What position did you play?
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As the weedy smart mouth kid at school I was used to running fast to avoid beatings (usually throwing comments over my shoulder at the time). You'd think that would make me a halfback but a severe lack of skills resulted in a few attempts at wing instead. I can even claim a handful of games for my school 1st XV (well before they actually put resources into the school rugby and it became a 'TV level' school.
Became an armchair expert for ages but as my boy grew up and I became involved in trying to coach him some skills, my own skills developed. Amazing what hours of passing and kicking with the kids can do.
Decided to get some boots and have another crack in my very late 30s when we were in Oz. Did pre-season training and was put on the wing for 4th grade. Then I discovered that 4th grade in Canberra was where all the failed league boys played to learn skills and getting smashed by someone 20 years your junior isn't fun.
Found the wonderful setup that is ACT Veterans (as @antipodean can attest) and had great fun for 4 years playing mainly fullback and wing but also 10. Dependeded on who showed up. Had some pace still and could beat other oldies on the outside. -
I didn’t have a clue what to do so was shunted to the wing. I was quite quick and stayed there for mostly my entire union life. I had the odd game at FB and as an open side when I got fat. My last games were at wing. Would give anything for a new left Achilles so that I could have a go out on the wing one more time. Even if it was to put a chip n chase out on the full, like I did almost every game of my life.
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@nzzp said in What position did you play?:
@African-Monkey said in What position did you play?:
generally I aim for 60+ on Sundays. Prepares me well enough for Marathons (not that there are many on these days) but still have plenty to work on.
So... running 60km once a week (on top of the other 120 km a week) prepares you fro a 40km jog.
Riiiiight.
Prop here.
LH or TH?
@pakman said in What position did you play?:
LH or TH?
TH.
Good in scrums, raised in a rugby free zone, no clue what was happening around the field. PLayed a couple of seasons, didn't love it. Found rugby on TV in my late teens and got hooked, but only played socially from time to time (and then the body regretted it).
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Wing/fullback. I was tiny at school, like the smallest 3rd former at Napier Boys High, so was very much in the Grant Batty school of speedy little guy with a big sidestep. Then at 15 I blew out my knee really badly, and that was it for contact sports for me.
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@nzzp Haha yeah was expecting replies like that. I have no reason to lie about it but it is my training week. My theory on doing well in marathons is that if you can do the distance with ease, then the pace will follow (as well as keeping your weight down). My goal is to do a sub 3 hour marathon. 3 hours 10 is my best time so I still have a bit of work to do but yeah, that is my training.
@African-Monkey said in What position did you play?:
@nzzp Haha yeah was expecting replies like that. I have no reason to lie about it but it is my training week. My theory on doing well in marathons is that if you can do the distance with ease, then the pace will follow (as well as keeping your weight down). My goal is to do a sub 3 hour marathon. 3 hours 10 is my best time so I still have a bit of work to do but yeah, that is my training.
We don't take kindly to that level of overachieving around here...
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Wing/fullback. I was tiny at school, like the smallest 3rd former at Napier Boys High, so was very much in the Grant Batty school of speedy little guy with a big sidestep. Then at 15 I blew out my knee really badly, and that was it for contact sports for me.
@Stockcar86 said in What position did you play?:
Wing/fullback. I was tiny at school, like the smallest 3rd former at Napier Boys High, so was very much in the Grant Batty school of speedy little guy with a big sidestep. Then at 15 I blew out my knee really badly, and that was it for contact sports for me.
:anguished_face:
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As a little kid, I started at halfback because I was the smallest player in the team. A few years later, I was the first to get a growth spurt and managed to convince the coach to move me to the outside backs, because I had quite a bit of pace and I didn't like playing at halfback. I mostly played at fullback, but also on the wing.
Then we moved to the Netherlands and there was no rugby club to find in our area at the time, so I played football, mostly as a striker. I also did a fair bit of ice speed skating in Winter and swimming and road cycling in Summer.
When I was 16, we moved to France, where I started playing rugby again, mostly at fullback or first five. I moved back to the Netherlands to go to Uni, played rugby (fullback & first five) and sevens, even got some interest from national coaches and ... then I made the mistake of going on holiday to England.
In England, an idiot thought it was a good idea to ignore a red light, hit me with his car while I was crossing a street and I ended up in hospital with multiple broken bones, a skull fracture and spinal damage. That took a long time to heal, and I tried getting back into rugby a few years later, but other health problems forced me to abandon rugby completely and take up non-contact sports (which I still do back in NZ).
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@African-Monkey said in What position did you play?:
@nzzp Haha yeah was expecting replies like that. I have no reason to lie about it but it is my training week. My theory on doing well in marathons is that if you can do the distance with ease, then the pace will follow (as well as keeping your weight down). My goal is to do a sub 3 hour marathon. 3 hours 10 is my best time so I still have a bit of work to do but yeah, that is my training.
We don't take kindly to that level of overachieving around here...
@mariner4life Yeah don't worry I cop plenty from workmates, familyand other friends as to how slow I am and why I waste my time doing it haha. I quite enjoy the banter tbh.
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Prop at primary school (fat kid), second five at intermediate (loved playing there, get to do everything, run, pass, kick). Early teens growth spurt, no longer chunky, tall and lanky, and school high jump record holder (wasn't much good at anything else), so moved to lock (no lifting in those days so lineouts were my thing). Didn't like lock much and still enjoyed more running ball in hand so moved myself to 8 when they made me captain. Complete abuse of power.
Enjoyed it there and stayed. Gave up rugby at uni and kinda wish that I hadn't. A few more years would have been good but, life, work, and women got in the way. Looking back I enjoyed the latter more than rugby I guess. No regerts.
Nice that we can now accurately pigeon hole everybody into our preconceived ideas of who they are and where they would have played. The half backs were obvious anyway.
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Prop at primary school (fat kid), second five at intermediate (loved playing there, get to do everything, run, pass, kick). Early teens growth spurt, no longer chunky, tall and lanky, and school high jump record holder (wasn't much good at anything else), so moved to lock (no lifting in those days so lineouts were my thing). Didn't like lock much and still enjoyed more running ball in hand so moved myself to 8 when they made me captain. Complete abuse of power.
Enjoyed it there and stayed. Gave up rugby at uni and kinda wish that I hadn't. A few more years would have been good but, life, work, and women got in the way. Looking back I enjoyed the latter more than rugby I guess. No regerts.
Nice that we can now accurately pigeon hole everybody into our preconceived ideas of who they are and where they would have played. The half backs were obvious anyway.
@Snowy said in What position did you play?:
Didn't like lock much and still enjoyed more running ball in hand so moved myself to 8 when they made me captain. Complete abuse of power.
I always wanted to be an 8.
And I could have been good too, aside from the lack of athleticism, speed, ball skills and mongrel.
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As a little kid, I started at halfback because I was the smallest player in the team. A few years later, I was the first to get a growth spurt and managed to convince the coach to move me to the outside backs, because I had quite a bit of pace and I didn't like playing at halfback. I mostly played at fullback, but also on the wing.
Then we moved to the Netherlands and there was no rugby club to find in our area at the time, so I played football, mostly as a striker. I also did a fair bit of ice speed skating in Winter and swimming and road cycling in Summer.
When I was 16, we moved to France, where I started playing rugby again, mostly at fullback or first five. I moved back to the Netherlands to go to Uni, played rugby (fullback & first five) and sevens, even got some interest from national coaches and ... then I made the mistake of going on holiday to England.
In England, an idiot thought it was a good idea to ignore a red light, hit me with his car while I was crossing a street and I ended up in hospital with multiple broken bones, a skull fracture and spinal damage. That took a long time to heal, and I tried getting back into rugby a few years later, but other health problems forced me to abandon rugby completely and take up non-contact sports (which I still do back in NZ).
@Stargazer whoah!
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As a little kid, I started at halfback because I was the smallest player in the team. A few years later, I was the first to get a growth spurt and managed to convince the coach to move me to the outside backs, because I had quite a bit of pace and I didn't like playing at halfback. I mostly played at fullback, but also on the wing.
Then we moved to the Netherlands and there was no rugby club to find in our area at the time, so I played football, mostly as a striker. I also did a fair bit of ice speed skating in Winter and swimming and road cycling in Summer.
When I was 16, we moved to France, where I started playing rugby again, mostly at fullback or first five. I moved back to the Netherlands to go to Uni, played rugby (fullback & first five) and sevens, even got some interest from national coaches and ... then I made the mistake of going on holiday to England.
In England, an idiot thought it was a good idea to ignore a red light, hit me with his car while I was crossing a street and I ended up in hospital with multiple broken bones, a skull fracture and spinal damage. That took a long time to heal, and I tried getting back into rugby a few years later, but other health problems forced me to abandon rugby completely and take up non-contact sports (which I still do back in NZ).
@Stargazer fuck!
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@MN5 Eight.
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As a little kid, I started at halfback because I was the smallest player in the team. A few years later, I was the first to get a growth spurt and managed to convince the coach to move me to the outside backs, because I had quite a bit of pace and I didn't like playing at halfback. I mostly played at fullback, but also on the wing.
Then we moved to the Netherlands and there was no rugby club to find in our area at the time, so I played football, mostly as a striker. I also did a fair bit of ice speed skating in Winter and swimming and road cycling in Summer.
When I was 16, we moved to France, where I started playing rugby again, mostly at fullback or first five. I moved back to the Netherlands to go to Uni, played rugby (fullback & first five) and sevens, even got some interest from national coaches and ... then I made the mistake of going on holiday to England.
In England, an idiot thought it was a good idea to ignore a red light, hit me with his car while I was crossing a street and I ended up in hospital with multiple broken bones, a skull fracture and spinal damage. That took a long time to heal, and I tried getting back into rugby a few years later, but other health problems forced me to abandon rugby completely and take up non-contact sports (which I still do back in NZ).
@Stargazer Jesus Christ.
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I played one game at 8 for Prem reserves as a warm up back into prems after an injury. I loved it. Halfback was real Angy at me as I kept on 'pick and go-ing'
Rest of time was at lock/halfback/wing
@Hooroo said in What position did you play?:
I played one game at 8 for Prem reserves as a warm up back into prems after an injury. I loved it. Halfback was real Angy at me as I kept on 'pick and go-ing'
Rest of time was at lock/halfback/wing
Natural movement of positions!
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Funny that this thread comes up, and Facebook reminds me it's 9 years today since I played my last competitive game
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Funny that this thread comes up, and Facebook reminds me it's 9 years today since I played my last competitive game
@mariner4life said in What position did you play?:
Funny that this thread comes up, and Facebook reminds me it's 9 years today since I played my last competitive game
Definitely in the 'back in my day' category then
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@mariner4life said in What position did you play?:
Funny that this thread comes up, and Facebook reminds me it's 9 years today since I played my last competitive game
Definitely in the 'back in my day' category then
@Crucial said in What position did you play?:
@mariner4life said in What position did you play?:
Funny that this thread comes up, and Facebook reminds me it's 9 years today since I played my last competitive game
Definitely in the 'back in my day' category then
Definitely
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@Snowy said in What position did you play?:
Didn't like lock much and still enjoyed more running ball in hand so moved myself to 8 when they made me captain. Complete abuse of power.
I always wanted to be an 8.
And I could have been good too, aside from the lack of athleticism, speed, ball skills and mongrel.
