Rugby questions. answers and tips please.

Question

-I have been playing rugby for about 2 years now, but I have been seriously competitive with it. I am currently a loose head prop with a height of 5'1 and a weight of 135 (but with a very muscular frame) I have found myself in some contested scrums against some extremely large girls (height and weight wise) and am almost squished by these girls. Usually in scrums I am fine and I am able to push the other team back the regulated 2 yards back to win the scrum. I would appreciate all the help I could get in at least being able to contest against these girls.

-where can I watch games on basic cable in Ontario, Canada?

-Best pre-game songs? (they don't necessarily have to do with rugby, just general pump-up songs)

-What are the best off season workouts? Right after the off season, I have to go straight to Ireland to play in tournaments, and I know that they are serious about their rugby, so I want to be prepared)

-Any suggestions on other positions I could play? I love prop but I sometimes feel as though I could be better at other positions. I am pretty quick and I am told by all my coaches and teammates that I have a great tackle, and I have a great upper body strength (I front lift in line outs). I have tried flanker, and loved it! but most of the flankers I have seen are not quite my size. Any realistic suggestions on what I would excel in?

-How could I get more serious in rugby?

you could answer just one or all of the questions and I will be happy

Thanks, see you on the pitch :)

Answer 1

Your height, speed and attraction to the physicality of forward play suggests that you could be a great No 2. Playing hooker is a great roving pilfering disruptive tough position and you could really enjoy the workload.

The position plays in the tight but you will have a license to do both play in the tight and rove in the loose. Your defensive prowess will be great in this position protecting the front of any lineout and around the fringes of the ruck. Currently the best 2 hookers in world rugby would be John Smit from south africa and Andrew h**e from the All Blacks. Go to youtube and catch some footage of these 2 warriors executing their duties. Kevin Mealamu is another for the AB's as well.

Good luck with your choice.  

Answer 2

If you are fast and a good tackler then drop propping and play as a loose forward.

If you are a big hitter then play blindside, if you're and expert at the breakdown and can cover the pitch then play openside.

In the off season just work on strength and conditioning.

Answer 3

For scums, try pushing away from the hookers head. As you are a loose head prop, some might say you are a loose head forward. So if you push away from the hooker, you might not feel as cramped.

For watching games in Ontario Canada go to www.rugby.com.au or www.allblacks.co.nz  . If these don't work try buying a TV card for your computer and try getting one with some sort of sport package.

For another pos. I think you should try Flanker, No. 8 or even somewhere in the backs. You say your quick and you have a good muscle tone, you should try something like that. It doesn't matter if the other flankers you have seen aren't your size. It just means you have the advantage.

To get more serious, ask your coach if he/she is free on a weekend or some time and make extra time to train. If they aren't, just go out sometime and kick a footy around, bomb it up in the  air and then catch it, get a mate to do some one on one, or if you get a few people in the team, you can do a bit of practice by yourselves.

I hope this have helped

this is just a page on Rugby you might find helpful

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_union

Answer 4

Hmm... your first responder has a good suggestion. Try loose forward. Also, if you are decent at kicking ( you have power and accuracy), fly half isn't a bad idea. When I was younger, I was very much like you in terms of build and athleticism, and I found fly half to be fun and engaging. As for a pre-game pump up, I have a slightly tame playlist. I like "Galvanize" by the Chemical Brothers, Jerk it Out by the Caesers, and We Will Rock You. Not the universal definitions of adrenaline pumping songs, I know. However, the ultimate pre-game rugby song has to be (duh) the HAKA! See if anyone in your team will mind doing it with you! Off season work... my coach suggests a bit of cross country. Maybe three to four mile run over fairly difficult terrain. Increase length and difficulty of terrain as you progress in stamina. Also try to pull of some shorter runs ( one mile) with weights, or train like Jonah Lomu and jog with a cart tied to you. As for TV in Canada... I don't know how popular it is there. Here in Argentina, rugby is quite popular so we get it on the main sports channels. My gut feeling, however, says you might be able to catch rugby games on ESPN! Finally, getting serious in rugby... just have fun. It might sound counterproductive to have fun while trying to take your game to the next level, but please realize that in any sport, your quality and level of play will shift if you keep your enjoyment and love of the game. Hope this helped and good luck!