Rugby training???

Question

Ok, I'm definitely a new guy to rugby. I just started playing in the fall for out club team in college. My coach took a real interest in me because of my athleticism, speed, strength and endurance for what I lack in stature (I'm about 5'9 160). I've played american football, and I've been a swimmer for many years and am a swimmer here at my university. My question mainly revolves around the training aspect. My coach put me at fullback because I have good hands and am fast enough to cover the whole field for kicks. Now I know strong and fast legs are important, but being a fullback I need to figure out how to get a stronger leg as far as my kicking. Does anyone have any tips on how to get a stronger leg or any tips as far as rugby is concerned because like I said I am very new to the sport. Thanks

Answer 1

Fullback doesnt neccessarily mean strong legs for kicking. I used to play fullback before i moved into 1st, 2nd and the centres and fullback is a position where is better known as the last man standing, last line of defence should I say. It is important that you have good defensive traits before you think of the offensive traits. Defensive traits such as catching high balls under constant pressure!!! Making the important tackles given that your the last man in the defesive line. Knowing where to position yourself in defensive plays and attacking plays and to where to position yourself when the ball is at a certain point of the field. Knowing where your wingers are to assist you when kicks are kicked deep. DECISION MAKING is an important role for the fullback so that u know when to move up to the line and when to drop back. No need to have strong legs for kicking because if u think of it that way, you are complicating matters and you are putting more pressure on yourself. Rugby is a simple game and if you keep things simple, you'll do the little things well. Such as, why think that u need strong training on youur legs so that you can kick the ball far, when u could keep things simple as, I am going to find the touch line regardless of how far I kick it. 30metres down, so long as I can find the touch line. If I kick it 50 metres, well thats a bonus, still I need to find the touch line. Thinking simple things like that will make your job easier. Sometimes trying to kick or force a kick far can result in bad errors and bad timing for the errors to occur. Could be, you kicked it out on the full.

Focus mainly on you defence and once you get that sust, than you can start exploring the offensive side of it, but I've always seen fullback as a defensive position because when you front  line makes errors, your the one who cleans it up, sometimes first five is out of position, you come in and help out with the kicks.

Answer 2

john d metioned it so im just going to restate it for emphasis..

all great fullbacks are solid as a rock under the highball

(you need to be catching highballs everyday til you can do it with you eyes closed)

and all great fullbacks rarely miss tackles

(you need to tackle everyone and everything that moves and some things that dont) not being as big as some other players is not an issue or an excuse. im 6'2 and 270lbs without very much fat and some of the hardest players to get past are the smaller guys. technique is much more important than anything else when it comes to tackling. wrap those legs up all day, i have never played against anyone who can run without their legs

Answer 3

to help ur kicking do squats ,and run to get ur legs stronger and have more speed and every time ur gonna get the ball have ur hands out ready to catch it

Answer 4

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