Difference between #11 and #14?

[sharkfan]

Conrad's post about the centres got me wondering about if there are any differences in the roles of the two speedsters in the team, except for scoring tries?

 

[Which Tyler]

Good question - pass.
I'm told there's a difference, and there seems a preference for boshing wingers to end up in the 11 shirt; presumably most passing is better right to left, so put the guy with better hands on the right?

 

[g6mcg]

I've heard teams like to put the better winger on the left as they should get better service due to better right to left passing. Don't know how true that is at higher levels though.

I think there's also a tendency to view one winger as closer to a fullback (more likely to drop back) and the other more like a centre. I think it's the 11 who's more like a fullback, perhaps because most kickers right footed?

 

[sharkfan]

Maybe it will be a good idea to ask the Underwood bro's

 

[Munster17]

They're basically the same, only difference is the way they pass. If your right handed and you pass with your right hand, then you would want to be #11. A number #14 would be left handed

 

[valley commando]

They're basically the same, only difference is the way they pass. If your right handed and you pass with your right hand, then you would want to be #11. A number #14 would be left handed

Being right handed I was always more comfortable passing to my left, in fact my passes to the right were rubbish .

 

[j'nuh]

Easier to pass from right to left for most people, so you're likely to receive cleaner service on the left wing. Right wingers may be better looking for work as a result.

Easier to kick into touch from your foot that is furthest away from the touchline, so better to have right-footed people on the left wing and left-footed on the right wing. That being said, the fullback can make up for one of these players.

It's also a matter of familiarity. If you spend your life on one wing, then switch to the other, you have to adjust which shoulder you tackle with, which foot you turn on when backpedaling etc. You may accidentally use the wrong shoulder just out of muscle memory.

 

[RedruthRFC]

Being right handed I was always more comfortable passing to my left, in fact my passes to the right were rubbish .

This. I'm also right handed, I can barely spin the ball when passing to my right (off my left hand). In my defence, as a very average second row quite a lot of years ago, this didn't matter all that much!

 

[Which Tyler]

This. I'm also right handed, I can barely spin the ball when passing to my right (off my left hand). In my defence, as a very average second row quite a lot of years ago, this didn't matter all that much!

You think wingers pass the ball more? (at the level any of us played the game).

From my memory, locks passed like they were 9 years old (badly, only when directly ordered; with the occasional fumble classed as "an offload"); whereas winger basically didn't pass, regardless of instructions; but one the annual event that a winger did pass the ball it would be horrendously effective - a bit like a Farrell break or miss-pass - it happens so rarely that no-one bothers to defend the possibility.

 

[RedruthRFC]

You think wingers pass the ball more? (at the level any of us played the game).

From my memory, locks passed like they were 9 years old (badly, only when directly ordered; with the occasional fumble classed as "an offload"); whereas winger basically didn't pass, regardless of instructions; but one the annual event that a winger did pass the ball it would be horrendously effective - a bit like a Farrell break or miss-pass - it happens so rarely that no-one bothers to defend the possibility.

Fair point, although in hindsight, the ethos of the majority of the coaching I receiving as a developing player was to coach any semblance of flair or individuality out of players, meaning that it was rare to see a lock do anything other than rumble aimlessly into contact, so wingers probably did pass more in my playing days (although the lack of imagination was the same in the backs, so not a lot). These days, you might well be right that locks pass more than wingers, but few of them are more than a pop pass, whereas wingers will on occasion be required to pass with some degree of skill and accuracy - something that I would have found difficult to do to my right hand side.

 

[otapouri]

I could pass left very well and very average to the right but I preferred the right wing because I could step better off my left foot, I played a bit at outside centre and if I wasn't passing to the winger I was trying to run through my opposite which was as much fun

 

[mpj29]

The difference is quite significant. The left wing or 11 tends to play on the short side. The 14 or right wing, has to be more structured, think of a fast 13. The 11 will have far more of a roaming role, you will often see the 11 taking the ball at first receiver, whereas we rarely see the right wing taking the ball in the 10 channel.

So the 11 tends to be either massive players like Lomu or in Wales we have Cuthbert (not quite the same class), or really elusive stepping players like Shane Williams. In England J Robinson was the quintessential 11. So the difference is that the 14 tends to be more of a footballing rugby player, able to move into the 13 channel, the 11 needs to have an ability to beat players 1 on 1

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

11 is the more of a ball carrier whereas 14 is more like a fullback.
New Zealand, Savea 11, Milner-Skudder (Plays 15 for Hurricanes) 14
Wales, North 11, Williams (Plays 15 for Scarlets) 14
Australia, Mitchell 11, AAC (13 or 15 for Waratahs) 14
England, May/Nowell 11, Watson (15 for Bath) 14
Ireland, Kearney/Zebo 11, Bowe (Grew up playing 15) 14
South Africa, Habana 11, Pietersen (Grew up at 15, still plays there regularly for the Sharks) 14
Scotland, Seymour 11, Maitland (Played 15 for the Lions and regularly at his club) 14

Hope this helps