Too small to play prop?

danuas

Im not sure if I hit the right forum for this but what the hell...

Im a rugby player in Denmark. Rugby here is a tiny sport! Im talking 2000 players max! including senior, youth, infant and women. Not alot as you can tell.

There is just 2 divisions here and all is amateur. So technique and scrums are on the all time low.

I have been playing for a number of years now and my team seems to be lacking props (a common problem here) and im getting tired of the big boys refusing to play prop.
I would love to do it, I have played hooker for the majority of games but we already have three on my team. Now my lineout throws arent the best so I want to play loose head prop from now on.

The problem is that im only 177cm and weighing only 80kgs.
Thats far from the minimum of a 100kgs that most props weigh, even here.

So my size is lacking. The only thing I can count on is that Im pretty fit.
Bench press: 110kg
Deadlift: 140kg
Squat: 160kg

My technique isnt bad either, and so far I havent felt like I was getting slammed in the scrums. Beatting the other hookers on my own team and opposing aswell.

Do I stand a chance?

Im willing to gain weight (muscle ofcourse) but that takes a while and will happen over time.

Any hints, advice would be nice.

Cheers

Tefral

Your stronger anyway that alot of props i know, and alot of props are short arses which is good due to a low centre of gravity...

Go for it, its only junior rugby, what have you got to loose? Just make sure your getting your back straight when your binding? Having a set of locks drive you forward into another group and not having your back straight will injure you

WeeBushy

You've got the right forum alright

I don't know what the standard is like over there, but I would imagine its not any higher than J3/J4, though I'm only basing that on a Swedish international who played for us two years ago so I could be wrong.

If that's the case your size shouldn't be a problem. You're strong enough, and with proper coaching, and if you have an aptitude for it, you could scrummage very effectively.

Give it a go I say, just make sure you get proper coaching on how to scrum.

Welcome to boards by the way.

CIARAN_BOYLE

You don't need to be tall to prop, look at Cian Healy (Irish international prop) he is only 180 cms so you should be fine. Gaining weight is probably needed but as you said that will take time. Best of luck to you man.

Shelflife

im 5 7 and 85 kgs, propped for years for our local 2nd team. work on your technique and you will be fine.

Morf

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

You don't need to be tall to prop, look at Cian Healy (Irish international prop) he is only 180 cms so you should be fine. Gaining weight is probably needed but as you said that will take time. Best of luck to you man.

180 cms is still 6'.

I think a better example would be Domingo. He's 1.65m. I imagine core strength would be key to progressing.

stephen_n

One of the best props I ever played with was only 174cm and 85kgs saw him make mince meat of props easily 20kgs heavier than him but his technique was superb. Went through three props in one match! Keep practicing your technique and if your comfortable with it, then go for it!

thebaz

my dad propped for lansdowne firsts at 13 stone

profitius

You'd need to have a robust build because it can be dangerous for slight people especially around the neck area. As the others have said, size isn't everything.

danuas

Thank you for all the replies.

Danish rugby is about the same level as Swedish, well a little lower actually.

We have another prop on my team, he is around 105kgs. In a one-on-one scrum I can beat him without too much stress.
But he is new at rugby and his technique isnt that great.
Other then trying to gain some weight Im going to focus on doing more squats, deadlifts and core training. It should help my scrumming.

I will also train my neck alot, could use some improvement. Im not really sure how to do that though.

But thanks for the encouragement, I hope Ill manage and im going to train for it. Atleast I will be a really fast prop. I can do 100meters in 12 sec . But no winger advice, never get the ball or any action haha.

Eoin

Core strength exercises are a great idea, rather than just bulking up. Don't worry too much about the weight. I've played with and against relatively slightly built props who can scrummage very well. Height definitely doesn't have to be a factor. One prop I played with was about 5'8 so it was impossible for his opposite number to get under him.

ormond lad

read this article http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...288499328.html and as harty says it is all about technique and 'chasing the hit'. ive seen a lot of much bigger men scrummage against him and they have all came 2nd best due to seamus technical ability. he is 5ft 8in and 13st 2lbs and will nearly always defeat someone because his technique is so good.

spank_inferno

danuas wrote: »

We have another prop on my team, he is around 105kgs. In a one-on-one scrum I can beat him without too much stress.

danuas wrote: »

I will be a really fast prop. I can do 100meters in 12 sec

Best of luck with your development

BTW....Do you have any Irish grandparents?!

if so, give the guys in the IRFU a shout, they may have a job for you in a few years!

danuas

Ahaha! not much Irish blood in me im afraid.

Well, ill be hitting the gym, the pitch and the scrum machine alot for the next few months.

Maybe ill write back about the development and first match impressions.

WeeBushy

Do, it would be interesting to hear how you get on.

Good luck.

danuas

Alright I have been training for a month or so to play prop. At first I told my coach the idea and he was pleased with it (mainly because we are lacking first rowers).
He however had the impression I was weighing around 90kgs or above.

Okay, my impressions so far. In overall it is good but a few issues along the way.

In the scrummachine I find it hard to maintain stability as the second and third row push. I tend to get pushed out of it or maybe my engage is imprecise.
Our scrummachine is very old and there is no neck resistance under my shoulder as there would be in a real scrum.
After making around 10 scrums on the machine I am quite bruised the day after but I guess that is to be expected from a old 800kg scrum machine.
The problem is that my coach is a former back and he know nothing about scrumming. When ever I tell him my problem he tell me to stop complaining (idiot! I know, we will replace him asap), thankfully our 8man/reserve prop is a former prop and helps me out alot.

But there are upsides. Im able to push the scrum pads 14 cm's in, while this experience reserve prop who is 110kgs can push it 15cm's.
So his 30kg advantage doesnt make much difference interms of pushing power. Hah!
There is some hope after all.;)

Oh, I had one game as loosehead prop already but due to injuries on both teams we did uncontested.

Lineouts im good.

Ball crashing I could use a few pointers, although I might just stick to sidesteping.

profitius

Heres Mike Cron. One of the worlds top scrum coaches given tips.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLloJj3j7Pc

Good stuff, keep us updated.

Hope you're doing plenty of squatting and deadlifting to get those hamstrings strong for the scrummaging? Technique will go a long long way too, watch a lot of the stuff on youtube, that video above is very good.

Practising the engage without others repeatedly will allow you to develop a "muscle memory" for the movement, and will be a great help in making sure you stay engaged.

Good luck and fair play!

danuas

Iv had about 2 games now and it is going....well fine but I have one problem and its maybe a silly one.

Im playing loosehead and I cant seem to get a good grab with me left hand. Its often flying around trying to get a hold. While I do that I spend all my focus on that while none on pushing. A few times the scrum collapsed because of that.

I found it very annoying while the rest was fine.

btw
In the last game, the tighthead infront of me was a former professional from Wales. But he was extremely easy going, he even thought me some tricks after the game.

Eoin

If you're finding it hard to get a bind then maybe try to get a long bind and grip his shorts at the back or at the bottom of his jersey.