Luke Charteris, one of the players who feature for the Wales Rugby Team on the international level as a lock has reiterated that it takes more than just being big and brawny to go far in Rugby.
The 33-year old believes that skill and speed, would trump over big and brawny anytime, any day. In 2015, statistics gathered from the game against Ireland in the Six Nations tournament, showed that Luke had made about 37 tackles in that particular game.
This is 10 tackles more than any other player so far in a single game since the history of the Six Nations. Looking back to the period, Luke talks about the game and how he was relieved when the final whistle was blown.
“All I remember is being relieved the game was over,” he said.
He also notes that his position as a lock has never been that easy, and that the belief that every player featuring in that position should be sculpted to look likes a slab of granite is inappropriate.
“Guys in the past didn’t have time to do the training that we do now, so there has been a big leap. But there’s only so far it can go – it will start to plateau. Everybody who plays the game now is an athlete. Skilful and speedy is going to beat big and brawny every time,” he also mentioned.
He also sees himself as being quite privileged to play along some of the finest rugby players in the world. For him, he sees Paul O’Connell as a childhood inspiration.
Concluding, Charteris talked about how little things separate some players from the others.
“It is the little things that separate the truly exceptional players from the very good ones. He relentlessly pushes himself and everyone around him,” he added on an endnote.