Who is the Fastest Rugby Player in the World? (2023 Edition)

The question of who is the fastest when it comes to rugby players is one which has filtered around every social media platform and gathering of rugby fans, and while there are a few names that are always thrown around when it comes to the fastest rugby players of all time (many of whom have retired), who is leading the pack in 2022?

Keep in mind, not many players’ 100-metre dash times or metres per second times are public, but from the information gathered, we can rank the following rugby speedsters (also, the players need to be actively playing to be considered):

Adam Radwan – 10.72 seconds (100m)

Adam Radwan is a rising star on the England rugby scene, becoming a devastating try-scorer for Newcastle Falcons and making his debut for the national side in 2021, scoring four tries in his first two appearances. The 24-year-old has been scoring some incredible 5-pointers for his club, showcasing his unrivalled ability to take defenders on the outside and leave them grasping at air.

Seabelo Senatla – 10.6 seconds (100m)

Seabelo Senatla’s acceleration has to be one of the most explosive in world rugby. The 29-year-old Commonwealth gold medal winner is able to hit full speed from a standing start in a blink, and if his all-out pace wasn’t troublesome enough for defenders, the Stormers and Blitzbokke star has some dazzling footwork that can bamboozle the best tacklers in the game.

Ollie Thorley – 10.6 (100m)

The 26-year-old Gloucester back may not be a household name, but season after season, he is making his presence in the Premiership known. Weighing in at almost 100 kgs, Thorley is incredibly rapid for his size too, and clocked in a 100-metre time of 10.6. He managed to get one cap for England in 2020, but there’s no doubt we’ll see more of Thorley in the coming years.

Reiko Ioane – Unknown time

The Blues and All Blacks’ running weapon is no doubt one of the fastest men in Super Rugby and the Southern Hemisphere for that matter. No clear 100-metre time is available, however, the outside back has hit a 10.69 metres p/s time on his GPS during some matches, which would easily put him in the runnings for one of the quickest; and given that we’ve seen some long-range efforts from him in recent years, there’s no doubt that his pace holds up over the length of the field.

Perry Baker – USA – 10.58 seconds (100m)

The USA’s lanky strike-weapon is said to clock in at 10.58 seconds on the 100m dash, ofcourse, he is 36-years-old, but is still ripping defences to shreds in the World Sevens Series and recent Rugby Sevens World Cup. Since debuting in the Gold Coast leg of the Sevens World Series back in 2014, Baker’s languidly smooth, yet blisteringly quick pace has allowed him to cross the whitewash over 230 times in the World Series, in an attack that goes someway to proving that speed is an ultimate leveller when it comes to scoring tries.

Christian Wade – 10.15 (100m)

Christian Wade was once the darling of England rugby, being touted as the man to fill the wing position without debate. He became a prolific try-scorer for London Wasps, before having a stint in the NFL in the USA. Wade is now back in rugby and playing with Racing Metro in France, filling in as a medical joker and still showcasing his immense pace at 31-years-old.

Carlin Isles – 10.13 seconds (100m)

Carlin Isles is well-known as the fastest man in rugby, and has showcased exactly why for a number of years on the World Sevens Circuit. Isles was a former track athlete turned rugby player, so it was inevitable that he would have an impressive 100m. 10.13 is the time the 31-year old produced, giving him the top spot in the world’s fastest players. taking short hiatuses from sevens for contracts with the NFL’s Detroit Lions and the 15-a-side Glasgow Warriors in Scotland, Isles has developed into a complete player, ranking eighth all-time in World Series tries. Rest assured, he’s still rugby’s fastest man.

Also, the previous fastest man in rugby, Australian sprinter turned sevens player Trae Williams, dominated with a 100-metre time of 10.1. However, he has not returned to the Australian Sevens side since some appearances in 2021.

Angelo Davids – 10.5 (100 metres); 4.71 (40 metres)

Springbok Sevens star and Stormers winger Angelo Davids has quickly become one of the most dangerous attackers in world rugby, and his explosive speed off the mark has pushed him into the echelon of the world’s fastest players – but how fast exactly? A recent World Rugby challenge video saw Davids go up against Carlin Isles in a 10 and 40-metre dash competition. Davids was able to clock in a time of 4.68 in the 40-metre length, which just outperformed Isles’ 4.71 time. His best 100-metre time is recorded at 10.5 seconds, which is under Isles’ 10.13 best-ever. So, it seems that Davids is quicker off the mark and under 40-50 metres, but Isles’ raw pace at full speed is slightly quicker.

Other notable speedsters:

• Jonny May (Gloucester & England) — 10.71 (100m)
• Henry Arundell (London Irish & England) — 10.9 seconds (100m).
• Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester & Wales) — 11.1 (100m)
• Will Jordan (Crusaders & All Blacks) — Unknown, but said to be the fastest Crusader by teammates.
• Rosco Specman (Cheetahs, Springbok Sevens) – unconfirmed but rumoured to have one of the best 100-metre dashes in 7s.

Any speedster that we missed? Let us know by tweeting @MenStuffZA or commenting below and we’ll update the list (remember, provide evidence).

Source(s):  Wikipedia, Telegraph UK, Times Online UK, BBC Sport, ABC Austalia, Daily Telegraph, Ruck

Image source(s): Instagram, Instagram, Facebook