Tom Rowland: Former England under-18 prop on weight-restricted rugby

It was a battle he won. In the short term at least.

A couple of years after changing position, he had put on three stone and the England Under-18 loose-head prop shirt.

Rowland played five games, lining up alongside Marcus Smith, Tom Willis, Cadan Murley and Ted Hill, all of whom, like Heyes, are playing for England in this year’s Six Nations.

Rowland is still playing, just at a lower level, in a different country and, intriguingly, at a lighter weight.

This April, he will be part of the first-ever ‘Small Blacks’ team – a New Zealand representative side with a catch., external

All its members play weight-restricted rugby, in which no player, whether front row or fly-half, weighs more than 85kg (13st 5lbs).

In New Zealand, the concept has taken root.

In 2024, 45 teams entered the national under-85kg Cup, with the final taking place at Sky Stadium in Wellington as a curtain-raiser to an All Blacks win over Australia.

The players are smaller and more uniform in stature, but the action is fast and hard.

“If no-one had a number on their back, you would struggle to know who is playing which position,” says Rowland.

“I wouldn’t say it’s like sevens, the games can still be quite physical and forward dominated, but everything’s done at just a much greater pace.

“Everybody is pretty fit so the collisions in the 70th minute are just as hard as those in the opening five minutes of a game. There’s no real drop off.

“The skill level from one to 15 is great. Even as a prop, you are expected to have as good a catch and pass as anyone in the backline.

“The only thing where there’s probably a big step down is the set-piece, especially the line-outs. You have a lot of guys who aren’t used to jumping in a line-out.

“But in a way less focus around the set-piece makes it a bit more exciting, it speeds everything up.”

Rowland is certainly quicker than he was. Back in his England age-grade days, he weighed in around 17st 5lb.

Now 26, he plays four stone lighter, the weight he was as a 14-year-old.

“I can still enjoy the scrummaging side but I am also now fit enough and at a good weight to be mobile and contribute around the pitch.

“I get to carry lots, make tackles and I actually play 80 minutes in most games. I really enjoy not having to get dragged off at around 50 or 60 minutes because I can’t breathe any more.”