Size matters in the NPC
who provide heaviest team with two behemoths helping knock up their average.
Prop Kalolo Tuiloma, who scored a hat-trick against Waikato last week, is 140 kg, but he is not the biggest in the team.
That honour goes to hulking lock Cameron Skelton, who is not only the heaviest but the tallest man in the competition at 2.08m and 148kg.
While the younger brother of Wallabies lock Will Skelton has enticing height for lineouts, his weight makes him a tough prospect to lift.
Despite Skelton’s presence, the Steelers are a relatively short team overall with an average height of 1.85m.
Back-up first five-eighth Nathan de Thierry is among the shortest players in the competition at 1.70m.
At the other end of the scale Canterbury’s former All Black Dominic Bird who is one of the tallest at 2.06m.
Canterbury’s team is tall throughout with just two players less than 1.80m.
But it is Auckland who take the honour of being the tallest team in the competition (1.88m), as well as the fifth heaviest (104.4kg).
That is despite having just two players 2m or taller and having the diminutive Hickey brothers on the roster.
Waikato and North Harbour claim the second and third heaviest sides with 105.4kg and 105.1kg respectively.
The Manawatu Turbos hold the distinction of being the shortest and lightest team in the competition with averages of 1.84m and 100.2kg.
That is despite the presence of giant props Michael Alaalatoa (136kg, 1.90m) and Fraser Armstrong (127kg, 1.93m).
But they have seven players under 1.80m including halfback Kayne Hammington (1.70m, 75kg) and the competition’s lightest player, first fiveeighth Sam Malcolm (1.74m, 74kg).
The likes of hooker Travis Taylor (1.80m, 101kg) and fullback Jason Emery (1.73m, 86kg) don’t help their averages either.
Manawatu don’t face Auckland or Counties Manukau this season which could be a positive thing for the Turbos considering they are on average 4cm shorter than the former and 6.2kg lighter than the latter.
Veteran Bay of Plenty halfback Ruki Tipuna is the shortest man in the competition at 1.65m.
Otago sit comfortably as the second smallest team in the competition with averages of 1.85m and 101kg.
While Otago are tracking well in the competition this year, results suggest height is an advantage.
The top seven teams based on average height equate for 29 wins compared to just 16 from the shortest seven teams.
But it is a different story when it comes to weight.
The lightest seven teams have 25 wins to 20 from the heavier seven.