From backrow to hooker

Angelo.J197

Well lads, my first time playing rugby was with my school on the wing(typical novice position right there, ah he's skinny and fast chuck him on the wing sure!) then I gradually moved to playing centre and wen I started playing club rugby I the coaches immediately said backrow mainly 7 to be precise. Anyways playing in the backrow really got me far as I'm quite physical and i suppose only playing rugby for a year I didn't quite understand fully how to play centre. Back row was easy for me at u15 it wasn't as technical as u18s, you tackle get back up and make another tackle and if your not making a tackle you hit rucks or try steal opposition ball. That's Basically all I did. Anyways this helped me to get onto regional development squads and eventually into last years Munster u18s squad who lost narrowly to Leinster u18s. But now the Interpros are over I'm thinking to progress to a higher level as things get more technical I aim to move to hooker as I'm not an impressively talk back row (5 ft 9.5). My body shape is literally a triangle I'm really broad at the shoulders and fairly v shaped at the waist. Anyways I'm at 81 kg now my max bench is 100 for 6. squat 160 for 3 so I don't think I'm lacking much in the strength department although I may want to put on a considerable amount of weight. I've seen players like mike sherry who were out and out back rows convert to hooker so I was considering it. Anyways now that you know my details does anyone think the move to hooker is the right one? And if so does anyone have any tips?

Losty Dublin

I have only two specific tips for you.

One is to talk to your current coaches about this. The second is to talk to them some more about it. Other than that we don't know anything per se about you and your game so to say if it's right or wrong is pure guess work. It might do, it might not. But we don't know you well enough to say so.

Of course it can be done; some players radically change their position over the years Wether it will suit you or not or indeed your club's needs is a different one altogether. How many hookers are ahead of you wanting their game? Do you play a good game in the back row and do the cleaning out and defensive things well? Have you ever gone into a front row or thrown in at a line out or do they need you in the line out itself? Have you excellent handling skills? A few questions to ask yourself first off.

Bear in mind one thing; whatever about the game itself but scrummaging at youths and at high senior levels is a massive leap in levels. Talk to the coaching team first and they will put you wide.

Angelo.J197 wrote: »

Well lads, my first time playing rugby was with my school on the wing(typical novice position right there, ah he's skinny and fast chuck him on the wing sure!) then I gradually moved to playing centre and wen I started playing club rugby I the coaches immediately said backrow mainly 7 to be precise. Anyways playing in the backrow really got me far as I'm quite physical and i suppose only playing rugby for a year I didn't quite understand fully how to play centre. Back row was easy for me at u15 it wasn't as technical as u18s, you tackle get back up and make another tackle and if your not making a tackle you hit rucks or try steal opposition ball. That's Basically all I did. Anyways this helped me to get onto regional development squads and eventually into last years Munster u18s squad who lost narrowly to Leinster u18s. But now the Interpros are over I'm thinking to progress to a higher level as things get more technical I aim to move to hooker as I'm not an impressively talk back row (5 ft 9.5). My body shape is literally a triangle I'm really broad at the shoulders and fairly v shaped at the waist. Anyways I'm at 81 kg now my max bench is 100 for 6. squat 160 for 3 so I don't think I'm lacking much in the strength department although I may want to put on a considerable amount of weight. I've seen players like mike sherry who were out and out back rows convert to hooker so I was considering it. Anyways now that you know my details does anyone think the move to hooker is the right one? And if so does anyone have any tips?

The Lost Sheep

Angelo.J197 wrote: »

Well lads, my first time playing rugby was with my school on the wing(typical novice position right there, ah he's skinny and fast chuck him on the wing sure!) then I gradually moved to playing centre and wen I started playing club rugby I the coaches immediately said backrow mainly 7 to be precise. Anyways playing in the backrow really got me far as I'm quite physical and i suppose only playing rugby for a year I didn't quite understand fully how to play centre. Back row was easy for me at u15 it wasn't as technical as u18s, you tackle get back up and make another tackle and if your not making a tackle you hit rucks or try steal opposition ball. That's Basically all I did. Anyways this helped me to get onto regional development squads and eventually into last years Munster u18s squad who lost narrowly to Leinster u18s. But now the Interpros are over I'm thinking to progress to a higher level as things get more technical I aim to move to hooker as I'm not an impressively talk back row (5 ft 9.5). My body shape is literally a triangle I'm really broad at the shoulders and fairly v shaped at the waist. Anyways I'm at 81 kg now my max bench is 100 for 6. squat 160 for 3 so I don't think I'm lacking much in the strength department although I may want to put on a considerable amount of weight. I've seen players like mike sherry who were out and out back rows convert to hooker so I was considering it. Anyways now that you know my details does anyone think the move to hooker is the right one? And if so does anyone have any tips?

Ive seen a huge amount of second rows and back rows be converted to front rows over the years in my own club. It takes a while to get used to playing front row and takes certain type of person to play there
As this season is nearly over what level of rugby will you be playing or hoping to play next season?
You mention playing with Munster Youths. Have you talked to the Coach Development officers who are the professional coaches with the Munster age grade teams about moving position? Have you talked to your coaches in your club and whats their opinion on this?

Angelo.J197

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Ive seen a huge amount of second rows and back rows be converted to front rows over the years in my own club. It takes a while to get used to playing front row and takes certain type of person to play there
As this season is nearly over what level of rugby will you be playing or hoping to play next season?
You mention playing with Munster Youths. Have you talked to the Coach Development officers who are the professional coaches with the Munster age grade teams about moving position? Have you talked to your coaches in your club and whats their opinion on this?

I hope to start playing u20s with Ucc as I'm moving away to college soon enough, coaches said there's nothing that should stop me from playing hooker as far as they're concerned. Haven't really been in contact with the regional development officers as the interpros were over about September. When I was u16 one of the coaches said they'd like to see me at hooker however we had new coaching staff and they never followed up on it. I have a pretty decent throw and on our current squad there are 2 hookers atm. The reason I'm thinking if converting to hooker is the fact that it would be handy as having experience in thd backrow would make me somewhat of a mobile hooker, essentially just another back row around the pitch with the no2 jersey on his back. That would be a huge asset to my gameplay I feel as many hookers who just start off as hookers aren't expected to be that active around the pitch but as a back row converting to hooker I would still keep some of those back row qualities(good handling, Low on the ball, constant workhorse), going to hooker would especially help compensate for the fact that I'm not an extremely talk back row, gone are the days when back rows were below 6 ft as most nowadays are on average 6 ft2. Although hookers are also getting taller there's still a large proportion of them in the 5 '9 to 6ft range.