What advice do you have for a flanker/8-man playing college women's rugby?

Question

I am a 5'6''-145lb rugby player who just got switched to 8-man/flanker. Any advice for me? Should i try to lose a few pounds so i can be lifted easier or should i stick with where i am at?

Answer 1

Drop a few pounds if it will make you fitter/faster. It's fitness that counts in Rugby, especially the back row where it's all about being fast to the breakdowns and the supporting ball carrier on offense and making tackles on defense.

As for lifting, I'm not sure that weight is that big of an issue. I always found it was easier to lift and hold jumpers who could get themselves in the air a bit regardless of their weight.

As for weight in the scrums, very little of the push from 8-man is ever transferred to the front row, so save your effort if you play there. If you play flanker, your push in the scrum can actually be fairly significant, at flanker, bind tight and try to engage the scrum as a "front 5" rather than the traditional front 3.  Adjust your angle of pushing in accordance to where it's needed, push in more to keep your prop square, push forward more to add more forward push.

Back row a great place to be, I played there for seven seasons until making the transition to prop. Have fun, good luck and again, don't worry about the weight, worry about the fitness.

Answer 2

i used to play flank for a provincial rugby team here in south africa, flank is the best position to play,cause you get to be with the forwards but asa loose forward, therefore being a loose forward means u have to be everywhere very quickly, off the mark sprinting is key to becoming a good flanker, that and great prediction of plays. its your duty in the scrum to break off fast and nail the fly-half.

the best suggestions i could give is definatly increaseyour fitness, i would say flanker has to be the fittest on the feild. and also inhance your off the mark sprinting capabilities cause you'll need it.

another suggestion would also be to study the game well, learn even the minor rules, this will allow you to have a better knowledge and understanding of the game allow for a better prediction. then u'll be an unstopable flank.

8th man is also a loose forward, really there to help cover the flank and guide the ball in the scrums, so apply what i have mentioned aboveto 8th man too.

good luck

Answer 3

good lifting is more about technique and less about the weight of the person being lifted. Practice with your lifters just jumping without the ball at first, getting straight up in the air so you are all in synch. The back lifter should concentract just below your buttcheeks and when you start to go up grab there and push straight up, stepping closer to you as you go up. The front lifter should concentrate just above the knees on your lifting tape, with sausages, and  do the same. Giving them a motion that they will know means you are going up is key.

Apart from what else has been posted here I would say the best advice I can give to any forward is to concentrate on hitting the ball at full pace, and hitting the rucks hard. The biggest difference between a good rugby player and an average one is how hard you hit the ball, you dont always have to make the best decision but you do have to commit to whatever decision you've made 100%