Rugby for a beginner, advice please.

SpeedFreak

SpeedFreak

SpeedFreak

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Ok, here's the craic. I'm 25 and heve never played rugby properly in my life other than muck about tag at uni.

I'm 5' 7", 11 1/2 stone and in pretty good shape. Just got back to the gym after buggering up my ankle 2 months ago, so am regaining my fitness.

I can run 100m in well under 12 seconds when at full fitness and am pretty strong for my size. I grew up playing gaelic football and badminton, so i'm agile, am used to kicking a ball out of my hands and catching, albeit a round o'neills ball.

My take on it is I might make a decent full back, but am a bit worried about the lack of experience with the ball. Is kicking a rugby ball that much different to a football? Also, I'm a bit concerned that some coach might want to turn me into stocky prop forward. Do they listen to wahat you want or just tell you where you will be playing?

Lastly, will it be that hard to get to grips with all of the rules while in play. Don't get me wrong, I know the game and watch as much as i can in bristol and bath(the other half is a follower).
The thing is, I really want to play, but I am one of those people who will only enjoy it properly if I can become pretty good at it and I'm not sure if at 25 i'm past being able to get to that point.
 
Don't let your age stop you - you're approaching your physical prime, why let a little thing like a lack of experience get in the way? :D

To be honest, if you're a little inexperienced, they're not likely to play you at fullback (unless they're suicidal). I played fullback for many years (before I truly discovered beer, then I moved to blind-side flanker ;)) and it's a very intuitive position - you need to read the game very well, sometimes a good distance from the action, and you move around a lot more than people might think. They're more likely to shift you out on the wing (or an emergency backs sub) until they get a better idea of what you're capable of.

Kicking a rugby ball from hand is surprisingly instinctive and I found it a lot more comfortable kicking a rugby ball than I ever did as a goalkeeper in football. With a little practice, you can match up the sweet spots on your boot and the ball and just watch that sucker fly. It's a beautiful thing :D Take the missus down the park (:eek:) and get her to be your ball-boy (:eek:).

Handling of the ball is also something you'll want to work on. To some folk, passing left and right just comes naturally, but some people (most forwards :p) work on it for years and still suck. You'll find that the direction opposite your dominant hand will most likely be a lot easier and feel more natural (top hand controls just about everything when passing a ball). Work on them both (if you want to practice this with two people, get your assistant to stand still while you run a circle around them, changing direction and moving closer and further away - remember to try and mimic your dominant hand position when throwing the other way, rather than just getting the ball out no matter what - you'll be thankful in the long run!).

Bottom line, go out there and have a laugh. The camraderie in a rugby clubhouse after a match is nigh on unbeatable.
 
I've always wanted to get in to rugby but just never really known where to start. I've thought about just going to a rugby club and just asking if i could join.

I haven't really got mates who play rugby so never had an avenue into the game.

I'm in the same position as the OP. I'm 26 and been wanting to play for years (not just since the rugby world cup)
I think i would be pretty suited for rugby, i'm quite a big lad. About 6foot and 15-16 stone (muscle weighs more than fat :P ) I play 5 a side twice a week and i'm fairly fit.

Do you still play Skidmark? What kind of level if so?
 
No. I quit playing about the same age as you two are now due to a serious knee injury from which I returned far too quickly and had a recurrence. Between that and shin splints which developed at the same time (probably due to the change in my running and walking style) I've never been back on a rugby pitch in anger.

I played rugby all the way through my high school years in South Africa, played for the regional teams in district and national competition, and then really discovered beer and women at 18 (I'd only dabbled before!) and didn't play again until I moved back to the UK. Played for a couple years in Scotland (at a very amateur level) until my mishap, coached for another six months but just couldn't bear watching the game from the sidelines - it was one of the most frustrating times in my life. Worst thing was, I had a real knack for it and the team really benefitted.

Been tempted to look at finding a youth setup near me and offering my services, but time is so precious at the moment, I can't fit it in.

As before, I would seriously suggest you grab the bull by the horns and visit your local club and see what they can offer you. You might just have the time of your life!
 
Cheers Skidmark. I might just do that. There is actually a club close to where i live so i might go along and have a word one day.......before it's too late.

If i'm no good for them, at least i tried. Better to have tried and failed then never to have tried at all.

I better get looking at the rulebook to brush up on a few things.
 
Skidmark said:
Handling of the ball is also something you'll want to work on. To some folk, passing left and right just comes naturally, but some people (most forwards :p) work on it for years and still suck.
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Sounds about right (coming from someone that used to play 2nd Row) :D

The only thing I learnt is never forget to wear a gumshield, and go into evey tackle commited.

You have got me thinking about playing again myself...hmmm :cool:
 
I've started playing rugby again after a 5 year absence (played in the school team - which was rather good actually!). The team I've started playing for stuck me on the wing for 20 minutes last Saturday, and man I was running on air. So excited and happy to be out on a field playing the game, I didn't do much but it was fun :).

Richard_16v said:
The only thing I learnt is never forget to wear a gumshield, and go into evey tackle commited.
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Absolutely. It's when you start trying to pull out of tackles that you get hurt.
 
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platypus said:
Absolutely. It's when you start trying to pull out of tackles that you get hurt.
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Good point, both of you. When you're going to tackle someone, you go in hard, fast and committed - you make sure he knows you're there......and watch him hesitate the next time he's running towards you :D
 
You'll probably be popped on the wing to start, then as you train your strengths will probably become evident and you might get moved around, i.e. if you're a bit mental and love tackling (like me :D) you might get switched to flanker, lol

Just give the club a bell or even just turn up to training with your kit, you'll be welcomed and made to feel at home, and have a few beers afterwards, can't beat rugby clubs for 'instant social life' :)

Enjoy!
 
Never wore a gumshield in my 6 years of rugby. Guess I was just lucky.

losehead prop :D Loved a good ruck and maul and a good scum down. Went though 3 props in one game was bit of a beast in scrums


Give up due to me breaking 2 collor bones in 1 season.
 
On the whole gum shield thing.....

At first just get on of the ones from you local JJB ect. The boil up and bite things, over boil it so you get a good proper fit. When in you mouth bite then drink cold water and keep it in for a good 30 seconds until it 100% cools down.

Then what I would suggest is going to your dentist and getting a proper one made up. I would suggest that you do this after you’re committed to the game. It will set you back £70+ but is more than worth the price of an average set of boots. The difference it makes to breathing, comfort and being able to shout (my favorite pass time while playing) is unreal.

Any other advice needed please just ask, you can even add me to msn if you like.

Eddie
 
platypus said:
Thought it was illegal (in any organised game) to play rugby without a gumshield?
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Dunno, I've never worn one in some 12 years of playing, could be wrong though :p

Will probably get one though once I'm back playing!
 
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Just to add to all the other positive comments in the thread, if you can get down to a club you wont regret it. Might be worth aiming for a club that has at least a couple of teams, that way you a) will get a match b) will enjoy training more as there will be more people involved. The cameraderie (sp) in Rugby of either code is fantastic, having a pint after the match with a guy you were punching the **** out of 20 minutes earlier is very strange! :) Another plus side to it all, there's always someone good at something else in a team, we have plumbers, builders, sparkies, IT guys, carpet fitters etc etc so you'll never be short of getting a job done on the cheap either.

As long as you are an avid follower of union i would say you shouldn't have a problem learning to play it, slightly different than watching :) but at least you'll have the basics (remember the first time i played RU i'd never even watched the game, letting go of the ball felt very strange! Can you guess which code of rugby i played? :))
 
kefkef said:
Just to add to all the other positive comments in the thread, if you can get down to a club you wont regret it. Might be worth aiming for a club that has at least a couple of teams, that way you a) will get a match b) will enjoy training more as there will be more people involved. The cameraderie (sp) in Rugby of either code is fantastic, having a pint after the match with a guy you were punching the **** out of 20 minutes earlier is very strange! :) Another plus side to it all, there's always someone good at something else in a team, we have plumbers, builders, sparkies, IT guys, carpet fitters etc etc so you'll never be short of getting a job done on the cheap either.
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Thats what I love about rugby. It's big people hurting each other, all blood and guts, biting, scratching, stamping, pulling, throwing yourself into people, and yet "yessir, sorrysir, of course sir" to the ref, and then a pint in the bar afterwards.

Rugby > Football.
 
Well i've found a club close by that has A teams and B teams etc, they train on a Tuesday and Thursday. Might give them a bell or go along one training day to have a word with coach.
 
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