Flanker trying for centre

[FerraraZ]

During off season training I focused more on stamina, leg power and running. I dropped 10 pounds and am now at 210 lbs. I'm my teams starting flanker and I love the position but I want to be as versitle as I can. I love touching the ball and punishing tacklers. Do you guys have any tips for position battling for an outside or inside centre?

 

[gjohn85]

I always believe that a good centre pairing is to have the inside centre to be the skillful player who runs angles, the outside centre to the more direct runner. I will point out that used to play as a prop, so my judgements may be different to other people.

 

[melon]

If you love touching the ball, you can play either centre, if you love touching the ball and love punishing defenders, play outside centre.

Outside Centre it is!

I'm 210lbs as well and 5"11' and I play outside every now and then other than flanker or number 8. Hopefully I can grow another couple of inches, because I have only grown 1.5 inches since I was 14, and I'll be 18 in a couple of weeks. Theres no future for short loosies anymore.

How tall are you Chez?

 

[Juggernaut]

If you love touching the ball, you can play either centre, if you love touching the ball and love punishing defenders, play outside centre.

Outside Centre it is!

I'm 210lbs as well and 5"11' and I play outside every now and then other than flanker or number 8. Hopefully I can grow another couple of inches, because I have only grown 1.5 inches since I was 14, and I'll be 18 in a couple of weeks. Theres no future for short loosies anymore.

How tall are you Chez? [/b]

I wouldnt want to see you in my team if you love touching balls.

 

[FerraraZ]

LOL to above post and I'm 5'11 at 220 lbs. I'm noticing that not alot of college coaches like small flankers (even though they get around the field better in some cases). The men's club I play for is pushing me into the hooker position.

 

[Juggernaut]

LOL to above post and I'm 5'11 at 220 lbs. I'm noticing that not alot of college coaches like small flankers (even though they get around the field better in some cases). The men's club I play for is pushing me into the hooker position. [/b]

If it's any help, Keven Mealamu was a flanker before being promoted to hooker. If that hadnt happened, he'd still be playing club rugby nowdays.

 

[rugby_roots]

So you need tips for position battling for an outside or inside centre from an outside centre


To Impress the coach you must have really good hands or handling skills meaning NO KNOCK ON. Just catch everything.
You also have to be vocally loud when calling out set plays and Defensive patterns to the rest of the backs, a coach wants to see communication amongst the backs.
You must be great at the Sliding Defense or the attacking defense or umbrella defense or whicever defensive pattern because you have to cover a lot of space so slide your feet and stay in front of your man.
Shout it Out, Call the guy you are covering so you dont confuse your teamates and dont have switch move done right in your face.
The most important tip is try to stay on your feet after you break the gain line or break a few tackles, when you know you need support.....slow down,stay on your feet, wait for support and dont pop the ball in a crazy manner unless you know it will be catchable. Wait for the loose forwards than go down, set the ball and form a ruck and a quick ball.

Dont put all you hard work to waste by poping the ball to anybody, that'll be your ticket off the field. ( trust me)

 

[ospreys1987]

There has been a huge change in the centre pairing recently, I remember just a few years back if there were injuries to my clubs regular centre's I would get moved from openside flanker to inside centre and mainly used for crash balls and gaining the hard yards, but nowadays the playmakers seem to be playing at 12 while the grafters and the hit-up men seem to be playing at 13

 

[Wlf]

I also floated between flanker and centre... I actually preferred centre, but didn't always have the speed to pull it off completely.

Given a choice, I always played 12, though... kept me closer to the FH. There's nothing quite like drilling the ol' FH. Aaaahhhh, good times.

 

[vinniechan]

Don't forget about flexibilty in your training
it helps you recovery and endurance.