I am interested in playing rugby BUT...?

Question

I am interested in playing rugby but never really played properly before.

Im 19, is that too late to start??

Im a little over 5"11, is that too short??

Im not super skinny but im not muscley. I intend to workout to get some muscle on me.

But when i get to that stage, do i join my local club? Dont they want guys who have been doing it since they were like 10???

(I live in England btw)

What position do you reckon i should play jusdgeing from my physique??

I know all the rules of rugby so theres no worries there, watching rugby is a great love of mine and im just wondering maybe i should get involved before im too old.

Answer 1

Do it! You're a little too short to play lock, if you have any speed about you and you're a decent tackler, try for one of the centre positions. If you're very fast, you may be a decent winger.

The thing is, without seeing your skills or how you play, it's hard to determine which position you're best suited for, to be honest, any of the backs looks like it could suit you, and if you do build some mass, then you may even want to think about going for number 6 or 7.

Get down to a local training session, tell the coach you've never really played before, and he'll be more than happy to put you in a position.

Answer 2

depends on the code you are thinking about playing

either way go for it and find a local team both codes have good coverage nation wide for amatuer teams and i would recomend getting involved to any one

Answer 3

Hi!  I'm a female rugby player in the US.  I started when I was 20--it's never too late if you're physically capable!  5'11" is absolutely NOT too short!  Rugby union has positions for people of every body type--be you tall, short, wide, thin, or in between.  You can actually join your local club now to get you in shape.  Plenty of people have never played before they join those sorts of clubs.  My only suggestion is to try to get a feel for the ball and pitching it backwards--it's something that takes a little getting used to if you play forward sports.

At about 5'11" and average weight, you'll probably be in the back line somewhere.  It depends upon how your club pitches the ball.  Some rely heavily on wings, which then require super fast speed demons who can race down the pitch.  If you have spectacular hands, a position in the center would be perfect for you.  And if you just love to make your tackles?  Why fullbacks absolutely HAVE to make theirs--games depend on it.  If you're daring, you may want to gun for a forwards position (what I play).  Your physique might lend you towards flanker so you could get off the scrum quickly.

Either way--do NOT let yourself get intimidated!  Rugby players love bringing new people into the game.  In no time you'll be making tackles and scoring tries!

Answer 4

you would play lock most likely. Try it! You'll love it. It is never too late to start it. Unless you are going for a national team, size can be overlooked. My highschool team has players under 5'3" and under 110 pounds. They are quick little buggers though and they stay low and hit well. Good Luck!

Answer 5

Ruck over! Knowing the rules is half the game.  You can spilt the other half into heart and athleticism.

I didn't start playing until I was 23.  I didn't know the rules and did not have an athletic background.  I'm 5'11" and 210lb (just short of 100kg).  I'm pretty solid, but when I started, I was about 180lb.  Muscle can always come later if you need it.  Most important lesson I learned about that:  too much will slow you down.  I'm a wing foward, so I use it to wheel the scrums and crush opposing scrum halves.

Start out as a wing.  You can follow the plays and see how things are done on the pitch.  An added bonus is that you get the glory for scoring on 2nd or 3rd phase plays.

Answer 6

find a club and go play, you are already showing the interest by asking.. never to late.. i started later in my youth as well... go play...

Answer 7

Just do it