Help choosing a position?

[Greenbeard]

Hi guys, I'm very new to rugby - I've only been watching since early last year and I've been really getting into it, so I've joined a social rugby club at my uni. Issue is, I don't know what position I would play. I played today and had a great time, and it's early to be choosing a position, but I need to choose a position for my kit and it's best to get an idea of what I want to focus in so I can develop the skills I need. I've never played rugby union before (I've been playing touch rugby for a while though), and I have no idea where I want to be on the field.

To give you a little idea about myself:

• I'm 5ft 11" and 11 stone so I'm pretty small
• I'm quite fast but not as fast as most
• My handling skills are iffy
• My game knowledge is limited

I'm not selling myself short, I'm being honest. Having played about an hour a week of touch for the last several months (if that) hasn't given me time to develop my skills, especially as I've never been great at sports. So, hopefully you see my dilemma. I'm probably not suited to a back position because I'm not very fast and I haven't got great handling skills. I'm probably not suited to a forward because I'm pretty small and as such will have a hard time tackling. I see a lot of people say stuff about "it's not about the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog", but even so...

My housemate has played a lot of rugby and has said I'd probably be more suited to a flanker or hooker position, but I'm not convinced, because flankers require technical skills I don't really have and strength I lack while hookers have to be a decent size to deal with scrums and the front 5 in general.

What do you think? Any and all advice is welcome, thank you.

 

[GoTheNaki]

How is your passing left to right, and right to left? What's your speed like from standing to 20 metres? In touch do you see gaps and shoot through them untouched?

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Oh... and age?

 

[Greenbeard]

Passing right to left is good, I'm right handed so that's very natural for me, it's left to right that I fall down on.

I've never measured my speed from standing to 20 metres but I think I could do it in a pretty average/decent time (say, sub 4-5 seconds? not sure what an average time is).

In touch I struggle to shoot through gaps, largely because the people I play against are significantly better than me. When I play against people of a similar skill level I have a much easier time doing so, but even then it's quite shaky. I'm more comfortable playing link than mid or wing in touch, I like to get the ball moving without being too pivotal (i.e. mids are usually in control while wings are responsible for finding the gaps and scoring the tries).

And 19.

 

[Tim Owen]

Hmm, at that height and weight you're definitely a back. Best to hang around on the wings or maybe fullback. Once you've got a bit more experience maybe move into the centres.
Everyones got to start somewhere so just enjoy yourself!

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

You sound like you would fit right in at 12 for England...

It depends how fast you mean about being fast but not that fast. Can you outstrip your average forward? You might want to consider 13 I guess. You can overcome not being a 6 foot something behemoth with a good step.

 

[Greenbeard]

Hmm, at that height and weight you're definitely a back. Best to hang around on the wings or maybe fullback. Once you've got a bit more experience maybe move into the centres.
Everyones got to start somewhere so just enjoy yourself!

I would've thought back too due to my size but I suppose my housemate suggested forward based on skills. I can always gain weight I suppose. (At 16 I was 5ft nothing, by 17 I was 5ft 10" and 8 stone, by 18 and after a lot of gym work I got to 11 stone, where I've stayed). Wing is usually the place newbies get started anyway so I suppose I'll end up there at some point. As for fullback, I wouldn't mind playing that position, but I think I would need to work on my stamina a bit more for sprints (I'm more of a hard-slog than an explosive person).

You sound like you would fit right in at 12 for England...

It depends how fast you mean about being fast but not that fast. Can you outstrip your average forward? You might want to consider 13 I guess. You can overcome not being a 6 foot something behemoth with a good step.

I can outstrip the average forward I think yeah, but among backs I'm probably very average if not a bit slower. Outside centre could be an interesting choice. I couldn't do inside because I definitely don't have the know how for it.

All in all I'm a very sub-par sportsman which is why I'm getting into it in the first place - to improve myself. People always say rugby is inclusive of all sizes, shapes, and abilities, but I need to find where I fit in. I would love to play flanker I think, but if I did it would have to be openside due to my size. Maybe if I work on tackling a lot? Thanks for the replies so far!

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

I would've thought back too due to my size but I suppose my housemate suggested forward based on skills. I can always gain weight I suppose. (At 16 I was 5ft nothing, by 17 I was 5ft 10" and 8 stone, by 18 and after a lot of gym work I got to 11 stone, where I've stayed). Wing is usually the place newbies get started anyway so I suppose I'll end up there at some point. As for fullback, I wouldn't mind playing that position, but I think I would need to work on my stamina a bit more for sprints (I'm more of a hard-slog than an explosive person).



I can outstrip the average forward I think yeah, but among backs I'm probably very average if not a bit slower. Outside centre could be an interesting choice. I couldn't do inside because I definitely don't have the know how for it.

All in all I'm a very sub-par sportsman which is why I'm getting into it in the first place - to improve myself. People always say rugby is inclusive of all sizes, shapes, and abilities, but I need to find where I fit in. I would love to play flanker I think, but if I did it would have to be openside due to my size. Maybe if I work on tackling a lot? Thanks for the replies so far!

You're a back for sure. Best place to start playing is Wing, a lot of coaches will put newer players there to give them a chance to ease in to the game. The great thing about Wing is it is what you make it. You can sit back and watch the game unfold or go insert yourself in to the line and look for work. I would start there and once your individual skills improve, start looking for another position if you wish.

 

[nickdnz]

This thread was not at all what I hoped it would be about.

 

[GoTheNaki]

Sounds like 13 would be best. You don't HAVE to have that play-making knowledge, the vision will come with experience. But, your 12 should be able to put you into some good holes and have you coming in hot to just run it straight, or through gaps. As someone else said, coaches typically like to put less experienced players on the wing at 14, because, well... people find it harder passing left to right.. You probably won't ever have, y'know, THAT speed, because explosiveness is quite a natural thing.. but you could train to be faster if wanted... You're only 19, you aren't hugely limited.

 

[Greenbeard]

Thank you for all the suggestions everyone, after a lot of thinking I've decided that 13 is probably the best position for where I am right now. If I can gain the weight and keep getting in some solid tackles, maybe then I can move into a flanker position.

 

[BPM]

I have similar challenges when it comes to locking down a position. I've recently started playing again after a 15 year break and my body shape has changed quite a bit during that time (I've lost 2.5 stone). I know what I'm doing around the pitch and I have (mostly) the right instincts but I don't have the physical ability or confidence to do what I used to do.

I've changed position over the years moving from hooker to 7, then to wing. My ball skills are not terrible, though definitely more forward than back, but 12 stone and 5 foot 7, I no longer have the weight or muscle mass to cut it as a forward anymore.

Build wise, I should probably have been a 9, but my passing would never cut it there. I've started the season on the left wing and I've done well enough but while I'm reasonably quick, I know I don't have the pace/step to really convince on the wing. Although poaching in the Chris Ashton mould could work well running off the shoulder.

My strengths are solid tackling and running good, hard lines. I rarely miss a tackle and I will almost always beat the first man, so in my head, that would make me a half-decent 12, but if I'm being honest my passing's not consistent or instinctive enough. Basically, I'd be a worse Brad Barritt, so I'm also thinking 13 but I'm wondering if 15 could be an option?

At my level, kicking is less frequent so I figure that running good lines off the centres/wings might make good use of my strengths ... Kicking it back would be unreliable though.

Options are - redevelop my game on the wing, switch to 13 or switch to 15. Thoughts???

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Just to add ... I do realise a 13 needs decent ball skills too - I just think it requires less playmaking nous.

And - I'd never advocate Barritt as a 13!

 

[spacehopperhead]

My youngest (13) plays number 7. He's 5ft and 45kgs, often gives away 40-50kgs to the other kids. He's strong, tough and determined but possesses great handling skills. Can't see him staying at flanker, but who knows. Don't pigeon hole yourself, go with the flow and see where you gravitate. Loosey is a thankless task...from a former 12!!
btw, I started rugby at 25 after 'retiring' from football (soccer) through injury . I played as a back and found I wasn't bad at inside centre, my decision making and kicking were alright, although my ball skills were a bit ropey to begin with!! A season and a half later, I retired again, injuries........, I did enjoy my rugby sojourn, wishing I'd started years before... ah well

 

[sixesauldman]

I'd be letting the coaches and senior players advice me on position, maybe am missing something or stuff done differently where you are but what difference would it make to your kit? I see plenty of fine club players start in late teens early twenties, learning new stuff is always good , regardless of age.

 

[Greenbeard]

I'd be letting the coaches and senior players advice me on position, maybe am missing something or stuff done differently where you are but what difference would it make to your kit? I see plenty of fine club players start in late teens early twenties, learning new stuff is always good , regardless of age.

Sounds very odd I'm sure. I joined the social rugby club at the uni as opposed to the official uni affiliated one, so we have to order and pay for our kits. Since basically everyone has played rugby before, they have positions they're used to playing, and as it's a social club, we generally choose which position we play. There may be some tinkering but they don't so much assign people anywhere. So when we ordered our kit we had to submit our numbers. I don't have a number or position so I've had to decide where I would like to play for the duration of the next couple of years. Not to say I couldn't change position, just that my kit will now say 13 on.

 

[Kempistry]

Wing or 13 sound like good places to me. I wouldn't worry about it too much, just worry about improving your overall skills and of course focus on the task at hand whatever position you are playing.

A lot of lesser leagues don't involve much kicking, but if they do and you are on the wing and a) can't catch a high ball b) can't kick ... you can be made to look very foolish. So I'd suggest working a bit on those skills though I'm guessing the kicking in your league is haphazard so may not come up often.

In general though if someone totally new starts out I'd just hope to see:

a) make all of their tackles and play hard/aggressive
- better to screw up aggressively than fail tentatively
b) don't knock on the ball or turn it over in the tackle
c) don't take a million penalties
d) attempt to improve in other areas

Those are very much within your current level of skill/control.

If you do all of that you at least won't be actively hurting your team. Start there and gradually expand your game and everyone will love you.