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First a little background, I'm a Canadian 18 year old, i've been playing rugger since I was 10 and gone through the provincial rep system from U15 all the way up to U18 this year. Next year i'm eligible for the RCSL(semi-pro) and i've already completed a trial with the local outfit.

I have spent all of my rugby as a Loosehead prop, and I loved every minute of it. But last summer, while playing for my clubs senior 1st XV, I tore my labrum and suffered a spinal injury as a result of a collapsing scrum. Because of this i've decided I don't want to pack down in the front row any more. I knew I needed a change at the semi-pro trial earlier in the season where I went head to head with international Props (5 caps & 21 caps respectively) I really felt the pressure from those guys and knew I'd never cut it as a top flight front-rower.

I've thought about this a lot and I think going to Blindside or Number 8 is my best option. I love playing with the ball in hand and I got half a game at flanker last year and it was the best 40mins of rugby i've ever played.

I stand 6'3 and 250lbs, thats 191cm and 114kg for the metric guys. I'm moving to England (gloucester) for schooling next year and I'd like to get this positional stuff sorted out before I get there. Convincing my school coaches to give me a shot at backrow could be problematic, he says hes always seen me as a tight 5 player...but i'm too short to play Lock and on the tall side for a prop :p

Has anyone made the switch? Any words of wisdom?

I'm counting on you TRF!
 
I've had the unfortunate branding of "Utillity player" throughout much of my career. I started on the wing, swiched to prop (a strange move I know) and I'm now playing openside flanker, so I have made the move you are thinking about myself and am very glad I did. I absolutely love playing in the back row.

Firstly you get more ball in hand, secondly you make more hits, and thirdly although you get to contribute to scrums you are no the main person baring the brunt of it.

There are just a few tips I'd give you, which although they sound basic and trivial are actually very important and easily forgotten.

The first thing you need to do is work on your acceleration and speed over short distances. It is vital that you are able to get up to top speed quickly when picking up the ball from the base of the scrum, when covering in defence or disrupting the opposition half-backs and midfield.

The next thing you need to do is learn when to commit to rucks, if you are first to the breakdown (which you often will be) you need to heavily commit yourself to securing the ball, and feriting it out, but if your team has already secured it or won't win it, it is vital that you remain around the fringes as cover (you can never rely on those ponsey backs).

Finally I wood advise alot of cardio work. If you have played prop the odds are you are already pretty strong and don't need to do so much weight, for now anyway it is more important to focus on getting your stamina up as although props have to do more high intensity work then any other position (scrums etc) they do not have to do as much low and mid intensity work as back-rowers (rucking and running etc), as a back row forward it is vital that you are at every breakdown of play etc so you need to be very very fit.

OK, what I have said may sound very basic, but it is what I needed and had the most trouble adjusting to so you should bare it in mind.
 
I've had the unfortunate branding of "Utillity player" throughout much of my career. I started on the wing, swiched to prop (a strange move I know) and I'm now playing openside flanker, so I have made the move you are thinking about myself and am very glad I did. I absolutely love playing in the back row.

Firstly you get more ball in hand, secondly you make more hits, and thirdly although you get to contribute to scrums you are no the main person baring the brunt of it.

There are just a few tips I'd give you, which although they sound basic and trivial are actually very important and easily forgotten.

The first thing you need to do is work on your acceleration and speed over short distances. It is vital that you are able to get up to top speed quickly when picking up the ball from the base of the scrum, when covering in defence or disrupting the opposition half-backs and midfield.

The next thing you need to do is learn when to commit to rucks, if you are first to the breakdown (which you often will be) you need to heavily commit yourself to securing the ball, and feriting it out, but if your team has already secured it or won't win it, it is vital that you remain around the fringes as cover (you can never rely on those ponsey backs).

Finally I wood advise alot of cardio work. If you have played prop the odds are you are already pretty strong and don't need to do so much weight, for now anyway it is more important to focus on getting your stamina up as although props have to do more high intensity work then any other position (scrums etc) they do not have to do as much low and mid intensity work as back-rowers (rucking and running etc), as a back row forward it is vital that you are at every breakdown of play etc so you need to be very very fit.

OK, what I have said may sound very basic, but it is what I needed and had the most trouble adjusting to so you should bare it in mind.
[/b]

Totally helpful, I have been working on that stuff and now as my season is starting it looks like i'm going to be playing Lock & Number 8

I'd hoped I would be 6 & 8, but I guess this is as close as I could get, my coach was reluctant to put me at Number 8, he says I'm too slow...but I can shed tackles better than anyone on my team and my pass is one of the best on the team

I thought i'd be a shoe in for no.8 but not in his eys I guess, any insight on how I can show him i'd be better there???
 
Sprints - 5, 10, 30, 50, 150 meter bursts, concentrate on the shorter distances though; and fartlek training - walk, jog, run and sprint in that order, run or sprint with a weight sled on grass or parachute...

find a hillside - sprint up the slope, jog down...

agility ladder step drills - plyometrics, explosive jump squats or box hops from squat position.
 
I have a problem too, i'm a lock, but i have played before into the number 13 and the number eight has been ofered me! but i want to play like an openside, but the coach says that don't have anyone better to put into the lock position, and have many good for the number 7. But I'm going to train like a number seven to when my day comes i turn the best as fast i can. Any suggestion?:
 
Its also about your technique, your ability to slow down and pinch oppositions balls and defense.
 
Its also about your technique, your ability to slow down and pinch oppositions balls and defense. [/b]



Ouch :blink:



let's not get into the dark arts just yet... :D
 
First a little background, I'm a Canadian 18 year old, i've been playing rugger since I was 10 and gone through the provincial rep system from U15 all the way up to U18 this year. Next year i'm eligible for the RCSL(semi-pro) and i've already completed a trial with the local outfit.

I have spent all of my rugby as a Loosehead prop, and I loved every minute of it. But last summer, while playing for my clubs senior 1st XV, I tore my labrum and suffered a spinal injury as a result of a collapsing scrum. Because of this i've decided I don't want to pack down in the front row any more. I knew I needed a change at the semi-pro trial earlier in the season where I went head to head with international Props (5 caps & 21 caps respectively) I really felt the pressure from those guys and knew I'd never cut it as a top flight front-rower.

I've thought about this a lot and I think going to Blindside or Number 8 is my best option. I love playing with the ball in hand and I got half a game at flanker last year and it was the best 40mins of rugby i've ever played.

I stand 6'3 and 250lbs, thats 191cm and 114kg for the metric guys. I'm moving to England (gloucester) for schooling next year and I'd like to get this positional stuff sorted out before I get there. Convincing my school coaches to give me a shot at backrow could be problematic, he says hes always seen me as a tight 5 player...but i'm too short to play Lock and on the tall side for a prop :p

Has anyone made the switch? Any words of wisdom?

I'm counting on you TRF!
[/b]


What school are you moving to in Gloucester? The best is St Peters which is used as a nursery for Gloucesters very young talent before the go to Hartpury college and join the Academy. If it is that school you will receive excellent coaching and advice.
 
<div class='quotemain'>
First a little background, I'm a Canadian 18 year old, i've been playing rugger since I was 10 and gone through the provincial rep system from U15 all the way up to U18 this year. Next year i'm eligible for the RCSL(semi-pro) and i've already completed a trial with the local outfit.

I have spent all of my rugby as a Loosehead prop, and I loved every minute of it. But last summer, while playing for my clubs senior 1st XV, I tore my labrum and suffered a spinal injury as a result of a collapsing scrum. Because of this i've decided I don't want to pack down in the front row any more. I knew I needed a change at the semi-pro trial earlier in the season where I went head to head with international Props (5 caps & 21 caps respectively) I really felt the pressure from those guys and knew I'd never cut it as a top flight front-rower.

I've thought about this a lot and I think going to Blindside or Number 8 is my best option. I love playing with the ball in hand and I got half a game at flanker last year and it was the best 40mins of rugby i've ever played.

I stand 6'3 and 250lbs, thats 191cm and 114kg for the metric guys. I'm moving to England (gloucester) for schooling next year and I'd like to get this positional stuff sorted out before I get there. Convincing my school coaches to give me a shot at backrow could be problematic, he says hes always seen me as a tight 5 player...but i'm too short to play Lock and on the tall side for a prop :p

Has anyone made the switch? Any words of wisdom?

I'm counting on you TRF!
[/b]


What school are you moving to in Gloucester? The best is St Peters which is used as a nursery for Gloucesters very young talent before the go to Hartpury college and join the Academy. If it is that school you will receive excellent coaching and advice.
[/b][/quote]

I'm moving to Gloucester to attend Hartpury College
 
<div class='quotemain'>
First a little background, I'm a Canadian 18 year old, i've been playing rugger since I was 10 and gone through the provincial rep system from U15 all the way up to U18 this year. Next year i'm eligible for the RCSL(semi-pro) and i've already completed a trial with the local outfit.

I have spent all of my rugby as a Loosehead prop, and I loved every minute of it. But last summer, while playing for my clubs senior 1st XV, I tore my labrum and suffered a spinal injury as a result of a collapsing scrum. Because of this i've decided I don't want to pack down in the front row any more. I knew I needed a change at the semi-pro trial earlier in the season where I went head to head with international Props (5 caps & 21 caps respectively) I really felt the pressure from those guys and knew I'd never cut it as a top flight front-rower.

I've thought about this a lot and I think going to Blindside or Number 8 is my best option. I love playing with the ball in hand and I got half a game at flanker last year and it was the best 40mins of rugby i've ever played.

I stand 6'3 and 250lbs, thats 191cm and 114kg for the metric guys. I'm moving to England (gloucester) for schooling next year and I'd like to get this positional stuff sorted out before I get there. Convincing my school coaches to give me a shot at backrow could be problematic, he says hes always seen me as a tight 5 player...but i'm too short to play Lock and on the tall side for a prop :p

Has anyone made the switch? Any words of wisdom?

I'm counting on you TRF!
[/b]


What school are you moving to in Gloucester? The best is St Peters which is used as a nursery for Gloucesters very young talent before the go to Hartpury college and join the Academy. If it is that school you will receive excellent coaching and advice.
[/b][/quote]
My flatmate went to St Peters and knew Ryan Lamb and Marcel Garvey. He's also good mates with Jack Adams so it's a pretty good school for young, developing sportsmen.
 

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