Openside Flanker??

Question

Can you please explain this position...no google answers please. Im just after a more simplistic explanation of what this position does :) Thanks!

Answer 1

At scrums they bind on the (open) side. By open this means the one with most room usually where the other team is lining up. They need to close down the ball quickly after it leaves the scrum. In general play they get to breakdowns and secure ball. Basically thats it.

Answer 2

The Openside Flanker is the good looking fellow resting on the side of the scrum, while his fat mates do all the pushing. He subsequently has much energy to rove about the field scoring tries, making try saving tackles, winning player of the day and genrally impressing the best looking girls on the sideline.

Answer 3

open side flanker,the ball hunter  its pretty simple you track the ball  constantly making tackles working for the turnover ball

Answer 4

what he said...your personality has to be one of those people they keep caged up until the match starts.  go as hard as you can at the fly half and put him on the deck.  be at every ruck and hit each maul with all you got. remember have fun!!

Answer 5

Open-side flankers are very essential for they win balls and they make  big tackles especially in open play. An open side flanker has the responsibility of marking the oppositions fly-half - in doing so they keep very close to the fly-half and reduce the time in which the fly-half has to kick or pass. They are always in mauls and rucks - they tend to: be at the bottom in rucks and make the big drives in mauls.

hope this helps!!

Answer 6

Should be the fittest person in the team, injury free, physically fit, never miss a tackle, can run like a winger, ball follower and is expected to score a try every game. He represents all that fits into what is now called 'a professional rugby player.'..and should drink a lot of alcohol after the game.

Answer 7

Disagree that the openside should be at every ruck, and hit every maul hard.

Mauling is for the sloggers up front. The openside should not be wearying his legs pushing in mauls, as his role is to support the backs when the ball is released. He normally takes the inside channel on defence which includes any switches from the opposition backs. Rather than getting caught on the ground, good 7s will get themselves into a position to be on their feet to steal the ball when a tackle is made.

Basically the 7 is the roaming player in the forwards. Gets off the scrum quickly (and the tail of the lineout) to shut down the inside channel on defence, or support and protect the ball-carrier when his own team attacks.

Answer 8

the main point is that off scrums their job is to break quickly and pressure the opponent's flyhalf, a BRILLIANT defence plan can be made if you have a great openside flanker by having the flyhalf keep to the opponent's outside shoulder, tempting them to take the inside run and in turn get hammered by the flyhalf and flanker, an instant wasted play and with the flanker there a great opportunity to win the ball immediately

same as blindside, fitness is essential to the position as in a way flankers are the "backs" of a forward pack - usually expected to be the first to get to breakdowns (allowing the bigger forwards more time to reach the breakdown and retain posession), able to interlock into the backline, its a very versatile and important position...not to mention one of the most popular lol