It is always about balance, you can't start a pack of all impact players and you can't start a side that "lacks impact"
You generally need both, you need players that are going to break that advantage line and some who turn up and do the clean outs (play the role that allows others to shine)
and then you have the worldies who can do it all - we don't have them except maybe Koro & Hooper. so while we continue the search for a world class pack, we make compromises and try to get some version of balance
Totally agree! We all have ideas about what you want from each position in the forward pack. The reality is you need the players to meld into a functional pack. You can’t have a team of high impact ball runners who have awesome highlight reels , someone needs to win them the ball and defend.
It’s all about picking a balanced team , particularly when it comes to 1-8 and 16-20. So please let’s pick our impact players first and then pick a pack , including reserves, to function around them.
Hiow many are required? Maybe three at most? If you have Valetini and Hooper/McReight in your backrow does your #6 ( or #8 depending on where you put Valetini) also need to be high impact? Or a genuine lineout option who gets through a tonne of work in both attacking and defensive rucks/mauls ?
For what it’s worth , I actually think our forward pack lacks balance primarily because our locks aren’t matching it with what the top teams are putting out there. We are lacking impact in jerseys 4&5 and are trying to pick a backrow that compensates for this. They just aren’t shifting enough bodies in the middle of the field , inaccuracies at the breakdown, or just being ineffective there and lack of a strong ball carrier put more pressure on those around them. You need to do more than win a lineout to be a Test lock, or at least in a top four International team you do.