I want to play rugby as a blindside flanker or No.8. What physique must I have?

Question

I'm 13 years old, tall and skinny but very strong and very fast. I'm around 5'7" or 8" and weigh exactly 108 lbs (right now). I still haven't started playing rugby, but I'm hoping to.

Answer 1

Mate, you're still a young bloke so if i were you, i would try any postion either backs or forwards. Play a postion that you feel most comfortable at. Your physique serves as an extra element of your game, but its the skills and fitness that are needed if you want to go places in rugby.

Also, if you have a decent coach, ask him to identify your weakenesses and strengths so you can work on it in your spare time. For me, i moved from prop to half back as i had lost 20kgs since high school. Previously I was 115kgs now im in  85kgs. But thats not the point about rugby. You still need to be agile, fast and strong. You can be a 115kg winger and able to swerve around players,pass, kick, tackle etc.

At your level, this is the time where can experiment all types of postions. Most people at your age and experience would start as a foward or a back and then progress over the years. Your coach will determine the postion that best fits you and his/her game plan during the season or during your career. Some players lose their speed over the years so they move to the forwards. others gain speed and skill so they become backs. The key thing is, is how you can read the game. size and height are just xtra elements but its how think as a rugby player on the field that determines success or failure. If you have a tactical mind, and the skills to do it, then you can put your team into a good situation.

Your job as a loose forward is to be competitve. You need to get to the first break down immediately and clear out the opposition and provide a clean ball for your half-back. Your halfback will lead you to the break down, but you need to do the dirt up front. You also need to steal opposition ball if you're on the defence. world class flankers such as michael jones, Richie McCaw and George Smith have a different technique for ball retention, but the objective is to make turn over ball. this gives our backs a chance to use their attacking brilliance to create tries. You need to watch the latter two players because they have a brilliant technique that is arguably the best.

Another thing, watch how the professionals play the game because it will inspire you more to play footy and perhaps take on a postion that you would want to play in the near future.

As you progress into higher grades, you are required to bulk up as the game becomes competitive. At this point, work on your skills, even goal kicking. Fitness included. enjoy your rugby, research more on the net and listen to your coaches.

cheers

Answer 2

Please take note of what Krak has said. Play to enjoy yourself, discuss positions with your coach and try different positions. Through my school years I mainly played on the wing until in my senior years at high school where my coach put me into flanker.

In seniors I still floated around but played a fair bit of breakaway And I was only 5'6" and about 110 pounds so size is in the eyes of the beholder. Don;t be put off if you feel you are to small. Lastly, always play with fire in your belly.