Itoje's excellence shows why locks are top earners

AT first glance reports that second rows are now the most valuable players in the European club game based on a recent survey of wages across Premiership, the Top 14, and the PRO14, was a bit of a surprise.

- JEREMY GUSCOTT

If you look at them physically then there’s not a lot different in the second row, because the heights and weights of locks are pretty similar to when I was playing alongside the likes of Wade Dooley, Paul Ackford, and Martin Johnson.

International locks in that era had the main attributes of being great lineout exponents and scrummagers, and nothing much has changed about the importance of those roles. Even the interchangeability between lock and the back row has not altered a huge amount, because blindsides and No.8s, like John Hall at Bath, were very often required to go into the second row if we had an injury or a sending off.

It is interesting that Maro Itoje was seen initially as being equally good at blindside and lock, until it became clear that at elite level he is much better in the second row.

The main thing is that the terms and conditions have changed because of professionalism, and particularly the improvements in fitness and conditioning that have brought greater athleticism – however, Brodie Retallick is still one in a million, and in my time the same was true of Johnson.

There are still second rows in the pro game where you would hold your breath after passing them the ball, rather than expect them to catch it and link with a teammate, but there is no denying that it has become a very competitive position. This was illustrated when Saracens were in full flow with Itoje, George Kruis, Will Skelton and Nick Isiekwe competing for places, and it is the same at Exeter now with Jonny Hill, Jonny Gray, Sam Skinner and Jannes Kirsten.

It is surprising, though, that under the law of supply and demand, with more good second rows available than there are flyhalves, that locks are commanding salaries as big, or bigger, than 10s.