Tips for a new player

Baldie

So i started playing with my local such team last week. Last night, we had a training match against our under 20's. At half time i was put out on the wing (probably to keep me out of the way), and i really enjoyed it. My question is, do any any of you have any tips for a winger! What i've learned so far is, at the kick off, make a sprint up the pitch to meet the ball. Stay 5 yards behind the scrum/lineout. Stay in line when attacking and fall back when defending. When i get the ball, make a bee line for the try line, and hit hard on the way! :-) remember now guys, i'm new to playin rugby, so be nice. :-)

Stev_o

Some basics of the top of my head.

1. Run into space not people. Don't become a winger who constantly seeks contact when they receive the ball try to accelerate between the gaps between two defenders.

2.Target the oppositions weak shoulder, generally for most players that will be their left hand side (when your facing them it ll be to the right). Many players will fail miserably trying to make a tackle on their weak shoulder and it can lead to some great gains in territory.

3.When get into contact pump the legs. When ram into someone and make contact don't just go to the deck straight away, if the tackler is in anyway decent they ll isolate you and turn you over. Keep pumping the legs and wait for your support to call down or whatever.

4. Don't forget to mark! If your inside your 22 and you receive a kick (besides from the kick off) shout MARK you ll have the option to run, kick or scrum. It's alot better then being tackled deep in your 22.

razorblunt

How's your tackling?

Always remember to take the hit in your shoulder and keep your head and neck out of the way. Your head should be on their arse/back of thigh.


Remember to try and chase kicks all the way to stop quick lineouts and such.

Nukem

1. No half ass tackling, hit with your shoulder wrap you head around the far side of the attackers body (not between your shoulder and the player - cheek to cheek). Dont stand with feet planted in a tackle and get mushed.
2. If your outside centre is any good he will always look for an off load before or during a tackle when attacking. Communicate with him and let him know where you are, scream left or right as you come in on his shoulder.
3. Dont do anything to brash, just the basics first, no need to try run the length of the pitch single handed. Just kick for touch or a smart pass will normally get you out of trouble and into a good position.

ALH-06

When your team is in possession, always ALWAYS stay deep. At least 3m behind your inside man, so that you can run on to his pass at pace.

Probably the most common error for inexperienced wingers is that they don't put themselves in a decent position to receive the ball. Always stay deep and run into space, shouting where you are when you want the pass.

Kalashnikov_Kid

If youre on the blindside and being starved of possession or feeling bored twiddling your thumbs, dont be afraid to take some crash balls or option lines of your 10. Or if theres a turnover, run over to hit the line as quick as you can and youll have an overlap!

CatFromHue

my two cents would be if the opposition is attacking down the other side of the field dont be afraid to push across to the middle of the park, so as if they do get through you are in a good position to cover.
i've stopped one or two tries in my time doing that.
plus it always confuses the forwards about what wing you were actually playing on!haha

also dont forget to use the touchline as an extra defender.

Goodluck2me

Golden rule: KEEP YOUR DEPTH

turtleshead

First thing to remember is watch & listen.

If you are new to the game you can learn alot from watching positioning of players that play in your position. So if you are sitting out the first half of the game watch your wingers positioning in different parts of the field and the difference when attacking and defending, as some other posters have already said stay deep, a good centre should know when to put you away, when they do pin your ears back and go hard, there is nothing more frustrating then a player not backing themselves when they get a ball in space.

If a player is new to the game and I am playing inside them I try to talk to the player tell them where to position themselves, which player to take in defence, you would be suprised though how many players dont listen and just try and hit the first player they see, in the tackle stay low and get your head at the arse (cheek to cheek they say).

razorblunt

Also boots-wise make sure you're wearing the right studs, I've seen lots of newcomers wearing rugby boots which are generally a little heavier which becomes alot heavier with mud on them.

Malmedicine

Dont talk your own game up, let others do it. Nothing more annoying than someone who thinks he's the **** and not actually that he is ****. Let others do the praising . Other than that hmmmm on the wing, catch high balls, don't let the ball fall, call marks, score trys , don't let the ball fall. Kick assuredly i.e have an idea where you want the ball to go. Hit a ruck or two (if not in a game maybe in a season!) other than that run fast make tackles. I'm a forward but if a winger does that I'd be very happy with him mind you if you do all that you might be playing 1sts very soon.

emergingstar

ye had some good tips there

just wondering if ye have any for someone who has an eye on playing flanker, im going back playing after a few years was always a back but played a mix match in the forwards and quite enjoyed it. would like to make iy a full time switch i just dont no what is expected of a half decent flanker

Oisinjm

emergingstar wrote: »

ye had some good tips there

just wondering if ye have any for someone who has an eye on playing flanker, im going back playing after a few years was always a back but played a mix match in the forwards and quite enjoyed it. would like to make iy a full time switch i just dont no what is expected of a half decent flanker

Make as much rucks as you can, hit hard in the tackle and try be on the shoulder of the ball carrier at all times for an off load.

anonymous_joe

Are you fast? (Once you've reached full tilt)

Acceleration good?

What kind of build are you?

What's your weight,

and how much of that is muscle?

What are you like at fielding kicks and returning them?

emergingstar

anonymous_joe wrote: »

Are you fast? (Once you've reached full tilt)

Acceleration good?

What kind of build are you?

What's your weight,

and how much of that is muscle?

What are you like at fielding kicks and returning them?

not fast enough to play centre anymore

i have pretty good accleration

im big enough 15 and a half stone mostly muscle

im pretty good at fielding kicks from gaa background but i camt kick for ****e myself

anonymous_joe

emergingstar wrote: »

not fast enough to play centre anymore

i have pretty good accleration

im big enough 15 and a half stone mostly muscle

im pretty good at fielding kicks from gaa background but i camt kick for ****e myself

Then just make sure you use your acceleration and power to punch through gaps and look for the offload a lot. ^^

emergingstar

so basically hit as many rucks as i can and make a few short breaks

anonymous_joe

emergingstar wrote: »

so basically hit as many rucks as i can and make a few short breaks

Well not if you're on the wing realy.

You always want to be giving your team an option to attack with, so never really hit a ruck unless it's right in front of you, rather if you're the blindside winger, considering coming inside of the first receiver to give an extra option in the middle, especially considering you have bulk and acceleration, that'd make you a pain for any defence to deal with.

FridaysWell

emergingstar wrote: »

ye had some good tips there

just wondering if ye have any for someone who has an eye on playing flanker, im going back playing after a few years was always a back but played a mix match in the forwards and quite enjoyed it. would like to make iy a full time switch i just dont no what is expected of a half decent flanker

Be a bloody slave, a workhorse. Work your arse off, thats what the best flankers do. Keep your workrate at the top or above!

stephen_n

emergingstar wrote: »

not fast enough to play centre anymore

i have pretty good accleration

im big enough 15 and a half stone mostly muscle

im pretty good at fielding kicks from gaa background but i camt kick for ****e myself

If you lack the fitness to play centre it's unlikely that you will thrive at Flanker, I went the other way when I lost the edge and fitness I converted from openside to inside centre. You don't need a huge amount of pace to play 12 more strength and ability to tackle really and a 15 and a half stone you would make a good impact runner as I'm only 13 and a half!

How's your acceleration in the first 10 meters?

emergingstar

im fairly good over 10 to 15 meters,its after that is when i get a bit one paced. im fitness levels are ok its that speed im lacking

stephen_n

emergingstar wrote: »

im fairly good over 10 to 15 meters,its after that is when i get a bit one paced. im fitness levels are ok its that speed im lacking

Inside centres should only need to be fast over the first 10 to 15, break the gain line and offload the ball. after 15 I'm either looking for an offload or oxygen except in the case of intercepts lol

slingerz

Are centres supposed to come into the rucks to clear out or is it more of a forwards job?

stephen_n

slingerz wrote: »

Are centres supposed to come into the rucks to clear out or is it more of a forwards job?

That really depends, backs shouldn't go looking for contact if there are forwards there to clean out, you should be getting back into position but if your the first player to a breakdown the number on your back doesn't really matter at all, you should be looking to protect possession!

twinytwo

if under the high ball from a kick off etc.. dont drop it or they will kick it to you all night....

emergingstar

looks like i wil be number 6 whats the difference between 6 and 7 or is there any

theKramer

emergingstar wrote: »

looks like i wil be number 6 whats the difference between 6 and 7 or is there any

6 is more on a enforcer role, hitting rucks, making tackles, etc.

7 can be looked as a link between the forwards and backs. Would get involved in the moves more, as he is on the side of the scrum that has most of the field open to it, hence "openside"

emergingstar

hey there

just to et ye no im loving playing number 6 enjoying hitting the rucks and been in the middle of things

i have one problem my position in the scrum iis terribli have no technique at all as i work evenings evry second week i miss that weeks training, just wondering is there anyway of practising my position in my own time

shoutman

If you are playing six at scrum time, its not AS important as if you were front row or second row, that said its good to have it sorted. Offensive scrums especially its good to have your shoulder right in behind the props arse, if you have a decent full length mirror in your house, you could try doing three points, ie two legs and one hand, keep your back straight and as parrallel to the ground as possible (ie. don't have your arse stuck in the air and dont have a really bent back).

All the power in the scrum has to go through your legs and straight up your back, so keeping it nice and straight is the best way to transfer the effort.

As a flanker, try to keep tight in the scrum, ie. you should be touching the second row with your body to provide the forward momentum, but at the same time, on your own possession you should do your best to protect the scrum half (this kinda thing will come mostly with experience) but try and make it awkward for opposing scrum half's to get around you.

Kinda rambling here, but decent piece written about scrum time here: http://www.rugbycoach.com/club/player/scrum.htm

irishbucsfan

Learning what to do at the scrum at 6 and 7 is a bit of an experience thing. Just keep at it and you'll pick it up. Honestly you really need to be training with the full 8 on the machines so you can learn the tendencies of your props and how to best support their push.

Also, a man more devious than myself might suggest a few little narky tricks that a flanker may or may not get up to and scrum time. However I am far too honourable to ever get involved in any of those shenanigans...

emergingstar

thanks for the advice, any more tpsor tricks i will ttake them on board:pac: