Who are the 10 fastest rugby players in the world currently?

Who are the 10 fastest rugby players in the world currently?

Kevin Omuya
February 19, 2024 at 11:27 AM

Any gatherings of rugby fans have been captivated by the age-old question of who among rugby players is the fastest. Specific words appear frequently when discussing the fastest rugby players of all time. However, let us see who is at the top of the list.

Fastest rugby players
Seabelo Senatla of South Africa (left), Rieko Ioane of the Blues charges (centre), Newcastle Falcons' Adam Radwan (right). Photo: Ben Hoskins, Joe Allison, Bob Bradford/Getty Images
Source: UGC

Table of Сontents:

With their blazing-fast sprints and elusive moves, rugby players with exceptional speed can completely change the course of a match. At this time, it takes statistical analysis, on-field observation, and acknowledgement of individual achievements to determine the top ten fastest rugby players globally.

Top 10 fastest rugby players

The rankings and assessments in this list of the "top 10 fastest rugby players" are based on available data and subjective evaluation. Speed can be influenced by various factors such as playing position, playing style, playing conditions, and the methodology used for measurement. Sports Brief has sourced details of the top 10 fastest rugby players from credible sources such as Sportsest.

Name of player

Country

Speed in m/hr

Adam Radwan - 10.85m/s

England

10.85

Louis Rees-Zammit - 10.81m/s

England

10.81

Kieran Marmion - 10.70m/s

England

10.70

Rieko Ioane - 10.69m/s

New Zealand

10.69

Doug Howlett - 10.68m/s

NewZealand

10.68

Ollie Thorley - 10.60m/s

England

10.60

Seabelo Senatla 10.60m/s

South Africa

10.60

Perry Baker - 10.58m/s

United States

10.58

Angelo Davids - 10.5m/s

South Africa

10.50

Tonderai Chavhanga - 10.27m/s

Zimbabwe

10.27

10. Tonderai Chavhanga - 10.27m/s

Zimbabwe's rugby player, Tonderai
Tonderai Chavhanga of the Sharks during the Super Rugby match between DHL Stormers and Cell C Sharks at DHL Newlands Stadium on July 12, 2014, in Cape Town, South Africa. Photo: Shaun Roy
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Tonderai Chavhanga
  • Date of birth: December 24, 1983
  • Place of birth: Harare, Zimbabwe
  • Height: 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)
  • Weight: 86 kg (13 st 8 lb; 190 lb)
  • Position: Wing

Tanderai belongs to Zimbabwe, but he plays rugby in South Africa. Tonderai has made himself famous for his lightning-fast pace on the rugby field. He earned the title of fastest rugby player in 2005 due to his extraordinary speed of about 10.27 meters per sec.

9. Angelo Davids - 10.5m/s

South Africa's rugby player, Angelo Davids
Angelo Davids of South Africa scores in Match, South Africa vs USA (QF Cup 1) held on March 8, 2020, at BC Place in Vancouver, Canada. Photo: Allan Hamilton
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Angelo Davids
  • Date of birth: June 1, 1999
  • Place of birth: Cape Town, South Africa
  • Height: 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
  • Weight: 84 kg (185 lb)
  • Position: Wing

David represented Western Province in the Currie Cup. On the wing, he currently represents Stormer, a South African rugby team. With a speed of 10.50 meters per second, he is a speedster. His path to becoming the fastest player requires unwavering commitment and ambition.

8. Perry Baker - 10.58m/s

US rugby player Perry Baker
Perry Baker of the USA runs in for a try during the 2024 Perth SVNS men's 7th Place Play-Off match between USA and Spain at HBF Park on January 28, 2024, in Perth, Australia. Photo: Paul Kane
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Perry Baker
  • Date of birth: June 29, 1986
  • Place of birth: New Smyrna Beach, Florida, U.S.
  • Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
  • Weight: 160 lb (73 kg)
  • Position: Goalkeeper

Thanks to Perry Baker, the US Rugby Union is now a formidable opponent on the rugby field. His record-breaking speed of 10.58 m/s stunned his audience.

He proudly represents the United States sevens team. In 2017 he was named the World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year. In addition, he is now officially the leading try scorer in American history.

Against Fiji, Perry helped the United States win the gold medal. This exhilaratingly fast man competed for the United States in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.

7. Seabelo Senatla | 10.60m/s

Sith Africa's rugby player, Seabelo Senalta
Seabelo Senatla of DHL Stormers during the United Rugby Championship match between Connacht and DHL Stormers at The Sportsground in Galway. Photo: Harry Murphy
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Seabelo Mohanoe Senatla
  • Date of birth: February 10, 1993
  • Place of birth: Welkom, South Africa
  • Height: 1.77 m (5 ft 9.5in)
  • Weight: 88 kg (194 lb)
  • Position: Goalkeeper

With his incredible skills and staggering speed of 10.60 meters per second, Senatla has etched his name into rugby lore as the sport's all-time fastest player. The South African Union of Rugby has included him in their South African sevens teams. Being a member of South Africa's rugby team that won bronze at the 2018 Olympics is one of Seabelo's notable accomplishments.

Additionally, he has a Commonwealth Games gold medal to his name. In 2016, this star was named the best men's sevens player in the world by World Rugby.

6. Ollie Thorley - 10.60m/s

England's fastest rugby player, Ollie Thorley
Ollie Thorley of Gloucester looks on during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match against Bath Rugby on January 07, 2024, in Bath, England. Photo: David Rogers
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Olli Thorley
  • Date of birth: September 11, 1996
  • Place of birth: London, United Kingdom
  • Height: 1.85m (6'1")
  • Weight: 99 kg (15 st 8 lb)
  • Position: Centre/Wing

Rugby union player Thorley represents England. At the moment, he is a Premiership rugby player for Gloucester. The unrivalled blazing speed of 10.60 meters per second in over 100 meters has earned Thorley a spot on this list.

Against the Ospreys in 2015, Thorley became Gloucester's youngest-ever try scorer. He played a crucial role in England's 2016 IRB junior world championship-winning squad that defeated Ireland. After an impressive season with his club, he was chosen for the senior England rugby squad.

5. Doug Howlett - 10.68m/s

New Zealand's fastest rugby player, Doug Howlett
Blues Doug Howlett scores his try against the Sharks in their Super 12 Rugby match played at Eden Park on Saturday. Photo: Phil Walter
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Douglas Charles Howlett
  • Date of birth: September 21, 1978
  • Place of birth: Auckland, New Zealand
  • Height: 185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
  • Weight: 93 kg (205 lb; 14 st 9 lb)
  • Position: Goalkeeper

Regarding rugby, Howlett is up there with the fastest of them all. Doug is a New Zealander. He has taken great pride in his affiliation with the New Zealand Rugby Union. His lightning speed and devastating finishing style have made him famous.

With his record-breaking time of 10.68 m/s, this man has raised the bar for all of Rugby. The Heineken Cup and the Super 14 are two titles that no player has ever achieved. In his professional career, this speedster has played for the Highlanders, the Hurricanes, and the Auckland Blues.

4. Rieko Ioane - 10.69m/s

New Zealand's fastest rugby player, Rieko Loane
Rieko Ioane of New Zealand at Stade de France on October 14, 2023, in Saint-Denis near Paris, France. Photo: Jean Catuffe
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Rieko Edward Ioane
  • Date of birth: March 18, 1997
  • Place of birth: Auckland, New Zealand
  • Height: 189 cm (6 ft 2 in
  • Weight: 105 kg (231 lb; 16 st 7 lb)
  • Position: Winger/Centre

He became the youngest rugby player to be named to the All Blacks squad, and his speed is just one of the reasons he is loved. Against the Irish champions in 2017, he competed for the Black teams.

He scored 33 tries in 59 games with the All Blacks, which is quite an accomplishment. He competed in the Rio Olympics for New Zealand at seventeen.

Here is just the beginning of the glory that will accompany his success. A significant accomplishment was made by Rieko Loane in 2023. While playing for the Blues against the Crusaders in Super Rugby Pacific, he received his 100th cap.

3. Kieran Marmion - 10.70m/s

Fastest Irish rugby player, Kieran Marmion
Kieran Marmion of Connacht during the United Rugby Championship match between Scarlets and Connacht at Parc and Scarlets in Llanelli, Wales. Photo: Ben Evans
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Kieran Dominic Marmion
  • Date of birth: February 11, 1992
  • Place of birth: Barking, England
  • Height: 1.78m (5'10")
  • Weight: 86 kg (13 st 8 lb; 190 lb)
  • Position: Scrum-half

Despite being legally considered underage, he has continued to play rugby. Opponents are afraid of him being on the playground. Through dedication and practice, Kieran has clocked a speed of 10.70 m/s.

In 2019, he accomplished this record-breaking speed, solidifying his place on the incredible speed list. Success, according to Kieran, is more often the result of one's efforts than of any divine intervention. He won the Connacht Rugby Championship in 2015 and again in 2016.

2. Louis Rees-Zammit - 10.81m/s

New Zealand's fastest rugby players
Louis Rees-Zammit of Gloucester during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match against Exeter Chiefs on November 19, 2023, in Exeter, England. Photo: Michael Steele
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Louis Rees-Zammit
  • Date of birth: February 2, 2001
  • Place of birth: Penarth, United Kingdom
  • Height: 1.91m (6'3")
  • Weight: 88kg (194 lb; 13 st 12 lb)
  • Position: Wing, Full-back

While playing rugby for England, Louise has also winked at the laws of motion at an incredible rate of speed. Louis, competing in a red jersey match against Barbarian, set an astonishing speed record.

The lion's astonishing speed of approximately 10.81 meters per second elicited thunderous cheers and applause. An unforgettable moment in rugby history, the try was a masterclass in momentum.

At the tender age of nineteen, this future rugby great began playing. At 19, he made his national team debut while wearing the Welsh dragon on his chest. Because of his exceptional speed and strategy, his inclusion on the team has resulted in six victories.

1. Adam Radwan - 10.85m/s

England's fastest rugby player, Adam Radwan
Falcons wing Adam Radwan in action during the Premiership Rugby Cup against Bedford Blues at Kingston Park on September 15, 2023, in England. Photo: Stu Forster
Source: Getty Images
  • Full name: Adam Belal A. Radwan
  • Date of birth: December 30, 1997
  • Place of birth: Osmotherley, North Yorkshire, England
  • Height: 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
  • Weight: 86 kg (13 st 8 lb)
  • Position: Winger

The English speedster Adam Radwan is known for his blistering speed. He is a contemporary great thanks to his speed of 10.85 meters per second.

A devastating try scorer for Newcastle Falcons, Adam Radwan quickly becomes a rising star on the English rugby scene. He debuted his national team in 2021 and scored four tries in his first two matches. He has been destroying his opponents recently, putting his unmatched ability to get to the rim and leave defenders gasping for breath.

Final word

Discovering the fastest rugby players is an intriguing ongoing quest in the dynamic sport of rugby. The rugby world has seen various speed merchants, from spectacular wingers tearing down the touchlines to dynamic fullbacks launching counterattacks.

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Authors
Kevin Omuya photo
Kevin Omuya
Kevin Omuya is a Content Writer with 4 years of experience who joined Sports Brief in 2022. In 2019 he held a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Digital Media from KCA University.
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South African Rugby Union (SARU)Rugby World CupUnited Rugby Championship