Best skills for locks - Numbers 4 and 5

I want to pool everyone's knowledge together on the locks to help train new players. What do you think are the most essential skills? The more views we have the better.

Ranking the skills in order, my view is:
Stamina
Handling
Jumping
Strength
Technique
Defence
Attack
Speed
Agility
Kicking

What have I got wrong in your opinion?

Just a minor change. I would swap tech and strength.

Further you can arguably make the statement that for new teams with little money those expensive tall high jumping high handling locks are better left on the TM. In those cases technique and defense would be more important.

I'd also point out that the height and weight are probably more important to look out for with locks than any other position.  Almost doesn't matter how amazing the jumping is on a young player in the lower leagues if you have a 198cm guy against a 208cm guy. One of those positions where untrainables make quite a difference. There's a reason good young locks tend to go for a lot of money on the TM.

Here's how I'd place:
Stamina, jumping, handling, strength, technique, defense, attack, speed, agility

What do you look for for height and weight?

Is taller and heavier better?

There must be a trade off where height and weight impacts certain areas in negative fashion. But I don't know a manager who wouldn't select two locks at 209cm/132kg given a chance.

What one looks for depends what level your team is at, what level packs your opponents have, what tactics you play, and what your aims are. Locks are very expensive so to add in extra quality if you're not going to advance a team in league placings or even division played in is something to think a little about.

Locks are very important, arguably only the 10 is more important on individual plays, with 50% or so of 1st phase ball coming form the lineout. And lineouts against the throw are easier to attain than scrums against the feed, you need a huge scrum disparity to take many against the head. Still more important if you want to kick a lot for touch, attack with lots of expansive and defend with a drift.

Broadly I'd guess people look at 200cm/105kg as some sort of bottom line marker. But if you're playing teams with locks at 198cm you don't perhaps need to be buying a lad at 208cm just yet, and there might be some much better players available at 198-199cm with so people starting their TM search at 200cm, and they might do a job for a while or even 4+ seasons

A locks primary role is in the line out. Their role as a general forward is also important, but I would carry a good jumper if I could not afford an all rounder.

Therefore height above weight.

Training focus on:

Stamina to 18
Jump to 18, hands to a decent level
Tech, strength, def, attack to a decent level
Speed and agility a bonus