Fear of Rucks

[Gay-Guy]

Hi there..

Well I am about to start coaching the local Under 12/13 club team next week. I have coached that same age group at school level. One thing that I have noticed with this age group is that they are reluctant to enter rucks. I and others have tried everything to try and get them into one but it still seems to be a big problem. Often when I watch these games at this age level both for club or school whenever there is a tackle it seems to be a mess of kids who are ruck shy and either go into the rucks standing too high or they don't enter the ruck at all.

We saw this as a problem last year and did so much ruck training...however as soon as it was kickoff the kids resorted back to type and went ruck AWOL!

Obviously the kids are a bit afraid of getting hurt when they bridge over and seal the ball as this leaves the back of their head and particularly the back of their necks exposed to being hit. I have a sneaky suspicion that another reason why they are reluctant to enter is because they want to be the star of the team and going into a ruck is not seen as the glamour thing to do in rugby....to much of an emphasis to want to prove themselves as individuals ratehr than wanting to work for their team mates.

My question is....does anyone have any ideas on how to get these kids into rucks?

[BLR]

I noticed the same thing when I started playing rugby for my high school a several years ago....the kids didn't know how to play and for most of the season it was me and another guy in the rucks against 8 huge islanders...not fun...

I would suggest a reward/punishment system. I'll leave this up to you but if they refuse to go into the ruck maybe during training make them run repetitve and boring drills through most of the session (of course with only a small amount of the 'fun' stuff so he doesn't quit) so that not only does he get the point that he needs to get into the ruck but it'll hopefully increase his skills by running drills over and over again.

I think the glory hunting thing is a youth thing and can only really be stopped at that age if they know that if they don't do the hard work they will have to work three times as hard at training the next week...

[Gay-Guy]

I noticed the same thing when I started playing rugby for my high school a several years ago....the kids didn't know how to play and for most of the season it was me and another guy in the rucks against 8 huge islanders...not fun...
[/b]

:lol: :lol: !!!

Yea we did do a WHOLE lot of ruck training...but the kids always seemed to change when it comes to game day....very unusual. So we would do EVEN MORE ruck training...but it still was the same thing every week. Basically it was always magnificent during training but the complete opposite when it was game time.

The rewards system still doesn't get to sove the root of the problem as they are still afraid and reluctant at heart and are only doing it because they are forced to do it. Ideally I would like them to enter rucks because they want to do it for the team and to secure possession possession possession.

I think the answer may lie with reaching them psychologically. I think I may have to change the value systems they have with rugby and start to promote team tackling and team rucking as the the things to be valued highly rather than individual running and scoring.

[Steve-o]

I think you touched on a very important point there GG. It seems these kids have been exposed to too much razzle dazzle. The hard grafters don't get much credit from the public in general. Do other teams have this problem as well?

[Gay-Guy]

I think you touched on a very important point there GG. It seems these kids have been exposed to too much razzle dazzle. The hard grafters don't get much credit from the public in general. Do other teams have this problem as well?

[/b]

Lol it is everywhere here in Auckland at this age level! The ones who are fast runners and agile are told they are backs and they just run all day. The ones who are slow are told they are forwards and have to go from ruck to ruck and not stand in the backline. It is the old traditional ABC teaching of rugby but it is flawed as kids all want to be the Caucaunibuca. Even Richie McCaw said he wanted to be John Kirwan when he was young.

[Steve-o]

The odds are really stacked against you then!
I can only share what my coach did back when I was 13 to get our forwards into, not sure if it'll help.
We had 2 practices a week, in the latter practice we would start by playing our B team. Our coach would stand behind us with a fresh picked stick and would give us a good whip on the ass if we weren't commited to the ruck.
He also built the game plan around the forwards. We had fancy line out and scrum moves. The rolling maul was our biggest strength.
We became the best team in the region.
Good luck :D

[O'Rothlain]

Beleive it or not, I had a similar problem with my university club. Now take in the idea that this is america, and 88% of my team had never played, let alone seen rugby. So, I started game night. We all get together, and watch a match. I have the pleasure of getting to glorify and praise the various aspects of the game. Now I also have the advantage of having Tivo (or a DVR, don't know what your equivalent is) and I can pause, rewind, ect...

Soon, however, they began to understand the importance of the ruck and what was really supposed to be going on in a break down. I constantly praised the big hard working forwards and made what they do seem like the underdog-glamourous job.

It's all a bit of psychology, really.

[Gay-Guy]

Exactly! I think I have to appeal to them and say that the toughest in the ruck is the toughest is the land!

THIS
IS
SPARTA!!!

[O'Rothlain]

Exactly! I think I have to appeal to them and say that the toughest in the ruck is the toughest is the land!

THIS
IS
SPARTA!!! [/b]

You Are Exactly Right. What Kid Doesn't want to be the badass?

[Rakulex]

Here in Brazil , i start top play in university and many of the players ant to show fearless and make anyone to look THE GUY. Here many play football, but not many play contact sports.

The rugby in here is to show who is the real man, so many in here is crazy to make anything that hurts and said that don't hurt.

[Gay-Guy]

Ok well I think I know what training I will be doing. It will drills aimed specifically at the area they are afraid of. After teaching them the correct way of blowing over and bridging we will go into intense specific sealing drills. One guy lying on the ground with the ball placed. A guy bridged over him. Another as a defender a few feet away from the tackle situation with a shield. Then on my whistle the guy with the shield will rush at the guy bridging and try and knock him out of the way. The whole idea is to train the guy bridging to be strong and try and hold his ground....and if he feels he is losing it to collapse on the ball and seal it. Then after a while I will get two guys with shields on one bridger...who knows maybe even get three guys with shields on the one bridger...then maybe get two guys bridging perhaps.

Ultimately I will be imploring them to HOLD THEIR GROUND and saying that "THIS IS SPARTA!!!" I will ask them what this is (pointing to the ruck) which they will say "Thats a ruck coach"....but I will reply..."No. This is not a ruck. This is Sparta. This is where we hold them. This is where we stand. This is where we fight. This is where they die!"



http://www.uwm.edu/People/jmplale/ruck.jpg

"THIS IS WHERE WE HOLD THEM! THIS IS WHERE WE FIGHT! THIS IS WHERE THEY DIE!"

[BLR]

Exactly! I think I have to appeal to them and say that the toughest in the ruck is the toughest is the land!

THIS
IS
SPARTA!!!
[/b]
Show them the video of Richie McCaw of Alternative Rugby Commentary and then show videos of him in the ruck, create a 'Chuck Norris' character out of him. ;)

[Steve-o]

My advise didn't seem to help, but atleast my avatar did :P

[Gay-Guy]

My advise didn't seem to help, but atleast my avatar did :P [/b]

Lol...I can't use a stick on them...I would get arrested!

[Steve-o]

<div class='quotemain'> My advise didn&#39;t seem to help, but atleast my avatar did :P [/b]

Lol...I can&#39;t use a stick on them...I would get arrested!
[/b][/quote]
Yeah, you&#39;d get alot of replies like: "This is madness!"

[Gay-Guy]

<div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'> My advise didn&#39;t seem to help, but atleast my avatar did :P [/b]

Lol...I can&#39;t use a stick on them...I would get arrested!
[/b][/quote]
Yeah, you&#39;d get alot of replies like: "This is madness!" [/b][/quote]

Yep...I can just see the police saying to my coaching staff "Spartans, lay down your weapons"

[Steve-o]

<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'> My advise didn&#39;t seem to help, but atleast my avatar did :P [/b]

Lol...I can&#39;t use a stick on them...I would get arrested!
[/b][/quote]
Yeah, you&#39;d get alot of replies like: "This is madness!" [/b][/quote]

Yep...I can just see the police saying to my coaching staff "Spartans, lay down your weapons"

[/b][/quote]

And if you&#39;re really lucky they&#39;ll be standing in front of a big hole (aka Paris Hilton&#39;s ass) and say "Madness?!... This is not madness! THIS IS SPARTA!!!"



I&#39;ll forgive you for not actually watching the movie lol

[peppers07]

I am an under twelves player and have the same problem at my club we have a massive panel and out of about twenty five forwards only about five will rook im a center and me plus a few other backs often are forced to go in or else well lose the ball (and we normally do any way becaus were **** at rucking) Part of it is wanting to run with the ball part of it is being afraid of getting hurt and part of it is not a proper understanding of the game.
maybe you should carefully choose an international game with some great rooking and some **** rooking with a few turnovers. Then swhow it to them and point it all out to them

[Canadian_Rugger]

lol I found that this was a problem when I played in High School.... simply because people were new and did not know the game. I think the best way to do this is to simply have them do the drills over and over again to get them confident with the movement but also run them through in a game situation and explain why rucking is so important and where it fits within a game situation.



Personally I like nothing better than getting in a ruck and dummying some people and I am a 5&#39;11 180lb winger .... nothing better than coming in and dump tackling someone in a ruck :cheers: or feeding them a good punch when nobody is looking :D



Just teach the kids that its fun to beat the **** out of each other and get them used to contact... :)

[Cymro]

Basically a few of the points have been addressed already.

It&#39;s something that until recently I was not great at doing but its more psychalogical than physical, and after the injury it is now something Ive mentally got to get over

What you need to tell the kids is that it might look hard, aggressive and they might get hurt, but in fact it can be the best thing about a game. Tell them that this is where the game is won or lost. Also tell them that if they go into a ruck thinking they are going to get injured then they will, but if they don&#39;t think about it they will go in fine.

Rucking drills are also a great way of buidling up their confidence.

1. Just get them running into a tackle bag and clear the man away. In groups of 3-4
a. Build this up so they have to go past two people standing next to each other with bags.
b. Do the same again as a but add a third bag man in.
c. Do the same as a again but now tell them when they beat the bag, they must drive the bag back to a certain distance repeating the rucking drill.

2. It similar to the ideas in 1 but instead of adding bag men together get them stadning a good few feet apart and get groups of 3-4 players rucking together.

3. Get a tackle bag and lay it on the ground (so it looks like a sausage, if you dont have a massive tackel bag pile of small ones) Basically this simulates a man on the ground and the players must get over it and hit the defenders on the bag. Probably 3 defenders on tackle bags and again in groups of 4-5.

4. A game situation. Set two cones together, and split the lads up so two equal teams line up behind each other. Mark out a grid, large enough for a game but also failry narrow so it encourages rucking. Declare one team the defence and the other group attackers. The object of the game is simple, score past the defenders. The coach ill need to call numbers more attackers than defenders or sometimes equal numbers and make sure that the players run round a cone at the end of the grid, one end for attackers and one for defenders, they run round the cones and then defend / attack the opposite group. They have to ruck / maul the ball all the way to the try line / end of the grid. This is a gret drill and has massive competition in it, it improves: rucking, mauling and tackling as well as communication skills.

Hope that helps

[Gay-Guy]

<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'> My advise didn&#39;t seem to help, but atleast my avatar did :P [/b]

Lol...I can&#39;t use a stick on them...I would get arrested!
[/b][/quote]
Yeah, you&#39;d get alot of replies like: "This is madness!" [/b][/quote]

Yep...I can just see the police saying to my coaching staff "Spartans, lay down your weapons"

[/b][/quote]

And if you&#39;re really lucky they&#39;ll be standing in front of a big hole (aka Paris Hilton&#39;s ass) and say "Madness?!... This is not madness! THIS IS SPARTA!!!"



I&#39;ll forgive you for not actually watching the movie lol

[/b][/quote]

lol true true you win.....ha! 300 is this generations Shakespeare....

[crookedson]

After you have done rucking drills have a scrimmage and scream at the fowrards to get into rucks. If they dont listen make them run up a steep hill 25 times. Trust me, getting punished will drill things into your teams heads. Theirs something about your heart feeling like its gonna rip through your chest that makes your brain say &#39;hmmm I can either lie over a ruck and pretend im doing something or run up a steep hill 25 times&#39;. Guess which one theyll pick? This was happening when I was twelve although we had no problems with rucks and we got punished for minor things. You could make them run up a hill each time they turnover the ball *shrugs shoulders* Once we had to run up the hill 50 times because one of the players was slacking behind when we were running up the hills.

[allblacksfreak]

Oh, the rucking problem of mini rugby... Something that many coach hates so dearly.. I&#39;ve been coaching colts (u-20) for a year now, but I&#39;ve also been coaching the wee ones once in a while to cover for other coaches...

What I noticed is that, kids that age all look for glory, by saying that I mean they want to score tries and get congratulated! Somehow, they realised that it&#39;s a slim chance to score tries if they&#39;re stuck in a ruck...

How to solve it?

Punishments like what crookedi said up there works, but let&#39;s make that as our last resort. You don&#39;t want JUST the forwards in a ruck, you want anyone closest to be able to ruck as well!

I prefer to just go on and have a scrimmage, every time a ruck forms, YOU get in there and try to win the ball, talk to them about how they should support in the ruck... Trust me, a lil talk to them will actually go a long way! maybe your kids don&#39;t listen, then start punishing them by making em run!!! :P

[Gay-Guy]

Maybe to get them motivated I could make some T-Shirts for them with slogans like:



I LOVE RUCKING

I WANT TO RUCK

LETS RUCK

SHALL WE RUCK

YOU WANNA RUCK

WHO&#39;S RUCKING YOU NOW

I&#39;M GOOD AT RUCKING

I LOVE BEING RUCKED

THAT WAS THE BEST RUCK EVER

I&#39;M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MY NEXT RUCK

[allblacksfreak]

Maybe to get them motivated I could make some T-Shirts for them with slogans like:



I LOVE RUCKING

I WANT TO RUCK

LETS RUCK

SHALL WE RUCK

YOU WANNA RUCK

WHO&#39;S RUCKING YOU NOW

I&#39;M GOOD AT RUCKING

I LOVE BEING RUCKED

THAT WAS THE BEST RUCK EVER

I&#39;M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR MY NEXT RUCK
[/b]

You forgot "I&#39;M A MOTHERRUCKER" :P

[Canadian_Rugger]

or "RUCK AND MAKE ME SCRUM" :cheers:

[peppers07]

After you have done rucking drills have a scrimmage and scream at the fowrards to get into rucks. If they dont listen make them run up a steep hill 25 times. Trust me, getting punished will drill things into your teams heads. Theirs something about your heart feeling like its gonna rip through your chest that makes your brain say &#39;hmmm I can either lie over a ruck and pretend im doing something or run up a steep hill 25 times&#39;. Guess which one theyll pick? This was happening when I was twelve although we had no problems with rucks and we got punished for minor things. You could make them run up a hill each time they turnover the ball *shrugs shoulders* Once we had to run up the hill 50 times because one of the players was slacking behind when we were running up the hills.
[/b]

Then it wouldnt be fun any more and youd be left with only about ten super commited kids who hadnt quit not enough for a team Now a days under age rugby training is nothing like that
(This would be a good way of filtering out the **** players dfrom my rugby club though)

[snooch]

Get them to do some "self-defence" drills, where they learn how to punch a tacklebag. Not only will it be good for their fitness, but they&#39;ll be fired up afterwards. Just don&#39;t overdo it otherwise they&#39;ll be dead.

[Dmx#1]

<div class='quotemain'>
After you have done rucking drills have a scrimmage and scream at the fowrards to get into rucks. If they dont listen make them run up a steep hill 25 times. Trust me, getting punished will drill things into your teams heads. Theirs something about your heart feeling like its gonna rip through your chest that makes your brain say &#39;hmmm I can either lie over a ruck and pretend im doing something or run up a steep hill 25 times&#39;. Guess which one theyll pick? This was happening when I was twelve although we had no problems with rucks and we got punished for minor things. You could make them run up a hill each time they turnover the ball *shrugs shoulders* Once we had to run up the hill 50 times because one of the players was slacking behind when we were running up the hills.
[/b]

Then it wouldnt be fun any more and youd be left with only about ten super commited kids who hadnt quit not enough for a team Now a days under age rugby training is nothing like that
(This would be a good way of filtering out the **** players dfrom my rugby club though) [/b][/quote]

Yeah I remember that use to happen to me when I was about 12-13. You&#39;d think it would turn players away but it didnt really. Only the lazy players with no heart left which I couldnt even count on more than one hand. The rugby players respected the coach and quite a few players actually liked the way the coach trained us even though he was a hard ******* and It payed off too because we won the finals. It also depends on natural ability too though I mean some teams train and try hard and still dont get desired results, while some teams muck around and manage to win games on a regular basis.

[Thingimubob]

<div class='quotemain'> I think you touched on a very important point there GG. It seems these kids have been exposed to too much razzle dazzle. The hard grafters don&#39;t get much credit from the public in general. Do other teams have this problem as well?

[/b]

Lol it is everywhere here in Auckland at this age level! The ones who are fast runners and agile are told they are backs and they just run all day. The ones who are slow are told they are forwards and have to go from ruck to ruck and not stand in the backline. It is the old traditional ABC teaching of rugby but it is flawed as kids all want to be the Caucaunibuca. Even Richie McCaw said he wanted to be John Kirwan when he was young.

[/b][/quote]

it&#39;s everywhere in Auckland? I watched the u13&#39;s at my club play a few months ago, and they seemed fine with the whole ruck situation. Our coaches tend to stress the point that everybody has to do their bit. I mean, I play wing, so sprinting down the wing is more my scene that being at the bottom of a ruck, but if I need to I&#39;ll dive in. Helps that we (the youth team) train a lot with the senior side, so we&#39;re getting used to the physicality of training and playing against bigger players. Maybe some think they&#39;re too small to enter the rucks? You could like try and the get the message across that no matter how small you are, if you have the right technique you can easily protect the ball, and even shove their opponents off the ball.

[cacamou]

that&#39;s true.. i dont think size matters, its more about technique

[RxTim]

im a scrummy and I think rucks are one of the funnest parts in the game. somewhat trying to reach over for the ball and then, BOOM! a shoulder right at their face!

[Jang]

Rucks are really funny when people try and bridge over and the defender just pulls them into the ground friggin hilarious

[Gay-Guy]

im a scrummy and I think rucks are one of the funnest parts in the game. somewhat trying to reach over for the ball and then, BOOM! a shoulder right at their face! [/b]

Haha...yeah it is quite funny when you think about it....yet at the same time quite sore when it happens to you.

[Dmx#1]

that&#39;s true.. i dont think size matters, its more about technique [/b]

Yeah true, unless the woman has had a lot of large men in her time. If thats the case they actually need a larger male to have a pleasureble experience......

Oh **** my bad your talking about rugby.....

[Gay-Guy]

Yes my brother...."rucking" technique is the topic :lol:

[danny]

The key to protecting the ball in a ruck situation is to have a good low technique with legs bent to form a solid base. Stay over the ball and "be strong", this sounds obvious but if you can keep these two words as a key to retaining the ball it will help. I recently went on a course taken by John Brain the ex Warriors coach who said that its good practice to tailor a weight training program around the breakdown for backrow forwards in England. He said that it was a point that was discussed with all Premiership coaches before last season as a way of improving Englands chances in the international arena. He was sacked not long after. Good weekend though!

[Fa'atau82]

I always enjoyed the contact of the ruck, and at the time you don&#39;t really think about it when you dive in. I got a serious split lip in a couple of games because players get too violent, but this was juniors and you do get some stupid tw*ts at 16-18 yrs old.

Rugby is not your usual sport. You know it will hurt, but the key is not to take contact, but dish it out. If you don&#39;t understand that concept or don&#39;t like pain, quit now and play soccer, or maybe netball or play with some kittens.

My advice is to time your dive into the ruck if you are coming in late, if you are setting up the ruck all you can do is cover yourself as much as possible i.e hands over head etc and you should be ok. You have to keep yourself safe and also make an impact in the ruck.

Just release the ball early and hopefully you won&#39;t have been daft enough to isolate yourself with their forwards bundling you.

I used to play in the backrow and also in the backs as i was too fast for a typical forward and we needed pace in the backline. However, i tended to find i got more injuries playing winger and centre than i ever did intentionly in a ruck or maul. These were injuries sustained by spite rather than by mistake. I once got poked in the eye by some arrogant tw*t who decided he wanted to have nails like a girl. He was a 400m runner for england juniors and i was just as fast as him and after i had stopped him doing his usual trick of scoring, he got ****** of and decided to stab my eye out.

I used to get bitten, scratched and that kind of thing as a forward, but you simply give it back to the opponent when you can see it is safe to do so. Rugby is all about giving and giving back. Some players decide to fight fire with fire and get dirty, whilst i never tended to do that stuff as you can give away stupid penalties, it pumped me up that i would give it back to them by using my pace to test their defence. I was occasionally the the &#39;vocal&#39; captain of the team and i think it is best to lead by example. Any player can kick, punch or bite but not every player can hurt a team by scoring points.

[YoungBlackie]

Try bringing in some slow ball options off the back of a ruck show them that it is possible to score lots of trys of a ruck and tell them if there is not any ruck then none of them can score.

mabey peeling off the back of the ruck in pairs

[peppers07]

Try bringing in some slow ball options off the back of a ruck show them that it is possible to score lots of trys of a ruck and tell them if there is not any ruck then none of them can score.

mabey peeling off the back of the ruck in pairs
[/b]

Lol then the ball would never be passed out :lol:

[YoungBlackie]

<div class='quotemain'>
Try bringing in some slow ball options off the back of a ruck show them that it is possible to score lots of trys of a ruck and tell them if there is not any ruck then none of them can score.

mabey peeling off the back of the ruck in pairs
[/b]

Lol then the ball would never be passed out :lol:
[/b][/quote]


yer lol

[Petden]

I love playing as a forward. I may be very small but, as you said size isnt everything. My coach told us to look at it as the first person there needs to tackle the other person in the ruck. Once that first man has made that hit/engage in the ruck then everyone may bind on to him. Also because of that initial hit/engage they will have stronger footing. Our forwrds are not afraid of anyone, no matter the size. Unfortunately the same can not be said about your wingers. If i switch to wing, I am forced to take charge at times from the outside center position.

To relate it back to the topic, and to make my point, I believe that with proper tackling form rucks are nothing to worry about. I would rather go into a ruck than be in the fullback position and know that if i miss the tackle the other team will get a try.

That&#39;s just my opinion. Focus on tackling form.

[alexrugby]

Encourage them, tell that girls give you phone numbers more when they see you brave!

http://www.youthblog.org/archives/teenagers%20hiphop%20cartoon.jpg

[Petden]

The only way to get rid of the fear is experience. It ttok me two years to fully understand the concept of fearing no one.

[alexrugby]

Yeah! I agree bro...

When you understand You are not from glass, another heart opens within

But I was just joking

What about ruck with such players I would also join them willingly:http://wesclark.com/rrr/pussycat_ruck.jpg

[Thingimubob]

From playing a couple of 2nd team games for my school recently, I can see that it can still be a problem if it&#39;s not sorted out early enough. Something I noticed was some of the smaller backs just wouldn&#39;t go into the rucks, and we&#39;d lose the ball a lot (which is a problem, since we have a small pack, but good backs, so we need all the ball we can get). I mean, like I said in an earlier post, I&#39;m a winger, but whatever position you play you&#39;ve gotta get stuck it! It&#39;s quite fun wiping someone off the ball, and it makes you feel good when you make them give away a penalty for holding on :P

[alexrugby]

Bad when you lose balls which you have to pick up

I think players must understand if they play rugby they will newer be treated like ballet dancers

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_36/11363043809C19Ml.jpg

[Woldog]

In my view the only way to get younger players into rucks is to simply beam praise on them at every opportunity, on all the players that is. I&#39;m not very big, yet every game you will see me going over the rucks be cause back when I was about grade 8 my coach said "Tim we need to get you in there doing the big hits, you have the power you just need the heart." from then he put me in the forwards as hooker (partly because I can throw damn well.) So yeah just praise them, make them all feel important and in no time they will be going over rucks and making big tackles in order to "keep the praise" coming.

[alexrugby]

How can not I agree you my friend Woldog

When coach encourages young players and heightens their warrior soul, guys fall into rucks with "pleasure"

As they deserve more and more then from coaches.

I think the courage and the braveheart are one of the first and outstanding features of rugby players.

http://www.martinfrost.ws/htmlfiles/gazette/rugby_ruck.jpg

[Propie]

Our coach used to just push us into it.. LOL!

[Hall]

Interesting thread this, I&#39;ve always loved rucking.

I don&#39;t know whether thats because I&#39;m a back that has aspirations of being a flanker (My speed is considered &#39;a waste&#39; in the forwards) and I sort of want to prove myself. Or that as a back you always have the stigma of being a wimp and I wanted to prove people wrong.

Either way, I make little distinction between searing down the wing for a try and turning opposition ball over in the ruck. Its all the same to me.

Edit -

I would also make a point of telling them that the contact area is the most importat part of the game. You win the battles at ruck time and you generally win the game.

[alexrugby]

Yeah thread is amazing and touches the problem:

Anyway I am repeated_ Rugby is the play of Men who aren&#39;t afraid of anything in this world

Encouragement, Experience, Drive and etc. will give player (young) an opportunity to overcome the fear and ruck with ease

I am not a rugby player, instead I am Critical care physician Resident but I happened to press among my old rugby friends on a ground!!!!!

:Forum09: :Forum09: :yahoo: :yahoo: :help: :help: :help: :girl_hospital: :angel: :SHABLON_padonak_01: :SHABLON_padonak_02: :SHABLON_padonak_03: :rock: :bowdown: :vomit: :doctor1df: :Forum58:

I have almost died

[Woldog]

Or you could try another approach, tell your players what you will do to them if they don&#39;t go over the rucks.

[Flux]

Try and make it a competition. Whoever had the most or biggest ruck marks when I played rugby was always greatly admired, I&#39;ve always assumed it was like that in most teams.

[Fa'atau82]

You need one thing to play rugby, and that is to be able to enjoy physicality. Rugby is not a dangerous sport.. it has less serious injuries in general than other non-contact sports.

You need to learn how to take the ball into contact without injuring yourself and the opponent, whilst getting maximum gain and setting-up an organised ruck. Players only get injured when players have malicious intent, rather than the actual ruck itself.

I find that if you charge with your shoulder as you go into contact as low as possible it helps as you go to ground. When you are on the ground, release the ball the best timing you can and then cover your head with your hands, sort of like a brace position on your side, with your legs together.

I found that it helps, as there is less to get trod on. The only time i got injured in a ruck was when i was getting punched in the mouth, bitten, pinched, scratched etc by cheating assholes. It&#39;s not the actual ruck, and it&#39;s not every team who uses that cheap ass tactic.

[Woldog]

I have gone into hundreds of rucks and never gotten injured only time I&#39;ve ever been injured playing rugby was a high tackle from the 2007 season when some numb nuts clotheslined me.

[alexrugby]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Woldog @ Jan 3 2009, 07:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ('index.php?act=findpost&pid=369255')</div>
I have gone into hundreds of rucks and never gotten injured only time I&#39;ve ever been injured playing rugby was a high tackle from the 2007 season when some numb nuts clotheslined me.[/b]

I agree Woldog. I also have numerous friends who play in different positions but they always say: if you train hard and in a correct way almost no trauma will defeat you.

Rugby is not a ballet as I wrote last time this is great sport with great demands from sportsmen and you have to follow them

you can use any of the above told ways to encourage your little players, but to ENCOURAGE them finally

[Hall]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Woldog @ Jan 3 2009, 03:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ('index.php?act=findpost&pid=369255')</div>
I have gone into hundreds of rucks and never gotten injured only time I&#39;ve ever been injured playing rugby was a high tackle from the 2007 season when some numb nuts clotheslined me.[/b]

The only time I&#39;ve been hurt in a ruck was by one of my team mates. My head was exposed and one of our loacks came in to clear the ruck out. His knee smacked my head. Wasn&#39;t really an injury though. Wasn&#39;t concussed or anything.

Never been hurt by a high tackle either but last season I had my medial ligament ruptured by a really good low tackle.

[Fred187]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Petden @ Sep 19 2008, 02:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ('index.php?act=findpost&pid=348658')</div>
The only way to get rid of the fear is experience. It ttok me two years to fully understand the concept of fearing no one.[/b]

Exactly - my coach back when I was that age (and I was playing Union) just put the whole team through a couple of weeks of nothing but constant ruck training, and everybody (forwards and backs) was just comfortable doing it.

[Petden]

It&#39;s a difficult sport, and experience is the key factor to many things, stick with them and hopefully it works out.

[alexrugby]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Fred187 @ Jan 19 2009, 12:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ('index.php?act=findpost&pid=371966')</div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Petden @ Sep 19 2008, 02:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ('index.php?act=findpost&pid=348658')
The only way to get rid of the fear is experience. It ttok me two years to fully understand the concept of fearing no one.[/b]

Exactly - my coach back when I was that age (and I was playing Union) just put the whole team through a couple of weeks of nothing but constant ruck training, and everybody (forwards and backs) was just comfortable doing it.
[/b][/quote]

When young guys will be more engaged into ruck and finally understand they are not made in plastic or glass and they get small reward (even coach applausing at them or saying a good word) they will start playing without fear

[QLD]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LeksoRugby @ Jun 26 2009, 09:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ('index.php?act=findpost&pid=402509')</div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Fred187 @ Jan 19 2009, 12:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ('index.php?act=findpost&pid=371966')
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Petden @ Sep 19 2008, 02:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ('index.php?act=findpost&pid=348658')
The only way to get rid of the fear is experience. It ttok me two years to fully understand the concept of fearing no one.[/b]

Exactly - my coach back when I was that age (and I was playing Union) just put the whole team through a couple of weeks of nothing but constant ruck training, and everybody (forwards and backs) was just comfortable doing it.
[/b][/quote]

When young guys will be more engaged into ruck and finally understand they are not made in plastic or glass and they get small reward (even coach applausing at them or saying a good word) they will start playing without fear
[/b][/quote]

Being an outside centre and new to rugby, do you have any fear going into ruck

[Woldog]

If you&#39;re a forward and you have some scared little winger at pillar post, pick him up and throw him in :P that will cure his fear.

[alexrugby]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dale @ Jun 26 2009, 05:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ('index.php?act=findpost&pid=402537')</div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LeksoRugby @ Jun 26 2009, 09:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ('index.php?act=findpost&pid=402509')
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Fred187 @ Jan 19 2009, 12:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ('index.php?act=findpost&pid=371966')
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Petden @ Sep 19 2008, 02:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ('index.php?act=findpost&pid=348658')
The only way to get rid of the fear is experience. It ttok me two years to fully understand the concept of fearing no one.[/b]

Exactly - my coach back when I was that age (and I was playing Union) just put the whole team through a couple of weeks of nothing but constant ruck training, and everybody (forwards and backs) was just comfortable doing it.
[/b][/quote]

When young guys will be more engaged into ruck and finally understand they are not made in plastic or glass and they get small reward (even coach applausing at them or saying a good word) they will start playing without fear
[/b][/quote]

Being an outside centre and new to rugby, do you have any fear going into ruck
[/b][/quote]

I will be honest and say NO

And especially when I used helmet (which was very bad quality and I gave it to my teammate)