Questions about a Winger and Cleats?

Question

I am playing for my school rugby team and I am a Winger.

I am the fastest guy on my team (speed) but not so quick, and I have trouble evading and breaking through tackles.

I'm about 5'5 and 120 pounds.

What kind of work should I do to improve my evasiveness/agility and ability to break through tackles?

And about cleats, Right now, i'm using Adidas +F50 tunits for practices, I also have a pair of Adidas Regulate II's (Low cut)

What would be better to use for me?

should I continue using the f50's for practices? and save the regulate's for games?

(P.S. Right now, the ground is pretty firm cause of the recent sunshine)

Thanks a lot to anybody who can help

Answer 1

I spent some time coaching at schools

At training I set up hurdles and the backs would spend 20 mins. with them while I got the forwards sussed.

I set them closer together than would be in a race, at differring distances, and sometimes at right angles so they would have to step as they landed. Also insisted that they concentrated on leading with their "unnatural" leg.I find it a very successful way of getting players to run with confidence, timing (for whats ahead) .and "stride variation".Out and out speed will only get you so far; a straight run to the line is a rarity.

Re breaking tackles

Running confidently is the first requisite.

I haven't seen you play so there could be 1000 reasons. But a generic one for a smaller person is that  when you are in a position where a tackle is inevitable , get tackled on YOUR TERMS.

One of many examples is:

When approaching a player I would step to go around him and as he shifted balance , go in low and hard  in the direction of his inside shoulder. .. sometimes this breaks tackles (depending on the quality of the opposition), but I see that as a bonus. The main objective is to have  better body-position /balance for what is to happen next which normally would be clean delievery of ball to your support .

Learn to be PRO-ACTIVE about getting tackled first ; knowing/learning when you can or can't break tackles is a natural consequence of doing that.

Ultimately, a winger spends more time keeping the ball alive or in the best place advantageous to your team , than scoring tries. An important skill to have.

Hope this helps

Answer 2

Watch Shane Williams' tries yesterday v Italy....that shows you you don't have to be big to evade tackles.

Answer 3

use the f50s for games aswell!