How to get into pro rugby?

[Dizzy]

im 14 6'3 200lbs (muscle under fat) hundred meters 15 seconds, i live in nuneaton near cov and leicester, i can do huge tackles take on 2+ people in the rucks and can maul good to(and of course all the basics passing etc.), i want to know the best way (not the easiest or quickest)to go pro when i leave school at 18, atm i play for my school however soon im going to join a local rugby team

unbelievable! 8|

 

[Dizzy]

So you're taller than almost everyone. You're about 95kilos and you can run faster than almost everyone??. And you play prop??.. I don't believe it.

 

[Peat]

If some one dosent mind, could you tell me the roles of lock ( i know the basics , scrum position, place in the line out)

- Push like a skinny ***** giving birth to a kid with a head like a watermelon at scrumtime. There is some technique to this, but strength and weight are all important.

- Jump and lift at lineout time. Pro locks are expected to do both. At your size and age, you will almost definitley be lifting, on account of the other kids liking their backs. Try and get someone at your club to teach you how to jump though, it does take a bit of practice. In general, jump training is good for your legs.

- Hit rucks. Hit lots and lots and lots of rucks. The problem is, this is essential work, but very rarely appreciated. Get low, hit hard, and pay attention to whether your coach wants you to ruck past the ball or to the ball.

- Carry. Generally, this will be tight carrying. I imagine you're quite used to this.

- Tackle people. Again, generally you will still be in the tight. The position on the field for the locks and the props really aren't much different.

Thats about it. Try not to get sent off too often.

 

[jamiee26]

Don't take Tigers academy as a 'given'. They hold a host of games down at the oval park training ground. If your invited to them, you'll play in full tigers kit against another team in full tigers kit (away or home) and there are around 46 hopefulls there with you. 10 will be chosen for the Academy. It is fast paced stuff, no conversions and 'flexible' rules shall we say. For props, they look for scrummaging and loose play. Adopt this policy, 'if you've not got your hands on the ball, you're not playing well enough'. If you are accepted you will move to leicester and live in a foster home with 4 hours of lessons a day followed by 3 hours of training. It's tough stuff.

Theres no need for a foster home as i only live a few miles away.

 

[jamiee26]

Im not the fastest on my team by along way our winger has a 11.93 second 100 metres time

 

[Jayatron]

Indeed you sound like a big fella. But are you any good at rugby?

By the time I was 18 I had played for my county, had Ulster trials, played 7s for Northern Ireland Cadet team and won a few trophies for my club side, after nailing down a starting place. I've gone to do other things but if you're decent you should have some form on CV.

Another note is that I've always been second row/back row. You, or more importantly your coach, needs decide your position. Then get really super fit, play as well as you can and they'll come to you.

 

[lucky number 7]

Yep if you are going to make it the clubs will come to you at underage level ..after 18 it will be a struggle to make it in rugby so , get putting the work in now ..

 

[jamiee26]

cheers for the advice and answers I really appreciate it, If I ever do make professional rugby I wont forget your help

 

[jamiee26]

I would speak to your school teacher head of P.E or whatever you call it. You should ask him about the county set up and if you have can attend county trials.

Team wise I would pick Nuneaton RFC over Old Ed's, they are a better level and in the same leauge as Preston Grass Hoppers, Loughborough students etc. They are in National Leauge 2 North that is a very good standard. Only just down from the Prem, there first team will be pro or at least semi-pro at a guess. Old Ed's are not far behind and play in Midlands Two East South, they are semi-pro as far as I am aware.

You need to look at clubs and schools that Leicester tigers use for there EDPG.

Have you played any club rugby at all? Tigers Academy will only take players from the EDPG or schools for rugby programme.
I found this on the tigers site, have a look at the Academy stuff on there as well. The age range Tigers are looking at is 14 - 16 this is when clubs are now looking at people.

I would send the below an E-mail and ask all the questions that you have here, including what is the best way to get noticed, as the harsh truth is no matter how good you are unless you are at the right places to get spotted your going to struggle.

If you are looking to join a club then we suggest you contact Jenna Studley, the RFU Rugby Development Officer (RDO) for Leicestershire. Jenna has links with all local clubs and would be able to recommend a club that fits your needs. For further information email [email protected].

Have done and thanks for e-mail

 

[Yorkshire Kiwi]

Mate join a club or see if you can get a scoloship to a rugby six form then same for uni however you could also go to try outs for england and pro team acadamys (thats how i got in all black under 13s)

 

[big ginger 8]

How many countries have u13's it's incredible we don't even get Leinster til u16 and it's on;y like 2 months of summer and not vital to get. Bit unfair the player I was at u13's was **** at u16's I'm actually pretty good.

 

[Saintjay]

Sad as it sounds if looks like if you start hitting 16 - 17 and you have not been noticed or picked up by a good side you are starting to struggle. Watching the Scarlets game from the weekend they had a 17yo starting and a 16yo on the bench.

You need to be at a club if your not played county level that is known by the main regional teams and have a great coaching youth set up. The best example I could give is Northampton Old Scouts who in recent years have produced, Lawes, Cohen and Thompson via the youth set up into the Saints.

 

[jamiee26]

I've started going training every Wednesday and I have played one match for the last 20 mins and I scored a try because some one off loaded to me, I ran through some guy and scored the try, I'm really happy especially as I play Lock

 

[jamiee26]

Sad as it sounds if looks like if you start hitting 16 - 17 and you have not been noticed or picked up by a good side you are starting to struggle. Watching the Scarlets game from the weekend they had a 17yo starting and a 16yo on the bench.

You need to be at a club if your not played county level that is known by the main regional teams and have a great coaching youth set up. The best example I could give is Northampton Old Scouts who in recent years have produced, Lawes, Cohen and Thompson via the youth set up into the Saints.

Yeah I know I've just started a Strength training program called "strong lifts" where you do 5 sets of 5 reps on: Deadlift, squat, Bench press, Barbell row and overhead press, each session you increase the poundage by 5lbs apart from deadlifts which you add 10lbs, This will improve my strength and burn fat. So I guess that will help, I've spent hours passing and catching the ball with my dad and other General rugby stuff hopefully this will increase my chance's so one day I might reach my goal.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I've started going training every Wednesday and I have played one match for the last 20 mins and I scored a try because some one off loaded to me, I ran through some guy and scored the try, I'm really happy especially as I play Lock

Nice one

 

[jamiee26]

Nice one

cheers

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Sad as it sounds if looks like if you start hitting 16 - 17 and you have not been noticed or picked up by a good side you are starting to struggle. Watching the Scarlets game from the weekend they had a 17yo starting and a 16yo on the bench.

Did anyone read Stephen Jones' (The other Stephen Jones) article about youth rugby in Rugby World a few of months ago? (I believe it had Mike Phillips or Mike Tindall on the cover, region dependent) It basically pointed out that anything bellow u20s is useless when it comes to finding future internationals. Apparently, only 5 of the players in England's 55-man squad played for an age-group side apart from u16s at any kind of Representative level. It basically pointed out how much pressure modern players are under, and that it's actually not as hard as they make out to find yourself playing for England, Wales, or whoever in a few years time.

 

[Saintjay]

I've started going training every Wednesday and I have played one match for the last 20 mins and I scored a try because some one off loaded to me, I ran through some guy and scored the try, I'm really happy especially as I play Lock

Nice one fella, keep at it, work hard and all that

 

[big ginger 8]

Well done just got told out of the blue that I'm down for some Leinster thing next Thursday.

 

[lucky number 7]

Well done just got told out of the blue that I'm down for some Leinster thing next Thursday.

Well done.
I would also like to congratulate you on ceasing to be an idiot on this webpage , your posts are now always worth reading and contain good sense and reason ...Have some internets points