Okay, so today I wanted to get a better handle on the fullback position in rugby. I’ve watched plenty of games, but I figured it was time to actually do some of the stuff myself, just to get a feel for it.
Getting Started
First thing, I grabbed my boots and a rugby ball and headed out to the local park. It was a bit muddy, but hey, that’s rugby, right? I started off just by myself, no teammates, no opponents, just me and the ball.
Practicing the Basics
- Catching High Balls: I started by throwing the ball up high for myself and practicing catching it. Man, it’s tougher than it looks! The pros make it seem so effortless. I dropped a few, I’ll admit, but I kept at it. I focused on keeping my eyes on the ball, getting my hands up early, and cradling the ball into my chest.
- Kicking for Territory: Next, I practiced my punting. I wasn’t going for massive distance at first, just trying to get a feel for the spiral and the drop of the ball. I imagined I was kicking the ball downfield, trying to pin the opponent deep in their own territory. I concentrated on my follow-through, making sure I was striking the ball cleanly.
- Running Lines: Then I just did some running, no ball this time just wanted to start and try some steps and movement, imagining I was coming into the attacking line. I tried to visualize defenders in front of me and practiced stepping and swerving. I even threw in a few dummy passes, just to get the motion down.
Joining a Game(sort of)
After a while, a few other guys showed up at the park. They weren’t a team or anything, just messing around with a ball. I asked if I could join in, and they were cool with it. It wasn’t a proper game, but it was a chance to practice some of the things I’d been working on, with actual people.
- Real Catches: Now, I’m not a hero, one ball went straight into my chest, and I still dropped it and one of the guys laughed. But I caught all after that!
- Tackling:
We didn’t do full-on tackling. But they were running towards me, and I did my best to get in position, not directly but on an angle, and get my hands on them.
Wrapping Up
I spent a good couple of hours out there. I’m definitely not ready to play for the All Blacks or anything, but I feel like I have a much better understanding of the fullback position now. It’s about more than just catching and kicking; it’s about positioning, reading the game, and being confident under pressure. I’ll be back out there soon, trying to get better. Next time, I might even try to find a proper touch rugby game to join!
