Lock to Number 8 Or Prop?

Question
Hey Nick, i just moved to rugby union from league where i was prop for 3
years and captain of my u 19's team and starting prop for seniors in sydney,
australia. Im 17 years old at the moment and this year went from 115kg to
98kg and then back to 103kg now, the end of the season. I can bench 70kg
and can do 260kg leg squats. My height is 6" 1.  I moved to a rugby union
club recently and have played 6 games for them, all at lock. I like it and it is a
great position, but next year my captain wants to train me to be prop, but my
coach wants me to be number 8. Can you tell me what is needed for both
positions and also some tips for jumping in lineouts that i can practice by
myself in the off season. Also how do i win the ball? any tips you have? thanks
a lot mate.

Answer
G'day Sam,

I think you could be better suited to flanker or #8 if you are still growing. You're only 17 so if you think you will end up being 6'3" - 6'4" stick with the back row. However if you think you are going to be stopping at 6'1" (example all the men in your family are no taller than 6'1") then go for prop.

At 17 years of age if you are taller than most opposition then focus on #8 and the line out. If you find your self level with props and shorter than the average flanker or #8 then also go to prop.

Another question to be honest with yourself is your speed. Regardless of fitness / endurance you have to be faster than 80 of the players on the field to play  #8 / flanker. If you are on the slow side go to prop. Find out during sprints at training, see how you go against the other loosies in your team.

Below are some links about the scrum if you do go towards prop but you will find that each link is valuable for overall game knowledge and knowing body position...read them all and become familiar with them: you will probably need to cut and paste these links directly to the top of your web search bar...

http://www.sru.org.sg/courses/the_scrum_mattryan.pdf

http://www.myoquip.com.au/Scrum_equal_joint_article.htm

at the bottom of this link there is a reference section (see below) which allows more information to be accessed...
New South Wales Rugby 2004 Coach Education Series - Effective Scrummaging
Brian O'Shea Scrum presentation, England July 2004
Bruce Ross Essentials of the Argentinian 'Bajada' rugby scrum
Graham Smith Building the scrum
Phil Vickery Scrummaging Masterclass
Virtual Library of Sport Bajada Scrum

As for jumping in the line out, get a good trainer to  give you some pliometrics exercises or look on line or in a books for a pliometric routine for improvements in jump height and explosiveness.

To win the ball in the line out you need to use your peripheral vision to stay in front of your opposite jumper. Lots of live runs at training, ask the other jumper to really put you through the paces and ask for feed back. The trick is to be able to fake the opposite jumper to go back while you go forward. Use every trick you can think of and work with your lifters a lot, communicate. Be adaptive, learn to adjust according to the conditions and the opposition. Learn to adapt and overcome. A lot of line out success is practice, communication, trust (your lifters, hooker). Do not skimp on line out training even if you have to keep your lifters and hooker back after training when every one else goes home.

Watch a lot of rugby, and see if someone can film you in games to study your own form.

Review the previous questions I have answered as well there is a lot of good information there.