If you could play any position...

Now, most of us here will have played rugby, and would have probably experienced a few positions in their time, my question is, through experience or just watching, what position would you most like to play (regardless of ability in that role)?

For me, a prop, I can say that I'd love to play inside centre, and often find myself hanging around that channel in a game (not exactly a good thing but still, it's fun). I wouldn't mind another crack at 6 or 8 either.

How about you?

As a 9/wing, I'd love nothing more than to play 6.

Maybe it's little man syndrome but the best part of the game in my eyes is tackling and ground work!

At 6 you're constantly involved in the game, but don't have to worry too much about set pieces or backs moves, just be ready to tackle anything that moves. Perfect.

As a blindside flanker, I'd love to play fullback. I have actually played there, on a tour match after a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award 5 day walk. The backs refused to play because they were too tired and battered, so we played our first match (after approximately no hours sleep...) against some Borders side with a team of forwards. I conceded 3 tries to a chip and chase tactic when their wingers realised I was yards slower than them and wasn't sure how to position for kicks, and was naff at kicking. Then I gave away a penalty try and a card for tackling their winger off the ball when he tried it again. Oops. Love to play their properly!

I've played pretty much every position aside from halfbacks and midfield. Started off my first few years in the front row, then went though a growth spurt and moved to the 2nd row for a few more years. Everyone caught up and I started getting faster (doing athletics in the summer), so I moved to wing forward for a fair number of years. In my mid-late teens I got left behind in the height stakes but got much faster so moved to the wing & FB, where I've played most rugby.

Overall I'd probably say I enjoyed being a flanker best, openside shading blindside, and that's where I'd most like to have my time again.

well i played at 8 when at school, then open side flanker in my first stint at senior club rugby, was then asked to play loose head, which I in fact enjoyed a lot. when they wanted me to get serious about the whole thing (summer program to bulk up) for promotion to the first team I refused.

At that stage there was no professional rugby, so I played for enjoyment, we had training twice a week and played on Saturdays which was an enjoyable hobby, but having to go on mass builders and weigh proteins wasn't my thing, I was young and enjoying life.

Anyway, my favourite position was eighthman, you see plenty ball, you make an impact on the game.

Although I have to say my favourite rugby player of all time is OS du Randt.

Definitely openside.

You can apparently p!ss around anywhere on the paddock and not be out of position.

As an openside, I'd love to be able to play 8. I've always wanted to give it a go, but am a little too short to play there! In the backs, I'd love to give outside centre a go- lots of crash ball and a tackling channel! Great stuff.

George Carlin wrote:Definitely openside.

You can apparently p!ss around anywhere on the paddock and not be out of position.

So true! Often my coach asks me why I was so far from the action at a certain point, and I just reply that I 'read the phases wrong' ! Excellent stuff.

Joking aside, it is a great position. Lots of bruising and blood, but such an enjoyable day out.

I was mainly a Prop at school but also did some hooking for a season and during some inter-house games I played at 8 (at an oustounding 5ft 7 tall at the time!!) which was great fun given the opposition's skillset was worse than ours!!

For some reason I have always fancied having a go at scrum-half. I think I would have the attitude to carry it off. That said, my pace and fitness would be a bit off, having not played for 22 years...

No backs fancy a go at the coal face then!
I'm with you loosehead - I do tend to find myself popping up in the centers every now and again. Great fun.

I do maintain that in every prop there is a winger just dying to get out.

propdavid_london wrote:
I do maintain that in every prop there is a winger just dying to get out.

Yeah normally cos the fat feicer has just eaten him!

Ha - very true

Ozzy3213 wrote:

propdavid_london wrote:
I do maintain that in every prop there is a winger just dying to get out.

Yeah normally cos the fat feicer has just eaten him!

I'll have you know, my fighting weight as a prop was 92kg's.

Call that fat, copper!

Oh, and I have eaten a few wings in my time, only the ones I caught.

biltongbek wrote:

Ozzy3213 wrote:

propdavid_london wrote:
I do maintain that in every prop there is a winger just dying to get out.

Yeah normally cos the fat feicer has just eaten him!

I'll have you know, my fighting weight as a prop was 92kg's.

Call that fat, copper!

Oh, and I have eaten a few wings in my time, only the ones I caught.

I'm just jealous Biltong, I would have loved to have been a tighthead prop. Was always a forward trapped in a backs body, hence lots of injuries as a youngster and a decision at 18 to play with a round ball and make a few bob from it.

I've heard of backs trapped in a forwards body, but never the other way around.

At least you got to play Wendy Ball.

Centre or flanker (either side) for sure.

Loved the physical side of the game, tacking, rucking, carrying. Played 7 once or twice at junior level and centre a few times but too small to play either at senior level realistically.

I've played mostly on the wing with the odd stint at fullback and even once or twice scrum half, but definitely always wanted to be closer to the action.

I played mostly at full-back although I did get a few games at scrum-half that I enjoyed. I played for half a season at wing forward just before I got injured and had to give up.

Wing Forward for me I think.

Openside - best position on the field. I started there as a boy and reached county level. Then I stopped growing when others got bigger and I switched to scrum half for the next 12 years. I would have been a better 9 if I hadn't kept trying to do the flankers job !

offload wrote:I would have been a better 9 if I hadn't kept trying to do the flankers job !

Is that you Mike? Mauro?

I played left wing at school but hardly ever saw the ball. I reckon I'd have made a great little outside half, although I would have been a total liability in defence. I would have made Arwel Thomas look like JPR.

SafeAsMilk wrote:

offload wrote:I would have been a better 9 if I hadn't kept trying to do the flankers job !

Is that you Mike? Mauro?

Well even if I say so myself, I was definately better that Mauro !

As a flanker, I loved playing 8. For me, it was less tackaling and ruck work more waiting out in the midfield throwing one handed offloads. Always seems to be the more glorious of the backrow.

Oh and I do love cropping up in the midfield to stretch my legs! Mostly happened with our school team playing an annual 10 a side tournement.

I started off at Full back but didn't really have the brains for the role to be honest, I remember being taught how to tackle, and had a 1 on 1 situation with my friend Leighton in training...

so I looked down and braced ready for the collision,
then looked up to see if he was coming towards me,

so looked down again, and braced ready for the collision,
then looked up to see if he was coming towards me,

so looked down again, and braced ready for the collision,
then looked up to see if he was coming towards me,

so looked down again, and braced ready for the collision,
then looked up to see if he was coming towards me,

so looked down again, and braced ready for the collision,
then looked up to see if he was coming towards me,

And he wasn't there anymore, I saw all my friends rolling around on the floor laughing, looked for my friend. turned around and realised he had scored, I complained to the coach he didn't run into me...

The coach shook his head, called a scrum and put me at prop... That's where I stayed for the rest of my playing days, going between 1, 2 and 3.

I did have 1 training session as openside flanker and loved it, but the teams openside was playing for Bridgend Youth at the time so I had no chance of having a game there for my school, while the blind side was captain.

Played lock today for the first time in 5 years. Was surprisingly fun!

I was a prop but was clearly a blind side really, but nobody else could see it (I hid it very well)

Glas a du wrote:I was a prop but was clearly a blind side really, but nobody else could see it (I hid it very well)

In the same boat.

Full back - played my last year there befors injury after 2nd row and flanker

Lots the tackling, bursting into the line and the general ability to watch everything and shout at everyone