Rugby Positions


rugby positions

Position Descriptions:


Props (Loosehead & Tighthead)


Positional Requirements:

  • Strength and physical presence
  • Ability to maintain scrum
  • Upper body for lifting support
  • Urgent to breakdown
  • Think ahead to next role from scrum


Hooker


Positional Requirements:

  • Upper body strength
  • Ability to control scrum with props
  • Pressure opposition front row
  • Positive roles at restarts
  • 4th loose forward role


Locks


Positional Requirements:

  • Aerial and ball skills at lineout and restart
  • Knowledge of lifting
  • Understanding “D” roles at scrum and lineout
  • Constant work rate
  • Dominate your “area”
  • Power and application at scrum
  • Mobility and understand roles at breakdown


Blindside Flanker


Positional Requirements:

  • Vital link in “D” especially on blindside of scrum
  • Continuity and secure ball
  • Understand role in ALL scrum and lineout “moves”
  • Strong “wrap up” tackler
  • Work closely with 7, 8, 9 and blindside wing
  • Communicate


Openside Flanker


Positional Requirements:

  • Attack the ball and ball carrier
  • Support ball carrier
  • Continuity role-secure ball and present it
  • Decision making
  • Angles/lines to ball
  • Defensive lines
  • Speed of mind and foot
  • Communication
  • Extreme aerobic capability (workrate)
  • Work in unison with mini groups


8 Man


Positional Requirements:

  • To be involved continuously in general play
  • To play on both sides of advantage line
  • Understand moves and options and to be decisive
  • Attack or break gain line and ability to link close or wide
  • Distribution skills; critical link at scrum
  • Develop relationship and cohesion with openside flanker and halfback


Scrum Half


Positional Requirements:

  • Good talker/organizer
  • Assess options and communicate
  • Able to act/re-act quickly
  • High work rate and aerobic capacity
  • Understand all moves and options
  • Explosive runner


Fly Half


Positional Requirements:

  • Shot caller – Director of play
  • Creator – Vision
  • Vary position and point of attack
  • Take defensive line up
  • Excellent decision maker under pressure
  • High work rate in support/cover
  • Strong communicator
  • Kicking game – both feet
  • Accurate ball retention skills


Inside Center


Positional Requirements:

  • Distribution skills as for Outside Center
  • 2 handed ball carriage
  • Ability to beat a man – step, swerve, acceleration, bounce & angles
  • Stay on feet at tackle/ball presentation
  • Strong front on tackler
  • Unity with 13 on “D”
  • Organize inside and outside 12 defense.


Outside Center


Positional Requirements:

  • Distribution skills
  • 2 handed ball carriage
  • Accurate and range of passes
  • Ability to stay up at tackle
  • Ball presentation at impact
  • Unity on “D” – ability to break up attacks
  • Acceleration


Wings (Left & Right)


Positional Requirements:

  • Play either side
  • Hungry to get involved in game
  • Chase and pressure opposition
  • Sustained speed
  • Back quick to support and create counter attack options
  • Understand tackle options eg shadow-spot etc


Fullback


Positional Requirements:

  • Ball receipt skills
  • Anticipation especially off phase ball
  • Speed, both acceleration and sustained to support play
  • Understand and initiate counter attack
  • Kicking skills
  • All types of tackle skills, shadow, front on etc.
  • Utilize the panoramic vision of game and communicate act/re-act