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Rugby skills from basketball

Rugby skills from basketball - there are many as you may imagine. Even small amounts of play may help you improve rugby skills.

Basketball

Basketball hasn't always been about strolling around in shorts down to your ankles waiting for a time-out.

When I played - rightly or wrongly, it was at break-neck speed.

Of course...I`m joking...I`m being unfair....

Some I saw recently were only down to their knees!..... juuust kidding!

I`ve seen tons of fast paced basketball.

It's like rugby - great to play and watch and at higher levels goes in cycles... where one style of play becomes prominent (and boring?) for a while before being replaced by exciting play again.

Basketball - the benefits

I`m not suggesting you take up basketball just to improve your rugby skills - although that`s a very good idea!

I suggest you will improve your rugby skills from basketball play.

There are opportunities everywhere - from simple flat hard surfaces to basketball hoops, half courts and full courts.

Time spent playing will be well rewarded in terms of rugby skills

So...

if you`re already involved in basketball
have played in the past
or just thinking about basketball

it means

you may speed your way into rugby
you may grasp rugby quickly
you develop qualities useful in rugby

You rarely know about all the experience other players have had.

Someone may pick up a skill more easily... stay positive... they may already have similar experince from another sport like basketball

Basketball - the skills and qualities

Basketball involves loads of stuff useful in rugby...

fast breaks - good for improving sprinting ability
dribbling means you may get caught - so slowing rapidly to maintain control of the ball is often necessary
basketballs are heavier - it`s weight training for the fingers!... you`ll notice better control when you go back to the rugby ball.
learning dribbling requires good hand-eye cordination
when you improve you will do more by touch alone
shooting and passing require co-ordination
the number of players in a small area makes play very crowded compared with rugby - imagine the perceptions of time and space in rugby after playing basketball...
handling the ball much more frequently - more sustained practice while having fun
different passing - often useful in rugby
moving opposition players around by moving the ball
passing and shooting require similar skills and concentration to passing and throwing in to the lineout in rugby
speed and fitness - built in enjoyable ways rather than in drills
team play interaction helps build cooperation
fast paced play helps build good vision
fast paced play builds quick thinking, fast reactions

Other rugby skills from basketball ?
I remember I wanted to be good at basketball.
I was relatively small so decided I had to be able to jump well.
I spent hours and hours, day after day, week after week at the side of the house with a piece of chalk in my hand.
I stood and jumped or ran and jumped and made a mark - always trying to get higher!

It paid off in a strange way.

I had so much spring in my legs I ended up being able to hop almost as fast as I could run - great for sidesteps!

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Sydney, Australia