Is 5'7 too short to be a flanker? Also need some training advice

[Noneedtobeupset]

I am 5'7 150lbs, and i play open side flanker in my rugby team. My team isnt at a high level or anything or to the standard most of the rugby guys in this forum play, but i still want to be able to hold my own. I've looked at the rugby thread but i cant seem to find any training specifically geared towards flankers, and i dont really want to go through hundreds of pages of the thread to find it.

Stuff that will make me fitter (not long distance, but constant sprinting you have to do in the game), stuff that will make me more explosive in tackling and such, and a decent lifting routine. Thanks!

[Adrians01]

From my days of playing rugby, our coach used to make us do a lot of burpies. It was supposed to help us so after we made a tackle, we could get back to our feet, get over the ball and rob it from the ruck, which is incredibly important for playing 7. It was also great for fitness in general. I'd say for acceleration and explosiveness, throw in some hill sprints. I used to play centre and that was the best thing I used to do for sprinting. Do plenty of core work as well. It'll help reduce injuries and help you withstand hits a bit better.

Check out the rugby section on this site. It has great tips on the compound movements to do as well as plyometric training.

[SDOptimist]

I am 5'7 150lbs, and i play open side flanker in my rugby team. My team isnt at a high level or anything or to the standard most of the rugby guys in this forum play, but i still want to be able to hold my own. I've looked at the rugby thread but i cant seem to find any training specifically geared towards flankers, and i dont really want to go through hundreds of pages of the thread to find it.

Stuff that will make me fitter (not long distance, but constant sprinting you have to do in the game), stuff that will make me more explosive in tackling and such, and a decent lifting routine. Thanks!

this is what I dont get about questions like this, regardless of whatever sport. So, if you ask that question about if you are too short to play this or play that, and people so yes, you are too short. Does that mean you just are going to give up and not play? lol

[brownj12]

I am 5'7 150lbs, and i play open side flanker in my rugby team. My team isnt at a high level or anything or to the standard most of the rugby guys in this forum play, but i still want to be able to hold my own. I've looked at the rugby thread but i cant seem to find any training specifically geared towards flankers, and i dont really want to go through hundreds of pages of the thread to find it.

Stuff that will make me fitter (not long distance, but constant sprinting you have to do in the game), stuff that will make me more explosive in tackling and such, and a decent lifting routine. Thanks!

Before reading anything else the real answer is that you are only too short if your coach says you are. He sets the game plan and team strategy, if he needs a tall flanker than you are out of luck. If not than you are tall enough.

Playing in the US outside of Competitive D-1 sides and Super league your height should not be an issue. THe only concern I would have is if you have some one else (4,5,6 or 8) who is tall and light enough to jump. Many lower level US clubs jump flankers because their Locks are too heavy. As long as you have the height at other positions so that your height is not effecting line outs you should be fine. I would recommend lining up on the side line (blind side typical position) rather than in the middle of the field (open side typical position) on kick offs to prevent the other team from exploiting your lack of height by putting a high ball to you.

Playing 7 you need to be fit, quick to your feet after tackle, and quick to the break down (offensively and defensively). In the gym, pick a simple program for athletes (WS4SB, 5x5 etc) and add in some Olympic lifts and Plyometrics. For conditioning do as much rugby specific work as you can, if you have people with you any drill where you run then ruck/tackle, run back then ruck/ tackle and repeat will be very beneficial. If you are by your self try something like run 10 meters, do a burpee, run back, do a burpee, run back again burpee, and repeat for sets of 8-10. One of my favorite drills on my own is to download the beep test (either find the audio or if you have a smart phone there are apps). set up two cones 15m apart, run like it is a regular beep test but one you reach the other cone drop to the ground and hold a plank until it is time to run again.

As a #7 the three most important things you can go are Tackle, Jackle (poach), and ruck. The biggest people have doing all three of these are staying low, your height will give you an advantage, keep your work rate high and you will get/keep a spot on the starting side.

[NewbieX2]

this is what I dont get about questions like this, regardless of whatever sport. So, if you ask that question about if you are too short to play this or play that, and people so yes, you are too short. Does that mean you just are going to give up and not play? lol

So if you got put at defensive end in high school at 5'9 and you wanted to play in college, you'd continue to play DE even though there's no chance you'd play it at the next level? Yeah, sounds smart.

There's such a thing as a "better option". Not everyone can play every position.

[SDOptimist]

So if you got put at defensive end in high school at 5'9 and you wanted to play in college, you'd continue to play DE even though there's no chance you'd play it at the next level? Yeah, sounds smart.

There's such a thing as a "better option". Not everyone can play every position.

Coaches will move you around the position THEY feel that is best for you. So yes, you can play DE in HS and still play in college 5'9. You just would be playing a different position in college. That happens a lot when you transition to the next level. Believe it or not, but you dont always get recruited for the position you are playing. Ive seen it countless of times where a kid will play one position in HS and the college coach who is recruiting him will have a different position in mind for him. They are recruiting him for his abilities and potential. Not his position. So back to your example you were pretty confident about...ya a kid could play DE at 5'9 in HS and get a scholarship. The reason for that is because the coaches are recruiting HIM and his abilities...not his position. And then once he gets to that college, he will be placed in the position the coaches recruited him for. Recruiting isnt as straightforward as you think.

TCU for example. The head coach every year recruits and signs a bunch of athletic runningback. He then converts them to other positions. Remember Jerry Hughes? the first round pick to the colts a couple years ago. He is a 6'2 255 DE/OLB. He play RB in high school. He wanted to play RB in college and was getting recruited to play RB in college. But TCU recruited him as a DE. Theres a lot about recruiting and college sports that outsiders just don't really know.

But thats not what I am talking about. I am not talking about switching positions. I am talking about someone asking if they are too short to play a sport. Why ask that? If you want to play the sport, then play it. Dont let someone else tell you that you cant play a sport. If a person comes on here and asks if they are too small to play football and a poster says "Yes". Is that kids just going to give up and not play?

[NewbieX2]

Coaches will move you around the position THEY feel that is best for you. So yes, you can play DE in HS and still play in college 5'9. You just would be playing a different position in college. That happens a lot when you transition to the next level. Believe it or not, but you dont always get recruited for the position you are playing. Ive seen it countless of times where a kid will play one position in HS and the college coach who is recruiting him will have a different position in mind for him. They are recruiting him for his abilities and potential. Not his position. So back to your example you were pretty confident about...ya a kid could play DE at 5'9 in HS and get a scholarship. The reason for that is because the coaches are recruiting HIM and his abilities...not his position. And then once he gets to that college, he will be placed in the position the coaches recruited him for. Recruiting isnt as straightforward as you think.

TCU for example. The head coach every year recruits and signs a bunch of athletic runningback. He then converts them to other positions. Remember Jerry Hughes? the first round pick to the colts a couple years ago. He is a 6'2 255 DE/OLB. He play RB in high school. He wanted to play RB in college and was getting recruited to play RB in college. But TCU recruited him as a DE. Theres a lot about recruiting and college sports that outsiders just don't really know.

But thats not what I am talking about. I am not talking about switching positions. I am talking about someone asking if they are too short to play a sport. Why ask that? If you want to play the sport, then play it. Dont let someone else tell you that you cant play a sport. If a person comes on here and asks if they are too small to play football and a poster says "Yes". Is that kids just going to give up and not play?

I think you missed the part where I said "There's such thing as a better option." Also, I'm pretty unfamiliar with the terminology but I took this thread to be asking if he's too short to play a certain position, not a sport, so what you're talking about might not even be relevant.

[SDOptimist]

I think you missed the part where I said "There's such thing as a better option." Also, I'm pretty unfamiliar with the terminology but I took this thread to be asking if he's too short to play a certain position, not a sport, so what you're talking about might not even be relevant.

I know he was talking about switching positions. And what I said is very relevant.

Play the position sport you think you will have fun playing and do best at. You are going to hate the sport if you play a position you don't enjoy and you are going to have no motivation to get better.

if you think there is another position that may fit your size better and you will enjoy playing and think you can be just as successful at, then changing might be a good idea. But thats YOUR decision. Dont let another person tell you that you cant play a position or cant play a sport because of your size. Thats all I am trying to say. You have no idea how many nfl players there are out there who were undersized as a high schooler and told they were to small to play or be a good player. The same goes for mlb players, nba players, soccer players and any athlete of any sport.