[2018 Six Nations] England Squad

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

He was. Big effort for him to put on some serious muscle, and a fair amount of time learning the hooking trade before he made it.

And even then his lineouts have never been quite right.

 

[RugbyMarvel]

And even then his lineouts have never been quite right.

Never perfect. Love the bloke though. Hard as nails, never takes a step back. If I was in a bar fight, you’d want him as a mate on your shoulder. Met him once after a Sale game vs Tigs, he was one of the most pleasant men I’ve met

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Anyone else of note do it to your knowledge?

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Anyone else of note do it to your knowledge?

Beaumont switched from 10 to 8 to, now, lock.
Thacker went from 10(?) to hooker.
On the flip side, North and Yarde both used to be 7s before switching to wing.
There are tons of examples; it's a lot more common than you'd think.

 

[RugbyMarvel]

Anyone else of note do it to your knowledge?

I think Harry Thacker may have converted early ,as did Simmonds (wasn’t cutting it as a centre at age grade level).

What i can safely say is, that it is hugely rare for a professional player to play high level rugby in the backs or forwards, convert, and play high level rugby in the other.

Any change is often made early on.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Beaumont switched from 10 to 8 to, now, lock.
Thacker went from 10(?) to hooker.
On the flip side, North and Yarde both used to be 7s before switching to wing.
It's a lot more common than you'd think.

I wonder if it had something to do with Yarde's innability to tackle haha

 

[EDT]

I think Harry Thacker may have converted early ,as did Simmonds (wasn’t cutting it as a centre at age grade level).

What i can safely say is, that it is hugely rare for a professional player to play high level rugby in the backs or forwards, convert, and play high level rugby in the other.

Any change is often made early on.

Is it rare, because few of them try? As we have already seen on this thread, many do earlier in their rugby careers.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I wonder if it had something to do with Yarde's innability to tackle haha

"I actually chose to play 7, but they realised I wasn't hitting any rucks so they thought I should be on the wing."
I imagine tackling had quite a bit to do with it as well though.

 

[Which Tyler]

Anyone else of note do it to your knowledge?

There's quite a few, usually switching at age-grade, or coming to the sport late (from 7s or league).
None end up interchangeable between the two positions; Farrell Snr and Burgess are probably the two closest to doing so, and neither was actually interchangeable.

I can't think of any player who successfully switched between backs and forwards after earning a full-time contract (the newcomers all tend to have found their niche by the end of their first season)

 

[RugbyMarvel]

Beaumont switched from 10 to 8 to, now, lock.
Thacker went from 10(?) to hooker.
On the flip side, North and Yarde both used to be 7s before switching to wing.
There are tons of examples; it's a lot more common than you'd think.

Both age grade conversions. Had no idea Yarde had been a 7

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Both age grade conversions. Had no idea Yarde had been a 7

Beaumont was while at Uni wasn't it?

 

[EDT]

There's quite a few, usually switching at age-grade, or coming to the sport late (from 7s or league).
None end up interchangeable between the two positions; Farrell Snr and Burgess are probably the two closest to doing so, and neither was actually interchangeable.

I can't think of any player who successfully switched between backs and forwards after earning a full-time contract (the newcomers all tend to have found their niche by the end of their first season)

Have any too your knowledge tried to though?

 

[RugbyMarvel]

Both age grade conversions. Had no idea Yarde had been a 7

Beaumont was while at Uni wasn't it?

No I think he was a lock at Durham. He cane straight to Sale post Uni and certaintly wasn’t a fly half shaped man

 

[RugbyMarvel]

No I think he was a lock at Durham. He cane straight to Sale post Uni and certaintly wasn’t a fly half shaped man

He converted into forwards at 17

 

[EDT]

He converted into forwards at 17

He must be a very special player to be able to do so at such a late age.

 

[TheSaffycen]

I'm pretty sure Bakkies Botha was a 10 when he was a youngster in South Africa!
On the subject of changing positions, I don't think you'd be able to switch between both. The physical change would be the biggest issue, unless Basteraud became a proper. He'd have to lose a little weight but it could work....

 

[RugbyMarvel]

I'm pretty sure Bakkies Botha was a 10 when he was a youngster in South Africa!
On the subject of changing positions, I don't think you'd be able to switch between both. The physical change would be the biggest issue, unless Basteraud became a proper. He'd have to lose a little weight but it could work....

Really? I had no idea! What a man.

 

[EDT]

Really? I had no idea! What a man.

It certainly has been a most thought provoking discussion this evening. Thank you.

 

[curtbob7]

Oddly, Tom Youngs comes to mind... A centre at the begging of his career i believe

Yep, he was.

 

[curtbob7]

Brad Barritt plays centre and backrow doesn't he?