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Reoccuring Position Diffculties

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rugbycanada

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Hello,

I had a question, which had appeared many times over my lifespan and involvement in sporting environments (specifically Rugby):

Say you are a hell of a second row; well built for the position, never miss a ball on a lineout, have excellent scrummaging technique, competent at running with ball in hand etc... etc.. You've played second row (#4/5) all your life, the movements and skills come naturally!

But say your trying out for a high-level team (based on skill level, it is a representative-regional team). The coach approaches you and identifies that you're a locke (#4/5), and have played so for a long time.

Unfortunately the team already has enough, well suited second-rows and will NOT be accepting anymore newcomers. So your only option is to tryout for the readily availlable Flanker (or Eigth-Man) position. Which you receive praise for doing, and are accepting onto the roster (made the team) for doing.

The difficulty is the following:

You're not use to playing flanker, and you seem keen on not playing it, thus making it an impact on your mental performance, which rapidly could translate into a downfall of physical stamina and competence. The other problem arising is the fact that the coach has obliquely questioned your performance as a second-row, and made it 100% that you would not have had a chance inless it be for Flank/Eight.

What would/should you do?

A. Should you quit/not accept to play on the team, as you are being asked to play 'out of position'?
B. Should you be as versitile as possible, and not care about positions, but trust the coach (and staff) to make proper and well-thought out descisions? (regarding placement and the best options for the team as an entity)
C. Argue to play your proper position, never accepting defeat!

This has happened to a friend of mine whom played professional soccer. He ended up quitting because he (a midfielder) was asked to play defence/striker.

This happened again [in rugby] when a inside/outside center was forced to adapt to wing, he ended up refusing to play 'out of position' and sooner than later: quit.

Regards
 
B. Should you be as versitile as possible, and not care about positions, but trust the coach (and staff) to make proper and well-thought out descisions? (regarding placement and the best options for the team as an entity)[/b]

If I was your friend I would agree with answer B. Trust the coach, they do have a good knowledge of every part in rugby, where each player is suitable for that particular position. It has and still does happen in any level of rugby, from under-age groups to professional.
 
B.

If I were your friend, I'd drop that legendary Canadian politeness and shout "COME ON CANADIANS! WE'RE GONNA PLAY SOME RUGBY!" Before charging off to play in whatever position the coach places your friend in.
 
Well, depending on the way you enjoy playing at flanker, and the proximity of other clubs to you, how about an option D- **** off to a nearby rival club and make the coach eat his words!

In my 1st year of club rugby, straight out of high school, my coach at UPE informed me that I knew absolutely nothing about playing inside centre. He reckoned that I was too lightweight(even though I weighed 230lbs, and benched 300lbs at the time), and that I needed to put on some more muscle. He also reckoned that I had it wrong in thinking that my primary role at 12 was creating space for my teammates- he reckoned that a 12 should be a basher, a whole basher and nothing but a crash-baller.

So I played only 3 games for UPE before fecking off to play for rival club Crusaders. Surprise, surprise, my new coach believed that being a distributor and playmaker was the right way to play at 12. And even bigger surprise- with my new club, we won the Grand Challenge Shield 3 years in a row. My old club, UPE, didn`t.
 
haha thats sweet BokMagic
yea, i was thinking B would be the best option, excluding D ofcourse ;)
although i do have an oppertunaty to leave my current club, and take part in a newer, higher ranked one.
i guess the descision will be on me throughout the summer.
thanks
 

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