Do i need to gain weight for opensider flanker at U18 level?

Question

im 16 at the moment : 5,9'' and weigh about 10 1/2 stone. i play openside for my school 1st XV but am unsure whether i need to put on some weight. i am already fit from years of swimming and know how to play the position from hours of watchin the likes of richie McCaw, lewis moody and juan smith etc. so would welcome any advise any1 has

Answer 1

Ive played open side for numerous years and provincial also for northland and the best advice I can give someone in the same position is working on conditioning and speed. Conditioning is building on your cardio so you can go 100 mins not just 80mins and speed is a fundmental for flankers as you should be the first to break downs. Also work on tackling and getting to your feet quickly this can win you the ball easily on countless occasions, and also turning the opposition player to your side in a tackle, as once a mull or ruck is formed ball would be automatically yours.

Answer 2

To be honest you sound a bit on the small side all round. I'm around your age i'm 6'1 and weigh 12 stone and i'm not big enough to be a first choice flanker. Having said that, I play regularly as a centre for my local U-19 side.

I would try and gain a lot of muscle weight for sure.

Answer 3

more weight

Answer 4

no i wouldent gain weight your a fit kid and are probly fast so i would work on mussel

Answer 5

Openside dont really need to be huge e.g. George Smith and Phil Waugh

Answer 6

try a move to Half back you sound a bit short, BUT if you  by some miracle end up at 6'3 by the time you are 20yrs then consider Openside.  You may be a good openside I dont really know but if you consider yourself to not really get much taller (look at your parents height), then make a positional change that you could play for years to come.  Bottom line though, you and only you know whats is going to work!!!!

Answer 7

i think your strength, your heart, your character, matter much more than your weight.

you are certainly on the light side (who measures mass in stone anymore anyway?) so i'm pretty sure that helps you get around the field more than if you were heavier. if you can make tackles, get up quickly and steal the ball from the ball carrier, then it doesn't matter how light you are.

at that weight you're not going to be much of an impact as a ball carrier unless you have the feet of shane williams.

remember, you CAN be light AND strong. body size is not always indicative of strength. but muscle does weigh more than fat, so if you are gaining muscle you should also be gaining weight.

try to bulk up if you can. but i wouldn't advise doing so at the expense of mobility.