how to become a better flanker, what you sould be doing.

flankers in the scrum
the two flankers are on either side of the scrum and are loosely bound on to the props and second row in the scrum.

in the scrum although your not as responsible for pushing as the rest you still should be pushing and basically being a stabiliser for the prop, but you do have other responsibility's in the scrum.

firstly if the ball is being put in your side you should be calling when the ball comes in for the push with just a simple call "ball in", probabily the main thing you could do in the scrum is to mark the scrumhalf, he should be your man to take and you should make it as hard as you can for him to get the ball out without pressure.

so flankers should have good off the mark acceleration and a certain amount of speed, also if the scrumhalf passes the ball out cleanly you should then be putting loads of pressure on the flyhalf as well as your own flyhalf doing the same so inless he passes the ball out straight away you can trap the ball and it can be a good chance for you to turn the ball over! don't think if the flyhalf passes it before you get there stop running, keep chasing the ball!

also one more very important job for the flanker is to watch the number 8 because they love to play this trick where they take the ball at the back of he scrum and run and when this happens this can be a very dangerous for your defence inless you tackle him straight away! so always watch out for him especially when the opposition are near you line, the scrumhalf may also try this so mark him aswell. when your number 8 does this you should be supporting him for the offload.

in open play
so in open play a good flanker should be all around the pitch, getting to the rucks mauls, and when its the oppositions ball turning it over or disrupting the ball.
a good way to turn over the ball is when either you or one of your teammates tackles the ball carrier before anyone gets to ruck, if your the tackler get on your feet and take the ball as quickly as you can, or if your behind the tackler do the same but remember your only aloud to do this if your the first player in and you have to be on your feet.

also a flanker should sometimes join the backs line so don't try to commit to every ruck! if you can see your teams not going to win it either get into the backs line to defend or if you can see you've already won the ruck either do the same (join the line) or get behind it and wait for one of the player to get tackled and be there for the ruck, although generally for forward i would suggest the latter but for a flanker i suggest the first because your usually faster and have better handling skills than the other forwards!
and adding an extra player to a line makes it more likely to create an overlap or a break in the oppositions line.

be a support player, this is vital if you wanna be good!
and the last thing, when the other team has the ball you should be doing tackle after tackle after tackle and trying to win the ball, try to knock the ball out of the oppositions hands when tackling them and make there hard tackles.

flanker in the lineout
flankers are generally at the back of the line out and can be used to lift the ball catcher.

like in the scrum if the opposition get the ball and pass it to the scrumhalf quickly you should be straight on the scrumhalf and disrupting the ball, also lineout are always very prone to fumbling of the ball so you should be the player diving on the ball straight away and then securing it.

when its your ball you can have differing roles depending who it goes to but generally a flanker will just be contributing to the drive after the scrum but you have to work out where you go with your team mates and coaches.

one last thing is if the ball is going straight out down the line, the flankers are at the back of the line and so should be the first one's to the ruck and you can make sure your the the first one there (before the other team) by knowing what the back line call is, so basically knowing who the ball is going to.

extra tips
learn to play with and grow a bond with your other 2 loose forwards, so your number 7 and 8.
you should always be supporting each other for the offload or to ruck over when they go down.

if you look at the arguable best flanker in the world at the moment, richie mccaw, you can see one of the reasons hes the best is because he plays on the edge of the rules and most of the time gets away with it!
so know the rules and when you play on the edge of them you'll suprised it makes a difference, don't worry if you give away a penalty or two either.

also i've partially already mentioned this but its important, you should be everywhere on the pitch! this will come in time but its good to think about!

 skills a flanker should have are:
- you should have good handling skills, try and learn to pass off both hands as well!
- you should be extremely fit and have very good endurance.
- you should be strong and physical for competing for the ball.
- you should be reasonably fast, but obviously you don't have to be as fast as the backs!
- you should learn to read the game, for example making quick desisions.
- be the first to pick up or dive on every peice of loose ball.
- know what you can get away with.
- you should perfect your tackling
- you should be always to give the option as a support player.

how to be an effective "runner", to do a crash ball.

to gain ground in rugby is essential and a very good way to do this is through being an "runner" and doing pick and goes's! and what i mean by being an "runner" is where most likely a forward runs on to the ball passed out of a maul/ruck or watever and just runs straight into the line, and a pick and go is just where the balls there after a ruck and a forward just pick the ball up and again runs straight into there line.
these techniques can be used to build up phases, phases are the amount of times in which the ball is recycled back to the same team (through a ruck) without it being stopped through for an example the ball going out or an penalty.

but also another time where being an runner can be used effectively is when the defence may have a hole in it near the ruck/maul, when the defence is unorganised, the team is going back or just simply not expecting a big forward to run at them full pace, this is when its so effective when there not ready for it!

the two times when you use this technique are very different since when your building phases they generally know what you're doing so you won't gain as much ground than if its just a quick one time thing before the scrum half passes it out.

also when building phases you're pack will also generally be more aware of what you're doing so there will be at least 3 of them on your shoulder, although when your a one time runner they should be at least a couple of forwards following close to you anyway, building phases is just a way to keep hammering there defence, because remember its much more tiring to defend than attack.
also when you're doing this, as well as slowly gaining ground you're controlling the ball and the backs can think, and the scrum half can think about how there going to penetrate there defence! also one more thing before i tell you how to do it well is that building up phases will "draw" players in to that concentrated area where you're attacking and then when you ship the ball out its much easier for the backs to beat the defence out wide where there's less of them.
okay so if you're doing this then its quite simple its basically just running hard, fast and low!

but before you make the run there's a few thing you need to think about:
1st) one thing I've learnt is never to get in between the scrumhalf and flyhalfs channel! so to do this all you need to do is drop back deeper than the flyhalf is because remember when your a runner your simply just giving the scrumhalf another option and he may choose to pass it down the line instead which could be the right option, and then you're going get an earful about it from the fly and scrumhalf!
2) also shout as loud as you can! the scrumhalf probably won't be looking for you so you have to shout extra loud to make sure he knows you're there and what you're doing.

so remember when you're actually making the run you also have to think about timing and speed because the point of being a runner is to break through the line or gain ground so you need to be deep (which you should be anyway so your not blocking the scrumhalf's channel) and generally when the scrumhalf is picking up the ball and realises your there you should start running and if he doesn't pass it doesn't matter keep running so you don't block the channel and you'll then just make a good distraction anyway! this is just a general guess on timings on my behalf but i think after a few times you'll be able to time your runs fine by yourself.

now what should you do when you have the ball and your about to go into contact:
1) first of all make sure your running a straight line! but when i stay straight obviously you should run into the gap in between two people but what i mean is don't run sideways and keep your angle at the minimum, this is effective because its hardest to tackle someone straight on, and also you'll slow down if you try and deviate from you line to much.
2) make sure you're running at your top speed and hard, this obviously comes from starting deep but also a mistake some people do is to slow down as they hit them, don't!! speed up!! imagine your going get through them and then your much much more likely to! and also if your running straight into someone then since you should be low with bent knee's (which I'm talking about next) you should go into them and then drive up and in to them! to get the most power when driving up do a little step before you go in, where you go really low and drive up.
3) another important thing is if you're going into them drop your shoulder and get low! you should be going into them with you're shoulder instead of your arms. this is so important, I'll show you! first stand up, put one leg in front of the other like your running then bend your knees, then put your shoulder down so the top of it is pointing forward. now you'll be in such a powerful position! you can even test it if you get someone to push you slightly while standing up, and then when you're in that position, you will see how much more stable you are!

now when you actually hit the player instead of just going okay I'll go down now, instead make sure you stay up and drive with small steps and keep going till your forced down! you'll be surprised how much more ground you can make plus it gives your pack time to catch up and  ruck over when you go down, but if you do all this with good technique, aggression, strength and at the right time you'll be breaking through there line and then you won't be going down quickly then!

also if you want to get an better idea of what building phases is like then check out this video! but this is an extreme example of it and there not really doing it to gain ground but just to waist time so don't actually try and build nearly that many phases but just watch it to get an idea of what phases are!
hope this guide helps, thanks for reading :)

list of front three of the pack- hookers and prop and what they should be doing!

here's a list of the front forwards/ 1,2 and 3 which are the props and hooker what they should be doing,

prop- props are the power and what stabilisers the scrum if you're a prop a massive amount of what you should do is to become an extremely powerful and immovable object in the scrum, i won't go into full detail about this but its generally about getting your head up (looking forward, a technique to this which is what the New zealand professionals do is to pretend your wearing sunglasses and to be looking over them) , pop your chest out, small quick steps, flat back, 90 degree knees pop your shoulder, and make sure your binding with your hooker is as tight as it can be!  (it should be a struggle for the second row to get there head in) I've also found this very very good video on scrummaging which you can see here .. this is excellent if your looking to improve your rugby technique as a prop in the scrum so check it out. so if you've been chosen to be a prop then you generally need to be strong in the legs and core and on a whole quite bulky but don't be fooled if you think props are supposed to be and are just fat, the top props are extremely strong, they're generally not the fastest but they can be hard to stop so if your a prop don't hesitate to run with the ball, but run straight, hard, and low! a good chance to do this is if you don't get to the ruck or maul in time tell the scrumhalf to pop it to you from the ruck and then run straight at them, this can be called being a runner but to go into more detail about being a runner and how to become good at it check out my guide on how to be an effective "runner". another thing props are used for is lifting in the line out, which you start at 15-16. outside of set plays props have a stereotype for being lazy and one dimensional player but player's i know and have played with have proved this wrong and have become much better players for it so if you want to improve your game a lot then don't fall into the stereotype and get fit with cardiovascular exercise, there's no reason props can't be just as fit or fitter than the rest of the pack so get to the rucks and breakdowns and incorporate your scrummaging skills in them as well. so basically my 3 tip to dramatically improve on the pitch
1) perfect your scrummaging.
 2) get fit to get to rucks and mauls, and also getting stronger with weight training is an good idea, i will write a guide on exercisers and workouts in a later guide.
3) learn how to run effectivily and strongly run with the ball and how to build up phases doing pick and goes and being a runner.

hooker-  a hooker definitely has two of the most important jobs on the pitch which is to throw into the line out and to hook the ball in the scrum.
the reason these plays are so important are because they are two of the best opportunity's to gain the ball in the game and most of it comes down to the hooker you can't gain the ball in a line out without a good throw and you can't gain the ball in the scrum without a good hook!
so you can start to see that being a good hooker will come from a lot of repetivity, which may become tedious but to become the best you have to stick it out.
a way to train throwing out in the line by your self is to make a mark around thirteen feet above the ground on a wall, or even the goal posts. Adjust this to match the height of the hands of the ball receiver in the line out. From the wall, mark locations for about six meters, eight meters, and ten meters. Stand at these locations and practice your throw in to the target.
with hooking the ball this can prove alot more difficult to practise yourself and will come from training sessions.
a good techique in the scrum is to strike with the foot to where the ball will land also you need have your hips angled towards the end of the tunnel/ball with your right foot in front of your left. Let the props do the pushing you focus on the hook so try to keep loose, although when you hook the ball you should push aswell.
you should Strike at the ball, don't wait for it to come to you. you may get a penalty or two for this but don't worry the timing will come. Strike hard and strike fast, it should be a quick aggressive move, like a quick punch.
to effectively direct the ball your heel should hit the ground and the front of your foot should pivote back to direct the ball to the rear of the scrum. as you might start to see it isn't simple to just throw in a ball, or just strike a ball it is very technical so practise till it becomes a reflex.
another thing to improve your performance which may seem obvious is the importance of cardiovascular fitness(running) and upper body conditioning, this is so important so through out the whole game your team will be able to get possession of the ball since your throwing and scrums stay strong! it also helps when your not in set plays (e.g scrum, lineout) you should have the endurance to regularly be getting to the break downs (rucks and mauls) you should learn to be like a 4th loose forward with the flanker and number 8 in open play.
if your wondering what this enrols check out my guide on being a flanker which i will writing shortly.
finally the Essential skills of being an hooker which you should perfect are:

1.   In the scrum:
-To bind tightly and quickly with props.  Weight training and exercises to develop neck, shoulders, arms, back and leg muscles are necessary

-To position head, body, and legs in correct position, head forced up, hips below the shoulders, eyes on the ball

-To time the strike with feed of ball

-To move ball through the right channel (e.g. between second rows)

2.   Line-out:

-To be able to throw to throw the ball accurately and at different lenghts.

-you need to communicate with your pack to make sure they know what your doing.

-learn to throw at different heights as well as lenghts, communicate this as well.

3.   Contact:

-you of course need to be able to scrummage correctly and safely ( head above waist, straight back)

-To maul and ruck

-To tackle.

also if your looking for more help in the scrum its not about hooking and striking the ball but it may help with position so you may want to check out this video.

rugby introduction (for those new to it)

          skip to next part for those looking for advanced info on improving performance.

hello this article is about improving your rugby and techniques but first if you haven't joined the rugby community yourself or got your child involved yet then you missing out! rugby can be played by kids as young as 5 and is extremely enjoyable and you will meet friendly people all throughout the process and become close to.

so if your reading this particular article I'm assuming you nothing or very little about rugby so I'm just going to outline the game and the main rules.

okay so rugby is played by 15 players, 8 forwards who form a scrum and 7 backs who form a line the length of the pitch. when your team is defending the line is straight and when your attacking its diagonal, the reason for this is that your only aloud to pass the ball backwards.

if you pass it forwards or the ball comes out of your hands forward, there's a scrum which is put in by the other teams scrumhalf.

the aim of rugby and how to win is by scoring tries or kicking the ball over the other teams post. you score a try by putting the ball over the other persons try line and you get 5 points for this, but you then take a conversion which is where you try to kick the ball over the posts and if you get it over you get another 2 points! the other way to get points is by either taking drop kicks which is were you try to kick the ball over the posts while the games still going ( in a drop kick the ball has to bounce once and you kick it while its still in the air) or by kicking the ball over the posts in the same way as an conversion but this time it comes from a penalty, both this methods give you 3 points.

here's a diagram of a rugby pitch:

okay so the way you defend in a game of rugby is by tackling, when you tackle the player and he goes down this is where (most the time) a ruck is formed.
a ruck is where the two teams forwards compete for the ball on the ground by pushing the other team of it but in a ruck your not aloud to use your hands!
when the ball come out of the ruck the scrumhalf usually passes it down the line of the backs and of course they try and score.

this is diagram for the positions of the player

when the ball goes out the side line there is a line out, the team that didn't touch the ball last throws the ball in, when the ball is thrown in by the hooker the forwards try and catch it and most the time they get lifted, the reason the team who are throwing it in usually get the ball is because they use a shout, which only makes sense to them because they've pre-rehearsed it which lets them know where the balls going.

this is all i'm going to write even though there is alot more i could write about but if you want to learn more i suggest you watch a professional game of rugby.

hope this helped, thanks for reading :)