were selected only to get injured beforehand, so to get another chance after 8 years will be particularly special for them.

There are 15 players from RWC 2007 who have made squads for this tournament 12 years on. Sergio Parisse is the only one of those who also played RWC 2003 meaning he will become the third player after Brian Lima and Mauro Bergamasco to play at 5 RWCs. Merab Kvirikashvili was another in the frame to make 5 RWCs as part of Georgia's wider squad but didn't make the final cut. Rodrigo Capó Ortega, who made his test debut way back in 2000, was also another player who could have returned from the 2003 tournament but unfortunately withdrew from Uruguay's preparation through injury.

Pictured left to right: Luke Thompson (Japan), Eugene Jantjies (Namibia), Mamuka Gorgodze, Davit Kacharava (Georgia), & DTH van der Merwe (Canada). Profile pictures from the RWC 2007 site of the five Tier 2 players who 12 years later are at their fourth RWC. Thompson (who will become the third oldest player in RWC history) and Jantjies are the first players from their respective nations to have done so.

Luke Thompson will be Japan's first ever player to represent them at 4 RWCs, Eugene Jantjies will also do the same for Namibia, whilst Adam Ashley-Cooper will be only the second from Australia after George Gregan. The other three players from Tier 2 nations at a 4th RWC are Davit Kacharava, Mamuka Gorgodze, and DTH van der Merwe. All these players are likely to retire soon after the tournament.

Georgia have the youngest player at the RWC for a second time in a row

For the second RWC in a row and third time in five RWC appearances Georgia will have the youngest player at the tournament. In 2003 it was Merab Kvirikashvili, in 2015 Vasil Lobzhanidze, and now in 2019 it will be hooker Vano Karkadze who is set to become the fifth youngest RWC player of all time (third youngest in professional era), and the second youngest RWC forward after Federico Mendez in 1991.

Karkadze's rise at senior level has been incredibly fast. He made his senior pro debut at Aurillac last December, then his senior international debut in February after getting the approval of Graham Rowntree who was sent to watch him play. With Badri Alkhazashvili having long term injury issues, and a fall out between Zurab Zhvania and Milton Haig, the opportunity opened up for him to make the RWC.

Pictured left to right: Gordon D'Arcy (Ireland, 1999), Merab Kvirikashvili (Georgia, 2003), Thretton Palamo (USA, 2007), George North (Wales, 2011), Vasil Lobzhanidze (Georgia, 2015), Vano Karkadze (Georgia, 2019). The youngest players at each professional era RWC. If he gets on the field Karkadze is set to become the youngest forward to play in a RWC since Federico Mendez in 1991.

He is one of just five U20 eligible players at the tournament. The other four being Jordan Petaia (Australia), David Ainuu (USA), Tedo Abzhandadze (Georgia), and Romain Ntamack (France). Although only the two Georgian players are doing the double of playing U20 and senior World Cups in the same year. There are also a further 15 players born 1998 who were eligible last year at U20 level.

Note also that Abzhandadze will face a big test as the youngest player to wear the 10 shirt at a RWC in the professional era (which previously was Jonny Wilkinson at RWC 1999) and more so than any of those other players mentioned he is expected to be a pivotal player in determining his side's success.

Having the youngest player is really only a bit of trivia a lot of which simply depends on the timing of the tournament and little can be read into. However fact there are quite a few Georgians amongst the youngest players at the tournament does reflect the recent rise of their U20s into top 10 in the world.

The oldest player at the tournament at 38 will be Luke Thompson, who after coming out of international retirement this year could become the third oldest player in RWC history. Two other even older players in Rodrigo Capó Ortega and Ray Barkwill were likely selections who could have become the second oldest ever player at a RWC behind Uruguay's Diego Ormaechea in 1999 but got forced out through injury.

Meanwhile Samoa's Tusi Pisi is also set to become the third oldest back ever to play a RWC, behind only USA's Mark Williams in 1999, and Canada's Spence McTavish in 1987. If Kahn Fotuali'i, who is a month older than Pisi, was available Samoa could have fielded a 9/10 combination with a combined age of 74.