Ultimate rugby league player revealed
Fitness data from the Engage Super League and expert opinion from Brian Noble has revealed what could be professional rugby league’s fittest and most formidable player.
Featuring the best of the best in professional rugby league today – the 2011 Super League Super Player combines the agility and hand-eye co-ordination of England’s Rangi Chase – the Man of Steel – the strength of Danny Tickle, the speed of Jodie Broughton, the power of Joel Tomkins, the strength endurance of Jamie Jones Buchanan and the aerobic and anaerobic fitness of Jon Wilkin and Heath L’Estrange.
As part of Engage Mutual’s Rugby Fit campaign, strength and conditioning coaches from all 14 teams were asked to reveal which of their players would perform the best in a series of eight tests based on the physical attributes needed to be a top rugby league player – strength, agility, hand-eye co-ordination, speed, power, strength endurance, anaerobic endurance and aerobic endurance.
The Super League’s most successful coach, Brian Noble, then chose which players should make the final line-up, based on his experiences.
Speaking about the line-up Brian Noble said: “It is no surprise that Rangi Chase has come to such prominence this year; being awarded the Man of Steel by his peers and now playing for England – he is an exceptional player with outstanding skills.”
To give fans and idea of what the sport’s most formidable player might look like on the pitch, Engage Mutual has created an image using body parts from the shortlisted players.
The image includes:
o Head, arms and feet of Rangi Chase (hand-eye co-ordination and agility)
o Torso of Danny Tickle (strength)
o The legs of Jodie Broughton (speed) and Joel Tomkins (power)
o The shoulders of Jamie Jones Buchanan (strength endurance)
o Aerobic endurance of Jon Wilkin
o Anaerobic endurance of Heath L’Estrange
The rugby fit campaign is giving fans and amateur players the chance to increase their rugby league fitness with a training plan developed especially to test the key physical attributes needed for the sport. Fronted by Rugby Fit ambassadors, Huddersfield Giants’ Eorl Crabtree and Featherstone Rovers’ Natalie Gilmour, a training plan is available to download from www.engagemutual.com/rugby and is ideal for use by amateur teams or as a gym workout.
For more information about the Rugby Fit Challenge visit www.engagemutual.com/rugby