Second row advice

[Kathan]

Hi,

After an almost 20 year break from the game (kids, job, etc) I have joined a rugby team and am loving the challenge of getting back into the swing of regular training however my techniques and grasp of the game are rusty to say the least. I would go so far as to say I'm almost at square one. However, I am eager to learn the skills necessary and I feel much more focussed on the game compared to when I was in my late teens when I was playing regularly.
I am naturally a second row (either loose or tight). It might sound blindingly obvious but if anyone could offer advice on the following questions I would be most grateful. I am, of course, attempting to supplement training with online videos and watching back old games on Youtube.

My two main queries are these:

1.As a second row is my job (broadly speaking) to chase after the ball as much as possible so I arrive at break-downs and rucks first to avoid getting in the way of the backs.
2.When it comes to tackling is it best to make an impact with the right or left shoulder.

Any additional advice would be most welcome.

 

[RedruthRFC]

I played second row for most of my rugby "career". My approach was always to follow the ball just about slowly enough to avoid getting caught up in any of the rough stuff that goes on in the contact area!

Joking aside, it is one of the easier positions to play from the point of view of knowing where to be and what to do, as you say, you don't want to be far from the ball at any breakdown. Tackling wise, forget about the Courtney Lawes style once every other match big hits. You'll be a lot more use to your team if you worry about stopping the ball carrier, preventing the offload, wrapping his up or turning him as appropriate.

My best advice would be to take in a few live games and take some time out to follow one particular second row, paying attention to where he is and what he focuses on. To get a better positional sense, you might want to do this both end on and side on to the pitch.

If I was to return to playing today, other than the almost inevitable need for an oxygen mask after five minutes, I think that the biggest culture shock would be getting listed in the lineout.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I'm a second row currently playing (although looking to retire after this year).

My advice would be to look at your fitness levels and aim to be of use every other phase, or for the less fitter players every 3rd phase.

So the first phase aim to contribute like be the guy carrying the ball, then miss one phase while you get into position to support the next ball carrier.

Hope that makes sense, but it's all about variety to your game and always offering something.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Tackling wise, forget about the Courtney Lawes style once every other match big hits.

Sorry Kathan, I'm derailing your thread. Redruth, I don't really think he does that any more. Does he?

 

[McTallshort]

Hi,

After an almost 20 year break from the game (kids, job, etc) I have joined a rugby team and am loving the challenge of getting back into the swing of regular training however my techniques and grasp of the game are rusty to say the least. I would go so far as to say I'm almost at square one. However, I am eager to learn the skills necessary and I feel much more focussed on the game compared to when I was in my late teens when I was playing regularly.
I am naturally a second row (either loose or tight). It might sound blindingly obvious but if anyone could offer advice on the following questions I would be most grateful. I am, of course, attempting to supplement training with online videos and watching back old games on Youtube.

My two main queries are these:

1.As a second row is my job (broadly speaking) to chase after the ball as much as possible so I arrive at break-downs and rucks first to avoid getting in the way of the backs.
2.When it comes to tackling is it best to make an impact with the right or left shoulder.

Any additional advice would be most welcome.

I went through a similar thing a few years ago, came back to playing again after a few years off and tended to play 2nd row/Flanker. The key to everything is fitness, when your young you can go out and get smashed on a Friday, turn up Saturday smoking a fag, nursing a hangover and without a warm up or anything play 80 minutes.

When you hit 35ish you have to do things properly, warm up, warm down, take your fitness seriously, don't drink too much the night before etc. If you do that then you will find the skills will come the more you play, you wont learn anything if your hanging out your arse every Saturday and if you get injured because your not weight training then you wont spend as much time on the pitch as you would like and probably get into trouble at work too.

As for tackling, tackle the legs don't try and go for the "hit" every time and your shoulders will be fine.

 

[BPM]

Sounds like a fairly similar story all round.

I came back to playing last season after 16 years out so all of the above is pretty familiar.

It was quickly apparent that general fitness and 'rugby fitness' are quite different things. I thought I was fairly fit, but it was obvious straight away that I really wasn't.

I played hooker last season and, outside of the set piece, I generally ran around like a headless chicken and made dumb decisions. A year later, I'm much fitter, I've moved back to my preferred position at 7 and I feel as though I have half a clue what I'm doing.

I wish I'd not stopped playing or at least come back sooner.

When it comes to tackling, I'd have two main observations.

1) It's not about which shoulder you tackle with, it's getting your head on the correct side. I'm right handed and given the choice, I'd lead with my right shoulder but if the players on your left, don't try to tackle across them unless you want to screw up your neck or get knocked out.

2) Think about what kind of player you're trying to tackle and, if you can, try to decide how you make the tackle depending on their size, momentum etc. I'm short and light, so while it's relatively straightforward for me to tackle low, I'm not often going to dominate contact. To get around this, I vary the level of 'hit' I'm trying to put in based upon the situation. If there's a 6'4, 18 stone number 8 coming at me at pace, there'a no point in me trying to smash him, so I don't go for a hit, I just try to focus on getting my technique right to take them down. On the other hand, if I can get their 10 in my sights, I'll generally put in more of a hit. To be honest though, as long as I bring them down, I don't really care about the hit. I'm normally trying to get straight back up to compete for the ball.