What position did/do you play?

[Scoey]

I discovered Rugby late. Always played individual sports growing up (squash and golf mainly). A family friend would often ask when I was coming down to the Rugby club for a run, to which I would always laugh off as a big joke.

Not sure why, but one day I did go down there for training. I'm 6'6" and at the time about 110kg. Pretty sure I could hear the whispered words 'second' and 'rower' a few times as I walked form the car park to the club house. It was never really going to go any other way and to be honest there are no real spots on the field that really interest me more than lock. I did play a few games at 8 covering for an injury for a few weeks and really enjoyed it but a few weeks was probably enough. Any longer and my glaring lack of ability at this position wouldn't have been excused/tolerated so back into lock I went.

Love it. I feel most comfortable in a scrum or a ruck and always went well jumping in the front pod of the line out.

This thread has put a few things into perspective for me though. The main one being why there are so many 'experts' on what constitutes a good lock. Fucking props man, if they knew as much about their own position as they do about locking they'd be going all right.

Great thread!

 

[Mr Doug]

Coming from a family of swimmers, and tennis players, I turned up to the first day of training for the Quirindi High School's 7 stone 7lbs Rugby League team. The coach asked every student "what position would you like to play"? I had only heard of wing, so I said "wing"!
Two years later, I was sent off as a boarder to Sydney Grammar School. I decided that, as I hadn't played Rugby Union, I shouldn't turn up to train with the 14 A's and B's, so went to the C's and D's training group. I ended playing for the 14 G's and F's!! In my last year at Grammar, I played 5/8 for the "Gents A" team (officially the 9ths), which was comprised of players who were 'allergic to training'!
We ended the season undefeated, on the way, beating "Joeys" 42-0, (when every boarder scored a try). BTW, one of our "rules" was that every try scorer had to convert his own try)! I felt sorry for the Joeys guys having to "please explain" at Monday's school assembly, because every other Joeys team had won on Saturday!!
Between 1967 and 1978, I played second row (lock) for the Quirindi RUFC's reserve-grade team. This often meant enduring a 3-hour bus trip to Moree, a 4-hour bus trip to Inverell, or chartering a Cessna with 2 or 3 other players to get us to a match on time, because we worked in retailing, on Saturday mornings!
They were great years, and after landing awkwardly in a lineout, and tearing my ankle ligaments at the age of 30, I felt that it was time to retire!
I spent 11 years on the QRUFC committee, and was Secretary when Allan Jones was our First Grade coach!

May I say that this is a great thread, giving us all an insight as to the "highs", or "lows" that our members achieved during their on-field careers!!

 

[oztimmay]

Ageing old prop/hooker that could play 1,2 and 3 fairly comfortably. Was always better at 1 and played the majority of my career there. Back in juniors I did play number 8 a few times and was even spotted at half back for a sevens tournament. Occasional seagull out on the wing.

 

[fatprop]

Backrower to short lock, grew shoulders and moved to prop, usually TH, until refs started wanting me not to drop my outside elbow and drive the LH into the ground/split him from his hooker - always rather harsh I thought

 

[Almost 2 old]

Always played up front & not because I had to. I played there because I wanted too. Found rugby in 3rd form when dad sent me to a rugby school & a coach who was a Wallaby # 3 , 7 years previously ,thought I was a likely suspect for it and he was right. Have played every year since. Prefer to play 2 but don't really care if it,s 1 or 3. Just like every one else I have all the aches,pains,missing teeth,scars,missing ligaments, permanent stiff neck and inability to play tennis or golf but would do it ALL again. I stopped playing 1's about 8 seasons ago , but, 3 seasons ago I got to play 65 minutes of 1st grade with my son beside me @ # 3 so I will die a satisfied tragic. It was the greatest highlight of my rugby life. First senior game was in 1978 in the school holidays for Tumut Harliquins vs Rivcol Reddies at the Southcampus in Wagga.

 

[TSR]

Played mostly 2 + some flanker and some prop. Still playing - getting ready to play my 23rd year of senior rugby - my last 21 at the same club. I also coach and last year coached my first a grade player who wasn't born when I started playing for the club.

 

[Marcelo]

I was an utility back all my life. I played at scrummie, first five, centre, wing and fullback.

I said that was too good and I could play in all positions. My teammates said that I was so bad I couldn't find a position

Way too many fatties around here.

After being a fullback at school I went on to earn the prestigious title of fattest/slowest winger in Subbies. Played 10 last year but now enjoying semi retirement.

We are surrounded by props, paradoxically it's the position where the Wallabies have less depth

 

[The torpedo]

Bump - spent most of my playing days in the second row, but have played every position in the forwards and even on the wing in my last year (because of a lack of said wingers)

 

[Rebels3]

Depends on the grade i was playing. Utility back in prems, but grew up playing mostly 12. Played a fair few games at 10 and 15 and even some 9. Never rated myself at 10 as my game wasn't balanced enough between risk and reward, hence at 12. Now i'm older i generally play 15. Excellent lower division touch football bully now. Played some league as well at 6 and left edge centre. Kicked sticks but not the greatest

 

[zer0]

Fullback ubermensch, originally. Sometimes had to sully myself by stooping to the wing. However an ALC injury meant I largely became the defensive utility covering 6/7 and 11-15. Stopped after high school due to said ACL injury.

Threatened to come out of retirement the following year as injury cover for the U20 club team where most of my fellow 1st XVers ended up. Fortunately the guys I was covering were deemed fit enough to play, and I was spared being murdered by South Auckland's biggest, meanest U20's bros.

End of next season will mark a decade since I last played. It sucks.

 

[Pfitzy]

Doesn't suck as much as playing on a decade too long. Particularly at prop. Particularly when its 2 games.

 

[Kooka Ranger]

Started at prop for the mighty 13bs by 15 much to my disgust got put into lock and back to bs and there I stayed. Finished my career lacklustre career at no 8 and every I game I thought how good is this

 

[half]

soccer until 11, league as a half from 11 to 17, then played both union and league as a half to 23, union and soccer for a year, then career kinda took over and then expat posts.

At 20 I was 5' 4" and 10 stone, very light.

In NZ at 31 played half in a union comp and a bit of soccer,

Playing career finished 37 ..

Always played as a half, never stopped talking on the field, greatest skill was kicking and yelling at lazy pigs. Weakest part was tackling, greatest asset was speed I was very very very fast could run all day, and by most standards had an excellent kicking game

 

[mexiwi]

I played as a junior in NZ (in bare feet in those days) but then got into swimming and then water polo as a teenager and into my 20's.

I went to Hamilton Boys High School, so rugby was prime, played a few games at lock for the 4th XV in 6th form.

My Dad played provincial rugby in his prime as a #8, played the 1965 Springboks for a combined West Coast/Buller team. I have a program somewhere signed by the majority of the team.

 

[Proud Pig]

As my name very proudly displays I was a prop, loose head principally. On occasion I did slip back to 8 as I had reasonable handling skills for a big bloke. I also have a relatively low centre of gravity given I am 6' 2" so that helped in both positions. My playing days however are well and truly in the dim dark past.
My greatest strength as a player was my complete disdain for backs and in particular wingers with their pretty hair and manicured nails. There is no better sight in the game than when a ruck disperses leaving behind a crumpled winger just twitching slightly on the ground and croaking "Mummy". Oh, I am feeling all nostalgic.

 

[Froggy]

In primary school and early high school a bit of wing, then breakaway pretty much for the rest of my career, through high school and a number of country clubs. Too small for the rest of the forwards, too slow for the outside backs, not clever enough for the inside backs.
Was fit and could tackle, so ends my entire skill set!

 

[Jon]

preferred 12, played some 13 & 9 as well. Also on the wings when i was told to or after subs/injuries. No particular side though, just wherever i was told to go.

Hilariously I also started one game as BSF and after about 6 mins got knocked TF out because i stupidly put my head in the wrong spot at a ruck & was apparently the subject (IMO victim ) of the most perfect cleanout anyone in the club had seen. Either way, was lights out for me!

 

[p.Tah]

Came from League. Outside back. 10.6 for 100m. Relied on my pace too much in Union and didn't have a well rounded game because of it. Wasn't until I was older and the pace left that I actually became a rugby player and not just a finisher/kicker/tackler.

 

[2bluesfan]

10.6 for 100m.

Seriously quick.

 

[p.Tah]

Seriously quick.

Perhaps it's the old issue of the older I get the faster I was. I'm probably forgetting something like a +6m/s tailwind