Engine room warriors prepare to battle for the biggest prize

By Nick Mulvenney
TOKYO, Oct 23 (Reuters) - It's not obligatory for a Rugby
World Cup-winning team to have an all-time great at lock but the
history of the tournament shows that it certainly doesn't hurt.
From Australia captain John Eales in 1999 to England skipper
Martin Johnson in 2003, the second-row enforcer has often played
an integral role in inspiring a team through the hard yards of
the latter stages of the tournament.
Leader, peacemaker and sometimes troublemaker, lineout
jumper, scrum pusher, maul setter and wrecker, the modern lock
forward can have a huge influence on a match.
The current generation of All Blacks have set the benchmark,
as they do in so many ways, with not one but two great locks in
their engine room.
On Saturday, Sam Whitelock will look to take another step
towards his third straight world title, while his second row
partner and former World Player of the Year Brodie Retallick is
gunning for his second winners' medal in Japan.
They go up against England's Maro Itoje, who at 24 has
already shown he might have the stuff to eventually become one
of the greats of the game.
It is in Sunday's second semi-final, however, where the role
of inspirational lock might be more evident with Wales captain
Alun Wyn Jones and Springbok warrior Eben Etzebeth going
head-to-head.
The world's most capped lock forward, the 34-year-old Jones
will lead Wales out on Sunday in his 142nd test looking to keep
alive his hopes of winning the one prize in international rugby
that has eluded him.
A three-times British and Irish Lions tourist - he is one of
the few Lions players to have played in test victories over all
three southern hemisphere powers - Jones won his third Grand
Slam with Wales this year.

UNBELIEVABLY TOUGH
He was named Six Nations Player of the Tournament and Wales
defence coach Shaun Edwards said, if anything, he was improving
with age.
"Alun Wyn's an incredible competitor, he's 6ft 6in, he's
fast," said the Englishman.
"He's unbelievably competitive and he's unbelievably tough.
He's a very, very brave person. He sets the example for
everybody.
"He's developed, I personally think now he's a better player
than he's ever been. Long may he continue to be. One of the best
players I've ever coached without a doubt."
Etzebeth is two inches taller and seven years younger but
has already won 83 caps and is hugely influential in the
Springboks side, according to team mate Faf de Klerk.
"Eben has so much experience, he's not an old guy, but he's
got so much experience, he's got so many caps behind him and
he's played with a lot of experienced guys," said the scrumhalf.
"In terms of mauling and scrumwise, he has a massive
influence on that and he is always a great contester in the
lineout. Great carrier, always gets us on the front foot."
De Klerk said Etzebeth was the guy he looked for if he felt
the team needed a bit of go-forward and someone who led by
example.
"He's like a go-to guy if you need someone to put their hand
up. He's always keen to work hard, he's also now working had on
taking high balls so he's becoming the complete player," he
added.
"So, to have a guy like that in the team is absolutely
amazing and I think for a lot of guys around him, he sets the
standard, so they need to keep up."

(Editing by Ed Osmond)