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Rugby fly-half

A rugby fly-half is the highly skilled, quick thinking, tactically clever, prominent player in the backs. You will see plenty of the ball...make sure you can handle it

You must be able to bear a lot of name calling...
...because you`ll be called a lot of names!
Besides the one I have chosen...
...some others for fly-half are...
...stand-off
...stand-off half
...five-eigth
...first five-eigth
...outside-half...
...and fly without-a-hyphen half

Position in the team

15 players are on the field at any one time.

8 forwards make up the scrum.

The forwards in the scrum or line-out...
...get the ball for the team...
...and send it via scrum-half...
...to the fly-half...the key player in the backs.

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Rugby fly-half
Rugby fly-half position in relation to the scrum

Rugby fly-half position in relation to the scrum

Fly-half physiques vary greatly...
...the skills tend to be more important

Having...
Speed is good
Accelleration is good
Vision is excellent
Agility a must
Elusiveness is good
Handling ability essential
Kicking ability essential
Quick thinking excellent

Rugby fly-half - and the scrum

The scrum...
...restarts play after a minor breach of the rules.

It`s a contest for possession of the ball...
...with a small advantage given to the non-offending team.

If your forwards win the ball...
...the ball comes to the back of the scrum...
...and the scrum-half...in line with the game plan...
...and the unfolding situation...
...frequently passes to the fly-half

To receive the ball...
...the rugby fly-half stands...
...as far away as possible to make it difficult for opposition tacklers...
...yet near enough for the scrum-half...
...to give a fast, flat and accurate pass

With a good scrum-half and...
...you at fly-half, you will...
...usually receive...
...passes from the scrum-half...
... out in front of you...
...so you can run onto them...
... gain momentum and get an advantage

At rugby fly-half...
... you make decisions...
When you get the ball the options...
...are...
... kicking for field position or into space for other backs to run on to...

...passing to attack by moving the ball to faster outside backs...

...or running ...to get across the advantage line or...
...take advantage of a defensive error by the opposition

As a rugby fly-half...
...you will be guided by the game plan,...
...your excellent vision and...
...your ability to assess quickly...
...any attacking advantages...
...or defensive weaknesses...
...in the frantically changing scene before you.

You must do all this...
...yet watch for...
...and evade if possible
...the opposition forwards...
...who are trying to put the you on the floor!

When the opposition gets the ball...
...you as fly-half must hound...
...the opposition...
...and provide covering defense.

It all takes loads of practice but...
...ensures you are on the spot,...
...you are ready and...
you can...
...do it all again!

Rugby fly-half - at the line-out

The line-out restarts play after the ball has "gone into touch".

The duties of the fly-half...
...at line-out time are...
...similar to scrum time.

You must make good decisions...
... about what is going...
... to be done with the ball...
...and be able to move quickly...
...to make it happen

Rugby fly-half - in general play

Fly-halves tend to be...
...more elusive, skillful, quick thinking, tactically aware players

You will strive to...
....to get the ball over the advantage line...

...by running hard and straight...
...by running elusively...be able to side step...
...with long kicks to gain ground...
...with chip kicks to avoid opposition tacklers
...with high "up-and-unders" for backs to charge on to
...with grubber kicks to get in behind opponents
...with passes to faster players in better positions...
...with cut out passes to create overlaps
...with moves to confuse the opposition
...with dummies to supporting players
...with passes back inside to rampaging loose forwards

At fly-half you will have many options available.
To be a good fly-half...
...you must consistently make decisions...
...which move the ball forwards

The fly-half mixing up options taken...
...passing...
...kicking...
....running...
...produces uncertainty in the opposition...
...which is an advantage for other players...
...as the opposition delay committing to tackles when uncertain

Improve your options...
...use rugby sidesteps...
...when you feel it`s the best thing to do

Some famous players at fly-half...no special order!...

Cliff Morgan David Watkins Phil Bennett
Barry John Dan Carter Michael Lynagh
Hugo Porta Jonny Wilkinson Mike Gibson
Grant Fox Andrew Mehrtens Stephen Larkham
Carlos Spencer

Many were expert sidesteppers...
...will you be one...

Return from Rugby fly-half to Rugby positions

Evtechs Sports Training
Sydney, Australia