Martin's Rugby Coaching Forum

I'm playing rugby next year for school, and I really want to make the 1st squad because there's an overseas tour on later in the year...

Anyway, I've followed union for a while, but am unsure on what my best position would be.

Maybe someone can help me choose!

Strengths:

- Extremely good kick in general play. Can get huge distance in my kicks for touch and have excellent accuracy with grubber/up and under/chip kicks.

- Good pace, with hard work I can get a lot quicker though.

- Passing and ball handling is solid. Struggle with the right hand in passing though, will need work.

- Quite strong. Can bench press more than most of the other guys who play rugby.

- Good fitness.

Weaknesses:

- Size. Weigh consideribly less than the majority of rugby players. Some weigh a good 40kg for than me. So I'm a very ordinary size.

- Tackling and hitting needs work.

- Inexperienced, which means my decision making wouldn't be the greatest.

That's about it, but my lack of size is my major concern (as far as 1st team selection goes).

So yeah, I'm looking to play centre, wing or flyhalf, but if my characteristics mean I should be playing somewhere else, please let me know!!!

Ideally I'd like to be a utility back, but I need to know what my primary position should be.

Cheers!

Based on your kicking abilities I would consider 10 or 15, looking at your tackling which you rate not so good: 10. My next worry would be decision making - this being your first season I would not worry on all of this.
If you are a talented kicker, I would work around that if I was your coach.

Is there much competition for these places?

Work with your coach on developing yourself. Basically: your goal is that when he makes his first draft for the starting 15, you should be in the first six names he writes down......

_________________
Martin, Rugbyhead

Thanks Martin. Yeah if I want a starting spot in the side it would have to be at 11, the starting Flyhalf and Fullbacks are good players.

But I could potentially be a backup #10 who can also come on and fill other positions. And there's always the possibility of injuries opening up a spot.

One last thing - if you play wing what's the go with drop goals? I'm very very good at these but you can't really attempt them when you're playing out so wide right?