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Short fullbacks

Mr_plumber

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Mar 12, 2012
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Hi guys,
I am undertaking a conversion from AFL to union this year. I have played AFL all my life (except 2 years of under 14s league) I am 25, 170cm 78kgs and can run the 100m in 11 sec flat. i have a good step and a 55m kick. i have also got a 40" vertical leap. my coach wants to play me at full back. Am i too short to play full back and should i have more experience. any short full backs wanna give me some advice? i was thinking i should be a scrum half but the coach reckons my speed and kicking would be wasted.

thoughts?
 
Paul Diggin... 5 foot 7 inches tall. Filling in at fullback while Foden is away with England. 2 MOTM performances in 5 games.



Its not the size of the dog in the fight, its the size of the fight in the dog.
 
Jason Robinson is 5ft8 (173cm) and was one of the best fullbacks there's been.
 
Hi guys,
I am undertaking a conversion from AFL to union this year. I have played AFL all my life (except 2 years of under 14s league) I am 25, 170cm 78kgs and can run the 100m in 11 sec flat. i have a good step and a 55m kick. i have also got a 40" vertical leap. my coach wants to play me at full back. Am i too short to play full back and should i have more experience. any short full backs wanna give me some advice? i was thinking i should be a scrum half but the coach reckons my speed and kicking would be wasted.

thoughts?

Are u playing in WA?

Height doesn't mean a great deal when playing in the backs. There are plenty of decent players out there your height.
 
Halfers is pretty ***chy

Halfpenny is 5ft 10in not that short just made to look small I think because of the size of the rest of our back line.

As for the original post I think at 5ft 6in you may be a little on the short side but with good pace, good hands, good positional play and confidence you may do well there you wont know untill you have played a few games there and sees how it goes.

Let us know please.
 
Ben Blair has had a great career with the Blues, and was the most consistent fullback in Wales for many years. He is 175cm but very skilled. Good boot and moves around well. Wish he was Welsh qualified, we could have done with him in 2009/10.
 
I much prefer someone tall to tackle, short, steppy guys are a nightmare.
 
Pritchard on Canada and the Bedford Blues is 5'7" or 5'9" I got different heights from his Bedford and his Canada bios, I used to play fullback from time to time and I'm 5'5" 145 lbs(obviously at a low level) but I had explosive speed according to sports coaches and phys ed. teachers. It's a position thats becoming a lot bigger though even since I started playing 12-14 years ago. Scrum-half is always a good option for small players, the Russian one at the RWC became the first Russian to ever score a RWC try and he was 5'4". Wing or flyhalf are also possible outlets depending on your speed and technical skills.
 
Are u playing in WA?

Height doesn't mean a great deal when playing in the backs. There are plenty of decent players out there your height.

na im playing in South Australia. i dont think it will be great rugby but i am gonna give it a good crack for a couple of years try and get in the premier devision, thats the aim anyway.
:D
 
Halfpenny is 5ft 10in not that short just made to look small I think because of the size of the rest of our back line.

As for the original post I think at 5ft 6in you may be a little on the short side but with good pace, good hands, good positional play and confidence you may do well there you wont know untill you have played a few games there and sees how it goes.

Let us know please.
yeh no worries, we have our first trial game on the 24th of march. ill let you know. :D
 
Pritchard on Canada and the Bedford Blues is 5'7" or 5'9" I got different heights from his Bedford and his Canada bios.

Yeah you get some funny stats on the web. I was going to mention I used to play with Junior Pelesasa and that he was a shorty (maybe 5'7) but on his wiki page it says 5'11! Like f**k he is!
 
Hi guys,
I am undertaking a conversion from AFL to union this year. I have played AFL all my life (except 2 years of under 14s league) I am 25, 170cm 78kgs and can run the 100m in 11 sec flat. i have a good step and a 55m kick. i have also got a 40" vertical leap. my coach wants to play me at full back. Am i too short to play full back and should i have more experience. any short full backs wanna give me some advice? i was thinking i should be a scrum half but the coach reckons my speed and kicking would be wasted.

thoughts?

In regards to jumping and competing to diffuse bombs, that rarely happens in Union as a fullback. It does happen though but it shouldnt be your reason to not play at fullback. If you were a winger in league it might be a factor.

Fullback is a good fun position and is usually given to a well rounded back (e.g.Percy Montgomery) or a real sharp attacker (e.g. Jason Robinson). But you must have some skills, so think of it as 'you got skills' lol. Which you probably do have hence the reason for your coaches vision for you.


Shane Howarth was another good short fullback. A bit chubby too. Actually he never really looked like a fullback, more like a business man but the man could play, no doubt.
 
had my first game at full back on the weekend and got man of the match. 3 try saving tackles and a 60m try where i beat 4 blokes. Best fun i have had in ages. I Love rugby even more now. i played on the wing for the first 4 weeks then due to injury the coach had to put me at full back cause i am the only guy in the team that can kick. i am now taking the kick offs, penalty kicks and conversions. over 75% accuracy. on this, does anyone have tips for spot kicking and kicking off the tee?
 
Hi guys,
I am undertaking a conversion from AFL to union this year. I have played AFL all my life (except 2 years of under 14s league) I am 25, 170cm 78kgs and can run the 100m in 11 sec flat. i have a good step and a 55m kick. i have also got a 40" vertical leap. my coach wants to play me at full back. Am i too short to play full back and should i have more experience. any short full backs wanna give me some advice? i was thinking i should be a scrum half but the coach reckons my speed and kicking would be wasted.

thoughts?

you should be able to slot straight into the waratahs lineup with your extensive AFL experience. You'll be able to execute their game plan to a tee. :)
 
you should be able to slot straight into the waratahs lineup with your extensive AFL experience. You'll be able to execute their game plan to a tee. :)
Hah. He will have to learn the 'scan for support and kick away when you see it' move.
Very tough.

Glad to hear your match went well mate, have fun.
 
Some of the best Fullbacks in World Rugby are shortish guys.

to name a few:

Jason Robinson
Brent Russel
Leigh Halfpenny
Gio Aplon
Andre Taylor

Shorter Fullbacks tend to blend in nicely behind bigger backs and then come out of nowhere and surprize the opposition
 

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