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Rugby wing

A rugby wing needs good handling, running and defensive skills together with being speedy and elusive. Know what to expect and how you play this position.

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 away
   via the half-backs (decision makers)
   possibly out to the centres and
   sometimes even as far as the wing!

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Rugby wing
Rugby wing position in relation to the scrum

Rugby wing position in relation to the scrum

Wingers physiques...

   ...anything!

Thank you to Wikipedia (the links below) where I confirmed the vital statistics... and the award to Shane Williams.

Examples:
  Name Height    Weight
Jonah Lomu    1.96m or 6' 5" 120kg or 18st 13lb

Shane Williams 1.70m or 5' 7"       80kg or 12st 8lb

Shane was named IRB International Player in 2008 and
is famous of course,
especially for sidestepping.

Jonah is famous too, of course,
   especially for not sidestepping!

Left wing or right wing

The two wings in a team tend to specialise
   one as the left wing...closer to the left touch-line
   one as the right wing...closer to the right touch-line

Which wing
   you choose is mostly about
   feeling comfortable and
   where you function best.

If you feel best receiving a pass
   when the ball
is coming from your right
   prefer to carry the ball
   in your left arm
   like running round someone
   going left
   doing a hand-off (also called a palm or a fend)
   with your right hand
   and prefer kicking left-footed
    then you may be best on the left wing

If you feel best receiving a pass
   when the ball
is coming from your left
   prefer to carry the ball
   in your right arm
   like running round someone
   going right
   doing a hand-off (also called a palm or a fend)
   with your left hand
   and prefer kicking right-footed
    then you may be best on the right wing

Of course
   if you are good with both sides of your body
   you will be good
   on either wing.

Having
Speed is essential
Accelleration is great
Vision is useful
Agility excellent
Elusiveness is excellent
Handling ability is good

Rugby wing - at scrum time

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 goes
to the half-backs
who make decisions
   about where the ball goes next.

The decisions they make
   greatly affect
   how each rugby wing is involved in the game.

Sometimes half-backs will kick
   for field position or into space.
As a winger you chase
   try and regain possession
or charge down the attempted clearing kick.
   or contain the opposition player who gathers the ball.

Remember, you must be behind your kicker
when the ball is kicked ahead
or you are "offside" and must stay out of play.

Sometimes they pass
   to attack by moving the ball to faster outside backs.

This is where you as a rugby wing come in.
Either you catch and
   run past your opposition
   using speed and elusive running which are good here,
   and go in for a try!
   or take the ball into contact with the opposition.
Or you may continue play
   with a clever kick,
    chip and chase, maybe a crossfield kick to the forwards
or maybe pop pass the ball back inside
   to players rampaging through to support.

The half-backs may run, to get across the advantage line
   and/or move it to the centres.
You as wing position yourself
in support of the centres
with excellent rugby timing so you
give them options about how to continue.

If you are a rugby wing and defending
   you must tackle your opposite number.
Believe in the abilty of the players inside you
and stay in position to tackle your own player.
Hold up and delay opposition play as much as possible and
   only when absolutely necessary
tackle someone other than your opposite number.

It is sometimes necessary to drop back
   and position yourself
   to reduce open spaces
   which are tempting targets
   for long kicks by the opposition to improve field position.

Rugby wing - at line-out time

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

The duties of the rugby wing at line-out time are
similar to scrum time.

You communicate with the centres
   so you know
   when the ball will be kicked ahead
   or whipped out to you
   when you have plenty of room to move
   especially if you sidestep!!

Always be aware
   that a plan does sometimes go wrong
   and you must be prepared
   so that you can do anything required to rescue the situation.

Rugby wing - in general play

Wings tend to be
elusive, skillful, speedy, tactically aware players.

As you are a rugby wing
   what you do depends on
   actions taken by the half-backs and centres.

Depending on circumstances
   you must be ready for any of the following

   for running past the opposition using raw speed
   for running elusively... skills in
    side stepping, swerving and changing pace are useful
   for chasing long kicks to gain ground...work on your speed
   for a chip kick over opponents which you regather
   for an "up-and-under" ...be first there
   for running to and catching a bouncing grubber kick behind opponents
   for diving on a rolling grubber kick in the in-goal area to score
   to catch cut out passes which create uncertainty for opponents
   for moves called to confuse the opposition
   for a dummy pass from the ball carrier
   for opportunities to get the ball to supporting players

Use waiting time well

Rugby wingers have to
   wait a lot
   for things to happen
   be wise - use the time well
   study what is going on
   try and predict what will happen next
   learn to read the game
   so that when suddenly involved
   and there is little time for you to think or get your bearings
   you know all about what is happening
   and as much about the game as possible
   so you don`t need to think and you act swiftly and decisively.

Put another way
   thinking about other things
   when you are playing rugby
   is not a great idea
   so do it now!

Imagine for a moment
   you sidestep loads of players
   create space for yourself and others
   who score tries
    so your team wins
    it`s not hard, you know, to believe
   lots of people imagine it`s a wonderful feeling
   for those who do it.

Wingers are good because they practice

You know when you learn how
   you stll have to practice enough
   but you enjoy it so much
   you know you will be good.

Players like Gerald Davies were not born in their rugby positions
   just like you and any other player
   they find out what to do
   enjoy what they are doing
   practice enough over time
   and become good players - welcome anywhere rugby is played.

Some famous players at rugby wing...no special order!
Gerald Davies
David Dukham ( also centre)
David Campese
Jonah Lomu
John Kirwan
Shane Williams
Bryan Habana
Bryan Williams
Ron Jarden
Rory Underwood

Rugby wing skills include sidesteps

After you make certain you handle and catch well
   with rugby handling

    and rugby catching

   one skill common to many famous wingers
   is the the most elusive skill of all
   and if you want to be one
   make
   rugby sidesteps part of your game.

Return from Rugby wing to Rugby positions

Evtechs Sports Training
Sydney, Australia