So I coach one of my boys' teams. The Under 10 one, so this is the first year of almost full field and with contested scrums and lineouts etc.
I was wary (and nervous to be frank) about getting kids to play in the front row and how their parents might react etc. We don't have a big team by any stretch of the imagination. We have one boy who is 'rounder' than the others, so he is an obvious prop. No one else stands out.
I was giving a bit of a brief to the parents at the first training, however, just basically explaining the scrums are more serious this year and that, as a former prop, I will be very aware of who I pick to play there and ensuring they are up to it etc. Anyway a couple of dad's came up to me afterwards and said thanks and that they expected to their lad to be a prop anyway. One was the aforementioned rounder lad, the other was a more unassuming lad. By no means big, but not tiny Not tall, but not short. So I was surprised, but if a parent is ok with it I am ok with it.
We had a really good first scrummaging session on Friday night, with these two lads at prop (and another rookie at hooker) and I was really happy with how we looked etc.
Anyway, it gets to our first game on Sunday morning, just a trial match. We play well, and I'm really happy with how its all going. Anyway, this other/surprise prop is having a break on the sideline and I am getting him ready to go back on. It's a trial, and I want to give everyone a chance, so I ask him if he'd like to have a go at Number 8 at all. And he says "no thanks coach, I'd like go back to prop please".
How good is that!
He has now surpassed my son as my favourite player in the team.
