Starting out playing rugby - too small/light?

[Ph1ly]

First of all, hello to everyone!

I had a good look around the forum before posting this but of course there is a chance i could have missed a previous thread. But anyway...

I grew up in QLD (Australia), and always liked rugby, but when i was young, my parents wouldn't let me play because they were i worried i would get smashed - so instead i did soccer and swimming. Anyway to the point: i want to play rugby now but am worried i am too small and will just get crushed by slow big guys.

I'm currently 6 foot 1 (186cm) and weigh about 78-80kg. But the thing is, i really don't look 80kg, i look really thin (broad shoulders, thin waist - like a swimmers body ). Alot of my mates look much more solid than me but weigh less...kinda strange. I'm quite quick and agile, have good hand - eye coordination. I could probably also learn to kick (because of years playing soccer).

I've seen a few local club games of rugby but its like a slow motion picture. Lots of big guys slowly bashing into each other - this is why i was thinking sevens or league.

My plan at the moment is too:
- play touch over summer/christmas to get a feel for the ball and get some practice in
- join a rugby sevens club in early winter
- Meanwhile learn to tackle properly and work out fairly regularly

I figure rugby sevens would probably suit me better because i'm fit, quick and there's less chance of being killed. Whats everyone's thoughts? Am i just kidding myself - ie. going to get the s**t kicked out of me?

Thanks

Phil

P.S. please no "eat more" comments - i eat more than pretty much everyone i know - doesn't do anything. <_<

 

[markshaw]

Bro you will be fine just be agressive, if you dont be agreesive out there then you will get *****ed!

 

[formerlyfastwing]

it's not the size of the dog in the fight it's the size of the fight in the dog.

 

[Butterytingz]

Play rugby union! Rugby is actually the only sport for people or all shapes and sizes. I'm actually taller and lighter then you and if you know what a scrum half is then you should know there are guys much more vulnerable to being man handled on the pitch then you ever will be. The thing most people don't understand about rugby is it isn't as brutal or violent as it appears. No body is out there trying to hurt their opponents and once you play your first match and get tackled you will laugh at your concerns that you have now. Rugby is an amazingly fun sport and you should play it if you have the chance.

 

[Bataz]

You are not too small to play Rugby mate. Anybody can play, it just depends on your ability and skill as to what level you will fit in at. Really small guys can play at a high level if they are highly skilled. However don't be under any illusions that Rugby isn't a hard sport. In my opinion there will be people out there who will want to inflict as much damage as possible, hence the frequently shouted term "SMASH HIM!". I myself have gone into games wanting to hit my opposite number as hard as possible so that he loses his bottle and doesn't have an impact on the game. This is just my opinion and wanted to give you an honest account instead of a rose tinted view of the game.

 

[McTallshort]

Bro you will be fine just be agressive, if you dont be agreesive out there then you will get *****ed!

Never a truer word spoken! I know how you feel mate Im 6' and have a very light frame but have managed to play flanker/2nd row for many years and am now playing vets (think bigger slower lumps) I work hard on my lineout always putting my hand up to jump anywhere in the line and nearly always get higher than the lump jumping next to me and I always make sure im fit and can get to the breakdown first. One thing you should remember is that although you may think you are a lanky bean pole with tin ribs but I bet your opposite number doesnt have such a low opinion of you unless he is a ultra confident ex international....which he wont be, he is likely to be a slighty over weight bloke who worries he isnt fit enough and isnt looking forward to trying to keep up with his athletic looking opposite number.....

 

[lucky number 7]

Nobody is ever too small to play rugby really ..as said by many others size of the fight in the dog not the size of the dog in the fight.

 

[cardassian]

playing touch to get your handling skills up is an excellent idea, will definitely help in that area as will 7s.
However I'd also start playing 15 a side next season if I was you, it's heaps of fun and you'll be fine as long as you play hard.
As a big slow lump myself, I can tell you that the hardest people to smash are the ones that are fast with a good step, as us big lumps are a bit on the slow side.
Out of interest what position are you thinking of playing?

 

[Bataz]

which he wont be, he is likely to be a slighty over weight bloke who worries he isnt fit enough and isnt looking forward to trying to keep up with his athletic looking opposite number.....

Most definatley true!

 

[Ph1ly]

Out of interest what position are you thinking of playing?

Thanks all for the replies. Will almost certainly go and join up. I was thinking 7's more because i live in Victoria and its probably one of the more common types (especially at uni level). Not really sure what position i would play....probably end up being wing or fullback?

The whole tackling thing doesn't bother me but as someone said above - people are out there to K.O you which does worry me a bit - 7's seems to have a smaller risk of that mainly because there appears to be less chance of being blind sited.

But then again i guess i won't really know till i get out there and find out

 

[IslandPower]

Play rugby union! Rugby is actually the only sport for people or all shapes and sizes. I'm actually taller and lighter then you and if you know what a scrum half is then you should know there are guys much more vulnerable to being man handled on the pitch then you ever will be. The thing most people don't understand about rugby is it isn't as brutal or violent as it appears. No body is out there trying to hurt their opponents and once you play your first match and get tackled you will laugh at your concerns that you have now. Rugby is an amazingly fun sport and you should play it if you have the chance.

You obviously havent played rugby in Samoa then.......... well kidding but..........


But OP nothing wrong at all with your size, how heavy is Gio Alpion who plays for the spring bokks? Hes much shorter than you but around the same weight.

In rugby league matt bowen and a lot of others weight around the same.

When I heard am I too small for rugby i was thinking much lower numbers than 6.1 and 78-80 kg, thats bigger than some pro rugby players mate.

Its not all about size, more about skill, and technique, body positioning.

I remember my 5.9 76 kg 16 year old brother sitting my ramapaging 6.4 128 kg + cousin flat on his butt when my cousin ran the ball right at him. And my cousin wasnt a fat oaf, but very fast and agile for his size, most of it being muscle.
'
If you are concerned about playing with bigger players maybe look for an under 85kg league? Do they have those in australia?

 

[james5000]

LOL (P.S. please no "eat more" comments - i eat more than pretty much everyone i know - doesn't do anything. <_<)

EAT MORE!!!!!!

I bet everyone you know is skinnier than you LOL
Just compare your diet to that of a bodybuilder and see if your eating plenty.
Its a myth that skinny people can stay lean and consistently eat F@#kloads.
If your skinny and think you eat heaps your either delusional, kidding yourself or you don't know what heaps of food looks like.

But as many people have said tenacity and aggression can often make up for a lack of size in Rugby, so you don't necessarily have to put on weight to play well.

 

[lucky number 7]

LOL (P.S. please no "eat more" comments - i eat more than pretty much everyone i know - doesn't do anything. <_<)

EAT MORE!!!!!!

I bet everyone you know is skinnier than you LOL
Just compare your diet to that of a bodybuilder and see if your eating plenty.
Its a myth that skinny people can stay lean and consistently eat F@#kloads.
If your skinny and think you eat heaps your either delusional, kidding yourself or you don't know what heaps of food looks like.

But as many people have said tenacity and aggression can often make up for a lack of size in Rugby, so you don't necessarily have to put on weight to play well.

Yes because people having a different speed of metabolism is complete boloix ....and not actually a scientific fact.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I eat a lot and gain nothing

NOTHING


Well, not true, I have gained about a stone in the past year, but it's been bloody hard work - I need to eat about 3500 cals to maintain my weight, 4000+ to put anything on

 

[big ginger 8]

I gain and lose weight easily but as I gain weight that bit faster I'm constantly gainig weight. Does help that I'm still growing.

 

[james5000]

Obviously some people find it easier to gain weight, that is determined by genetics and metabolism.The thing is that everyone will grow if they consistently eat more than maintenance and that's a scientific fact. The only debate we can have is what constitutes f@$kloads, and IMO skinny people don't know what f@$kloads is. If anyone ate what i consider f@#kloads they would gain weight!!!

Oh and Olly your similar to me I'm bout 88-90kgs, I maintain between 3000-4000 cals. If i eat 4000-4500 consistently i usually put on a pound every 1-2weeks. I tend to put on weight a lot easier when I've been bulking for a while lol, my metabolism must slow down.

 

[lucky number 7]

Obviously some people find it easier to gain weight, that is determined by genetics and metabolism.The thing is that everyone will grow if they consistantly eat more than maintenance and thats a scientific fact. The only debate we can have is what constitutes f@$kloads, and IMO skinny people don't know what f@$kloads is. If anyone ate what i consider f@#kloads they would gain weight!!!

I have a mate who was taking in around 5000 calories a day...gained nothing ...he did eat ****loads but to no avail...had he ate more however I am sure he would have put on a bit but probably not the correct kind of weight.

 

[james5000]

I have a mate who was taking in around 5000 calories a day...gained nothing ...he did eat ****loads but to no avail...had he ate more however I am sure he would have put on a bit but probably not the correct kind of weight.

Was he really consistent? A lot of people miss meals and think it wont make a difference, its like a person trying to lose weight and having a cheat meal and complaining why they didn't lose weight.

5000 Calories should be sufficient for 90% of people to gain some weight, but some people have to eat even more than that (usually they are huge monsters not skinny people).

If he hit the gym and lifted heavy with good intensity in the gym he would put on some quality mass (with some fat of course).

A lot of top level bodybuilders eat 10000cals + every day when they're gaining in the off season.

 

[peks89]

james is right..if ur skinny the only way to get big is hit the gym..no use sitting arouund all day eating...gotta get big the muscle way..