Tips on playing 12

[Come on England]

Hi, I am fourteen years old, 5 foot 7 and weigh 9 stone. I have decent footwork and can beat a man quite easily, and I can pass pretty well.

I have been playing 12 all season, and was wondering if anyone had any tips that would improve my game.

Thanks.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I actually played 12 when I was u15, I was about two inches short but around the same weight.

I ended up getting moved to 10 though because I was more of a distributor.

My best advice for playing 12 or 10 is to play what's in front of you, if you see a gap go for it, if you see a kick on kick it, if you can get your 13/15 through a gap put them through. It might sound cliché but at any underage level I think it's best to try and be creative. I haven't started playing like that until now and I'm enjoying my rugby much more.

Try not to miss tackles because you'll feel **** if you get run over and they make big yards and always be talking with your 10 and you'll be fine.

 

[Saint Matt]

I played an awful lot of rugby at 12 growing up, before settling into the back row when I made my debut for the first team at 20.

Anyway, I think the 12 should be the link man - someone who can link the 10 with the 13, 15 and the two wingers. Your distribution and running angles need to be top drawer, but most importantly, your decision making needs to be excellent. I think that's the most important thing for a 12, you need to be able to make the correct decision under pressure. The ideal 12 would be someone who can distribute, yet carry the ball effectively, and that's what you need to be able to do.