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Rugby Union
Premiership Rugby / Premiership Cup
Should players play out of position?
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<blockquote data-quote="Vieux Talonneur" data-source="post: 912235" data-attributes="member: 73144"><p>I think we're sometimes far too quick to pigeon hole players in a particular position before their skill sets become fully apparent. </p><p></p><p>Everyone has their "best" position, but sometimes as with Faz team needs have to be put before player preferences. So if its best for the team then yes they should play elsewhere. Leonard did it at THP for the Lions against NZ, nowadays props squeal if asked to contemplate covering the other side.</p><p></p><p> And that best position could change over time anyway as a player fills out or slows down. Rodber was a good example when he switched from back row to lock and was one of the best in the world alongside Johnno for a year or two. Sheridan toured with Eng as a back 5 player before converting pretty successfully to LHP. The first 4 years of Mendez's international career were spent at LHP before converting to hooker and he did OK.</p><p></p><p> Behind the scrum it's probably easier. Ashley-Cooper regularly switched between centre, wing and FB and he didn't have a bad career. Ditto Ben Smith. Parra, Michalak and Laidlaw have all regularly done a job in both HB positions - are there any Englishmen who could do that? Even if you're much better at one than the other as those all were, you'll still gain a much better understanding of the pressures of the other position, which can only help your game.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Vieux Talonneur, post: 912235, member: 73144"] I think we’re sometimes far too quick to pigeon hole players in a particular position before their skill sets become fully apparent. Everyone has their “best” position, but sometimes as with Faz team needs have to be put before player preferences. So if its best for the team then yes they should play elsewhere. Leonard did it at THP for the Lions against NZ, nowadays props squeal if asked to contemplate covering the other side. And that best position could change over time anyway as a player fills out or slows down. Rodber was a good example when he switched from back row to lock and was one of the best in the world alongside Johnno for a year or two. Sheridan toured with Eng as a back 5 player before converting pretty successfully to LHP. The first 4 years of Mendez’s international career were spent at LHP before converting to hooker and he did OK. Behind the scrum it’s probably easier. Ashley-Cooper regularly switched between centre, wing and FB and he didn’t have a bad career. Ditto Ben Smith. Parra, Michalak and Laidlaw have all regularly done a job in both HB positions - are there any Englishmen who could do that? Even if you’re much better at one than the other as those all were, you’ll still gain a much better understanding of the pressures of the other position, which can only help your game. [/QUOTE]
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Rugby Union
Premiership Rugby / Premiership Cup
Should players play out of position?
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