Best Locks in the World Right Now (Ranked 10-1)

These towering figures are easy to identify, as they stand head and shoulders above the rest, like all-action skyscrapers that combine power, precision, and endurance in equal measure.

Throughout rugby history, locks have produced some of the game’s greatest leaders. From England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup-winning captain Martin Johnson to Wales and British & Irish Lions icon Alun Wyn Jones, the jersey has been worn by some of the sport’s most relentless competitors. The role demands bravery, intelligence, and an uncompromising willingness to do the unseen work.

That legacy stretches well beyond the northern hemisphere. New Zealand’s Sam Whitelock set the standard for modern excellence in black, while Australia’s John Eales remains so revered that the Wallabies’ Player of the Year award bears his name. A two-time Rugby World Cup winner, Eales even earned the nickname “Nobody,” because as the saying goes—nobody’s perfect.

While the legends of the past have secured their place in rugby folklore, this list turns its attention to the 10 best second rows currently dominating the global game today.

Few players in world rugby quite match the sheer physical spectacle of Rudolph Gerhardus Snyman. Nicknamed “The Viking” for his towering frame and imposing presence, the South African lock has built a career defined by power, athleticism, and an almost mythic resilience.

Snyman’s rise began in the Blue Bulls system, where he stood out from schoolboy level as a rare blend of size and soft hands. He made an unusually rapid leap into senior Super Rugby without a first-class foundation, such was his raw impact. By his early twenties, he had already established himself as one of the most exciting second rows in South Africa.

International recognition soon followed, and Snyman was a key squad member in the Springboks’ 2019 Rugby World Cup triumph, contributing throughout their run to glory. Despite persistent injury setbacks, his reputation only grew, with his ability to influence games through lineout dominance, offloading ability, and bruising carries making him a uniquely modern lock.

His move to Munster in 2020 brought both brilliance and adversity, as a series of serious injuries tested his durability. Yet every return has reinforced his elite status, culminating in a high-profile switch to Leinster, where he has continued to deliver at the highest level.

A two-time World Cup winner, Snyman remains one of the most destructive and visually striking forwards in the game—an enforcer who can shift momentum in a single carry, and a true force of nature in the engine room.

In a sport dominated by traditional rugby strongholds, Fabian Holland represents a refreshing anomaly. The first Dutch-born All Black, Holland’s rise from a small village in the Netherlands to the summit of international rugby is as remarkable as it is deserved.

Standing tall in the engine room, Holland has quickly built a reputation as one of the most exciting young locks in the world game. After relocating to New Zealand as a teenager, his development accelerated through Christchurch Boys’ High School before earning his stripes with Otago and the Highlanders. It was here that his blend of physical presence, aerial dominance and relentless work rate began to turn heads.

By 2025, Holland’s potential had fully translated onto the Test stage. A standout debut season in black saw him feature heavily across the Rugby Championship and end-of-year internationals, cementing his place within the All Blacks setup. His performances were duly recognised as he was crowned World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year, underlining his rapid ascent among the elite.

Still only scratching the surface of his capabilities, Holland combines raw power with a tireless engine and sharp rugby intelligence. In a nation synonymous with world-class second rows, his break-through signals the arrival of a new force in New Zealand’s long lineage of locking greats, as Holland is bringing the beloved Kiwi grit of Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick back to the Test stage.

In a nation that prides itself on producing world-class second rows, Ollie Chessum has emerged as one of England’s most complete modern locks. Still only in his mid-twenties, the Leicester Tigers captain holds the previous mantle of Steve Borthwick and Martin Johnson, and carries himself with the authority of a seasoned veteran, blending raw physicality with a deceptively sharp rugby brain.

Chessum’s rise has been anything but conventional. Initially overlooked within the academy system, he cut his teeth at Nottingham before forcing his way into the Leicester Tigers setup in 2020. It didn’t take long for the towering second row to make his mark, playing a pivotal role in Leicester’s Premiership triumph in 2022, where his graft in the tight exchanges proved invaluable.

On the international stage, Chessum has continued his upward trajectory. Since his debut in the 2022 Six Nations, he has become a trusted figure in England’s pack, featuring prominently during their run to a bronze medal at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Equally comfortable calling lineouts as he is carrying through heavy traffic, Chessum offers a well-rounded skillset that modern rugby demands.

His selection for the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour only further underlined his growing reputation, with the lock playing his part in a series victory in Australia. A relentless engine and natural leader, Chessum looks destined to anchor England’s pack for years to come.

Powerful, composed and quietly authoritative, Scott Barrett has grown into one of the defining locks of the modern era, a forward whose influence extends far beyond the tight exchanges.

Since debuting for New Zealand in 2016, marking the occasion with a try against Ireland in Chicago, Barrett has become a mainstay of the All Blacks pack, blending physical edge with a tireless work rate and sharp rugby intelligence.

A product of Taranaki’s rich rugby heartland, Barrett’s rise has been intertwined with one of the sport’s most famous families, making history alongside brothers Beauden and Jordie in 2017 as the first trio to feature in the same All Blacks squad. Yet his achievements stand firmly on their own merit. A stalwart of the Crusaders’ dynasty, Barrett has been central to multiple Super Rugby titles, providing the steel and consistency that underpin sustained success.

Appointed All Blacks captain in 2024, Barrett’s leadership reflects his character—calm, resilient and relentlessly driven. Whether calling the lineout, anchoring the scrum or carrying in heavy traffic, he sets the tone through action as much as voice.

In an era demanding more from second rows than ever before, Barrett exemplifies the modern lock: athletic, intelligent and uncompromising, a cornerstone of New Zealand’s forward dominance. A true leader in every sense, the no-nonsense lock weathered the storm of the Scott Robertson era and will now guide the All Blacks into a fresh start. Ollie Chessum

It’s easy to spot the towering 6ft 7in figure of Ollie Chessum on the pitch. Chessum rapidly climbed through the ranks of Leicester’s academy before moving on to Championship club Nottingham for a brief spell. He now finds himself playing a pivotal role in the Tigers side. The 6ft 7in lock featured in Steve Borthwick's squad for Rugby World Cup 2023 in France and started alongside Maro Itoje in the side’s Bronze Final match against Argentina. Chessum was recently named in Borthwick’s squad ahead of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations 2025.

Mickaël Guillard is rapidly emerging as one of the most exciting second rows in world rugby, a modern lock whose athleticism and versatility mark him out as a player of rare potential. The 2026 Guinness Men's Six Nations was the true break-out of Guillard, as France head coach Fabien Galthie entrusted him as a reliable, first choice lock.

Standing just shy of two metres, the Lyon forward combines physical presence with a relentless engine, evolving from a dependable workhorse into a dynamic ball-carrier capable of shifting momentum in an instant.

Developed at RC Massy before joining Lyon in 2020, Guillard’s rise has been steady rather than explosive, but no less impressive. By the 2023–24 campaign he had cemented himself as a regular starter, despite operating outside the traditional European powerhouses. That context only enhances his reputation, as Guillard has become a standout performer in a Lyon side often competing against more star-studded opposition.

His international breakthrough arrived in 2024, debuting for France on their tour of Argentina before quickly becoming a regular feature across the Autumn Series and Six Nations campaigns. A two-time Six Nations winner, Guillard announced himself on the global stage with a standout 2026 Championship, where his dominance in the air and ability to disrupt opposition lineout ball proved invaluable.

Still only 25, Guillard represents the prototype of the modern lock, as he is mobile, skilful and relentlessly physical. With his trajectory suggesting he is only just scratching the surface of his immense potential, we hand the entry to Guillard ahead of his French teammate Thibaud Flament following an outstanding run of current form.

Zoe Stratford (formerly Aldcroft) has become one of the defining figures of the modern women’s game, a versatile second row whose influence stretches far beyond the set-piece and back row versatility. From her England debut as a teenager in 2016 - where she scored a dramatic late try to defeat France - Stratford has grown into the heartbeat of England’s dominant Red Roses era.

Statford's rise has been built on consistency, athleticism and an unrelenting work rate, qualities that saw her crowned World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year in 2021 after a standout campaign in which she started every Test and helped extend England’s remarkable winning run.

At club level, Statford has been equally instrumental for Gloucester-Hartpury, captaining the side and playing a central role in their recent Premiership Women’s Rugby three-peat successes. Yet it is her leadership on the international stage that truly defines her standing.

Appointed England captain in 2025, to replace Marlie Packer, Stratford seamlessly stepped into the role, guiding the Red Roses to a seventh consecutive Women's Six Nations title, the WXV1 crown and above all else, the Women's Rugby World Cup. Stratford is currently on the sidelines with pregnancy, yet the Red Roses eagerly await her return as a mother.

Sophie de Goede is one of the defining figures of the modern women’s game, a rare blend of power, intelligence, and all-court skill that has made her a cornerstone for both Canada and Saracens.

Born into rugby royalty, de Goede is the daughter of former Canada internationals Stephanie and Hans de Goede, both of whom captained their country. That pedigree has translated seamlessly onto the pitch, with Sophie emerging as a natural leader from an early age. She was named U Sports Rookie of the Year in 2017 before following it up a year later with Player of the Year honours.

Her rise at international level was rapid. De Goede made her senior Canada debut in 2019 against New Zealand, and by the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand she was already captain of her country. Since then, she has become the heartbeat of the Maple Leafs, combining tactical control with explosive carrying ability and a reliable kicking game.

At club level, she joined Saracens in 2020, quickly making her mark in the Premier 15s. A standout semi-final performance against Loughborough Lightning underlined her ability to deliver in big moments, and she returned to the StoneX as one of the most complete forwards in the game.

Her 2025 season confirmed her status at the top of the sport. De Goede was named World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year after a starring role at the Women's Rugby World Cup, where she led Canada to the final, before eventually taking silver medals to the victorious Red Roses.

Having played the entire RWC at lock, de Goede earned a place in the engine room of the World Rugby Dream Team despite returning from ACL injury earlier in that same year. A dual threat as a forward who can also dictate play from the kicking tee, de Goede has become central to Canada’s identity.

Respected by teammates and feared by opponents, few players in rugby history command a presence quite like Eben Etzebeth. A cornerstone of the Springbok pack, Etzebeth has long established himself among the elite second rows in world rugby, and is considered by many to be the second row G.O.A.T.

A double Rugby World Cup winner, Etzebeth played key roles in South Africa’s 2019 triumph over England in Tokyo and their 2023 defence against the All Blacks in Paris. With those victories, he cemented his status as a modern-day Springbok great and continues to edge closer to legendary status in green and gold.

His honours also include multiple Rugby Championship titles, with 2019, 2024 and 2025 among his haul, the latter two marking back-to-back triumphs for South Africa. In 2024, Etzebeth surpassed Victor Matfield to become the most capped Springbok, reaching 128 Test appearances in a dominant win over Argentina that secured another Rugby Championship crown.

At club level, he has starred for the Sharks, winning the 2023/24 EPCR Challenge Cup, as well as previous spells with Toulon and the Red Hurricanes in Japan. His rise began with Western Province, winning the 2011 Currie Cup before breaking into Super Rugby. Etzebeth remains a defining figure of his era — a relentless enforcer at the heart of South African rugby.

To earn yourself a nickname like ‘The Pearl’, you seriously have to be a stand-out talent. Maro Itoje certainly lives up to it, as the Saracens lock commands respect across the rugby world. Itoje began his career in Camden before earning a scholarship to Harrow School, where he was fast-tracked into the Saracens senior squad.

After a young Itoje made his debut at just 19, he quickly became a serial winner. The lock lifted his first Premiership title in 2015, followed by multiple domestic crowns and three Champions Cup honours. Despite his physical presence, Itoje’s greatest weapon is his unmatched rugby intelligence. The England captain's outstanding breakdown awareness famously led to the introduction of the “Itoje Law” in 2017, preventing players from kicking the ball out of a ruck.

At international level, Itoje has been a cornerstone of the England team since debuting in the Eddie Jones era, for a 2016 Six Nations clash against Italy. Itoje went on to win the Grand Slam that year, plus further Six Nations titles in 2017 and 2020, as well as the 2020 Autumn Nations Cup. The England skipper also holds Rugby World Cup silver and bronze medals from 2019 and 2023.

A born leader of men, the Saracens and England captain also excelled with the British & Irish Lions, starring in both the drawn 2017 series in New Zealand and the 2021 tour of South Africa, where he was named Players’ Player of the Series. Itoje would then captain the Lions to the latest tour of Australia this past Summer, where he guided Andy Farrell's team to a successful 2-1 series win over the Wallabies, across Tests in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

Tadhg Beirne has established himself as one of the most complete forwards in world rugby, a lock who operates with the instinct of a back-rower and the engine of a Test match workhorse. Released by Leinster after his academy progression, Beirne rebuilt his career at the Scarlets, where his breakdown threat and tireless physicality powered their 2017 Pro12 title and earned him the Players’ Player of the Season award.

That resurgence earned a move to Munster in 2018, where he rapidly became the heartbeat of the pack, delivering consistent high-level performances in the Champions Cup and United Rugby Championship and eventually captaining the province to URC glory in 2023.

At international level, Beirne has become a vital cog in Ireland’s golden era, featuring in the 2023 Grand Slam and 2024 Six Nations successes, while showcasing remarkable adaptability across the second row and back row.

A British & Irish Lion in both 2021 and 2025, Beirne has repeatedly delivered on the biggest stages, including a series-winning tour of Australia where his influence in the pack was decisive, and saw him named 'Player of the Series' by his peers. Combative, intelligent and consistent, Beirne embodies the evolution of the elite modern day lock, equally capable of disrupting opposition ball or shaping attack with subtle precision.