Conversion to back row

[Patchey]

Hi all,

I've been playing rugby for close to fifteen years now and most of that has been as a second row (barring a brief spell as a wing/center). I love playing their but I'd like to expand my skills so that I can play back row as well, something I've only done as an emergency measure before. I'm pretty fast (10m pb around 13 seconds) but lack fitness and by rucking isn't exactly superb. Any tips on how I can improve those aspects and what else I need to do?

 

[Aedaphon]

Fitness, fitness, fitness.

If you've been playing that long I'd assume your tackling and carrying is up to scratch so really endurance will be the biggest difference.

If you want to play at Openside you might consider working on your poaching/jackaling but that's not really something you can do by yourself.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

13s over 10m?
Typical forward!

Sent from my HTC Incredible S using Tapatalk 2

 

[Patchey]

Ha! I'm only that slow if I've had a few the night before. I of course mean 100m.

In terms of fitness is interval training the way forward?

 

[Aedaphon]

Ha! I'm only that slow if I've had a few the night before. I of course mean 100m.

In terms of fitness is interval training the way forward?

I'd stick with interval training, it's a much better simulation of the game and (I think) studies show it's more effective in the long run. There's nothing wrong with mixing a couple of long runs with sprint though, it all adds up.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I've played 2nd row for years but last season did end up playing quite a bit of 6 and 8 and i can say when your not spending your energy in the scrum then you automatically have way more energy around the park. I thought i'd struggle and although i could have done with a bit more fitness work it was more speed that was the big difference.

The rest of the Backrow where just that bit faster. So i would make sure you do speed work and maybe a bit more power work as well as fitness.

Hope that helps, let us know what you choose to do fitness wise and i hope it works

 

[lynam1104]

Ha! I'm only that slow if I've had a few the night before. I of course mean 100m.

In terms of fitness is interval training the way forward?

Interval is a ***** but it works, do a yoyo test and see what you score set a target and do another in a month having the target there will be a huge help and satisfying when you get there or even beat it.

For rucks my two top tips would be learn when you need to clear out and when you need guard the ball and hit low and hard before driving upwards.

For reference i'm also a 2nd row whose dappled at 8 and 7.

Best of luck

 

[Patchey]

Cheers guys

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Interval is a ***** but it works, do a yoyo test and see what you score set a target and do another in a month having the target there will be a huge help and satisfying when you get there or even beat it.

For rucks my two top tips would be learn when you need to clear out and when you need guard the ball and hit low and hard before driving upwards.

For reference i'm also a 2nd row whose dappled at 8 and 7.

Best of luck

Is The rugby forum just full of second rows wanting to be back rows lol!

 

[lynam1104]

Pretty sure every front 5 forward dreams of the open space and freedom of the backrow