rookie trying rugby

Question
hi nick,

i am very new to playing rugby, in fact i have just finished the 8th training session of my entire life. i have a rowing back ground and have good fitness and strength and i am happy with how i need to adapt physically.

what i am struggling with is knowing what to do with myself! as i have never played i'm not sure what position i'd be best at, but i have been pointed towards back row, inparticularly flanker.

would you be able to tell me what my roles are in this position and what and where i should be aiming to be when playing a match.

also basics such as sealing the ball, joining mauls etc. is there any good resources to read up about techniques or do you have a personal view? i think to help you answer this, assume i know nothing! really any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks very much in advance,

Dan

Answer
Hi Dan,

Welcome to Rugby! First I suggest some basic things. Select the one position you want specifically. Back row is ok but choose: open side flanker, Blind side or # 8. We will go with flanker for now as you did say that what you are leaning towards.

Next pick a mentor in your team to help you a long. Take them out for a beer / dinner etc. Get to know the player and openly pick their brains about the position- it should go without saying that the mentor should be in the position you are in.

Next get you hands on as many game tapes as possible and study the players in you position , taking notes. The world cup is coming up in a week so you are in the best place to see a lot of rugby in a short time.

The basic duties of a flanker.

Defense: "hunt the ball" unlike any other position in rugby the flanker works like an individual in the team. You are not a back but not a "tight five" forward either. You need to stay out of the way of the props and locks and be a little more on the fringes. Think sniper as opposed to a infantry man.

Off the scrum you are sprinting directly to the half back or first five to shut down the opposition back line by tackling either player before their move can be made. IF you get penalized once or twice for breaking from the scrum too early that is not a bad thing if you can pull off a few bone crunching tackles in the opposition back line.

A flanker must always stay on their feet. When you tackle a player you must either stay on your feet or get up ASAP to be able to legally pick the ball up.  By any means necessary get the ball first. You must push the envelope here.

Don't get too tied up in mauls and rucks, hang off if the maul is won and look to run off the side of the maul from a pop up pass from the half back.

A flanker is either the cause of a maul or ruck or not in it at all. Leave the heavy pushing for the props and locks unless absolutely necessary.

Attack.

Look to support your back line. You will need to run a wide loop behind the back line from scrums and line outs. This allows for a good angle to run on to a pass from a back, You  act as a "back in support".

When a back gets tackled he should be able to turn and see his flanker on his shoulder. That is a core duty, support the man with the ball to take the pass or strip the ball out of a tackle situation

I suggest shadowing you other flanker or number 8 during the game until you get you  line right. You can never go wrong buy being a ball hunter though.

Ask a lot of questions and on the day communicate a lot with the players around you, communicate your position so they know where you are.

When running with the ball always look for support to make a pass.

I suggest www.coachingrugby.com and rugby for dummies (book)

Also read ever answered question I have done - there is a lot there for you, especially the tacking.