The primary role of a full back, who wears the number 15 shirt, is to tackle opposition players who have broken through the defensive line and prevent them from scoring. They also need to field any kicks that the opposition make and prevent them from gaining ground by kicking or running the ball back.
Full backs also play an important role in attack and can enter the backline at pace and try to go through any gaps in the opposition’s defense. Typically, they can do this by taking either a short line, or a wide line off the ball carrier and look to burst through into the space beyond.
So, that’s the main role of the full back, now let’s look break it down and have a more detailed look at the role of how to play full back.
How To Attack From Fullback
Whilst defense is traditionally the main role of a full back, attack is by far the most exciting and some of the greatest runners in rugby, such as: Serge Blanco, JPR Williams, Phil Bennet, Andy Irvine, Josh Lewsey have been full backs.
The way you attack from full back will depend on the situation in the game so let’s take a look at the main situations in turn.
From scrums
The full back’s positioning is crucial in all aspects of the game none less so than in attack. From a set scrum the full back can stand behind the back line at any point including on the narrower side of the pitch.
Typically, off set play, the attacking team will usually create some sort of ‘hit up’ in the midfield in order to drag opposition players in and then pass the ball wider in later phases. The full back can therefore be used as a ball carrier and take a short pass, or switch off of the fly-half or a centre.
The short ball tactic might be used more often if the full back is a strong, muscular character who is going to take a few players to bring them down, for example, a Gavin Hastings, JPR Williams, or a Freddie Steward.
However, if the full back is a more slightly built person with a bit more pace then it is more likely to use the full back on a wide angle.
To get the ball to the full back on a wide angle usually means the full back entering the line between the outside centre and the openside winger. The simplest way is a straight hands move where every player draws their opposite number and the full back tries to hit a gap and get into the space behind the line.
From that point they will have to either draw the remaining fullback and ideally pass to the winger, or step the full back and score themselves, or at least link with a backrower, or scrum half on a support line.
There are also a plethora of other ‘set moves’ to get the ball to the full back in space, usually involving a miss pass at some point and some dummy running from the centres.
There is always a danger of an intercept or an inaccurate pass going down which makes this a risky play especially in wet conditions or when the opposition centres are ‘flying up’ in defense.
And of course, the greatest fullbacks attack from anywhere as demonstrate by Serge Blanco back in 1991.
Suggested reading: Which Rugby Position Runs The Furthest?
Attacking from the back field
As the full back is often the person to be gathering the ball after an opposition kick through they usually get plenty of opportunity to use the space in front of them and launch an attack.
One of the most effective ways to launch an attack is to look up and try to spot a front row forward in the defensive line. When this happens a full back has time to build up to a fast pace and then drift across and just around the outside of a front rower who simply won’t have the pace or agility to manage the situation. Stuart Hogg is one of the best full backs at doing exactly this for both Exeter and Scotland.
Another great option after fielding a kick is the ‘chip and chase’. Typically, the defensive line will be rushing up to close down an attacking full back which means it is very difficult for them to turn and cover a short chip kick in behind them.
There’s something quite special when a player chips ahead catches the ball on the full and then goes through to score or give a scoring pass. This is the sort of thing I dreamed about as a schoolboy player and I even managed to pull it off on the odd occasion!
The down side, of course, is that if you don’t regather the ball you are way out of position and any kick down field will find the space where the full back was previously. If you have helpful wingers then at least one of them should have dropped back to cover that space as they saw the full back put the kick through.
The up and under is a similar well used tactic and involves the full back kicking the ball up as high as they can and around twenty to thirty metres in front of them but not so far forward that the kick can be caught in the twenty two metre area. This would mean the gathering defender would be able to call a ‘mark’ and return kick the ball down field under no pressure at all.
If the up and under is placed correctly the full back should be able to run and jump to contest for possession as the ball comes down. This is a very direct approach to gaining territory and field position and can be highly effective at breaking down otherwise solid defenses or when wet conditions prevent a passing and running game from being played.
You might also be interested in our guide to playing on the wing here.
What Makes A Good Fullback?
Let’s take a look at some of the most important qualities required of a fullback if they are to have any chance of success in the game.
- Courage
A good full back displays courage to tackle any opposition player who breaks through the line head on, enough speed to cover opposition line breaks and to make their own, excellent catching ability under pressure and the ability to kick both short and long distances.
- Speed
A lot of full back play is done running over longer distances than other positions and so tremendous speed and fitness are needed to excel as a fullback in both defense and attack.
- Catching ability
The ability to judge the height and distance of a kick, maneuver themselves into a catching position, and then launch oneself into the air and take the ball from above on rushing defenders is a skill that is hard to underestimate.
It is not such much the physical act of catching the ball but the mental effort it takes to focus on the ball rather than on the players that are about to flatten you as soon as you land.
Liam WIlliams the great Welsh and British and Irish Lion is known as the ‘bomb defuser’ as he has become so accompliashed at this but the English full back Freddie Steward is fast catching up on this area of his game.
- Long range kicking
A full back will often field the ball in the backfield and have time to launch their own kick. It s highly beneficial for a side to have a player who can spiral kick the ball right back into the opposition corners. This can lead to huge territory gain and give the team great energy and momentum.
- Short range kicking
Little chip kicks in behind an uprushing defense can make them think twice about flying up next time and instead give you more time to run and step them. Cross kicks are also a useful weapon to keep the opposition on their toes.
- Place kicking ability
Whilst the fly-half is the usual goal kicker in a team. It is nice to have a quality backup kicker, just in case the fly-half is having a bad day.
Furthermore, some full backs have developed the ability to kick penalty goals from very long distances, i.e. the half way line. This ability can win close games for a team and it can also help a players selection cause a great deal.
Elliot Daly is a fantastic player but I am sure that at times it has been his ability to kick long range penalty goals that has ultimately meant he has had the edge overe other players in contention to play full back.
- Communication skills
From the full back position you can actually see a lot more than somebody standing in the defensive line. So, they need to ab able to pass on what they see to the players in front of them. Usually this means, making sure the right number of defenders are defending on each side of the ruck or maul..
They also need to communicate well with the wingers in the team so that they can pass and link up together well in attack but also so they know who is going to tackle which opposition player, and who is going to take the next high kick aimed at them.
- Dancing feet
The ability to beat an opponent in a small space is crucial in both defense and attack. This wil help in finishing off tries and also in ‘getting out of jail’ when the opposition have gotten you under pressure from a kick to your corner.
Check out how to side step like a pro, here.
- Timing
Whether this be the timing of a jump to catch a bomb, the timing of a tackle on a player breaking through or the timing of a run joining the back line at pace. Without the right timing it s fr more difficult to successfully execute these skills.
- Tackling
There are many different tackle techniques to master and the fullback should know them all. Getting tackle technique wrong can mean the difference between preventing a player scoring or not. The best fullbacks are the best tacklers and defenders, it just goes hand in hand with the role of fullback. Check out our guide to the 8 tackle types here.
Next, check out this montage below displaying all of the above qualities required to play full back in rugby union.
So, there we have it, a rundown on how to play fullback. All that is left for you to do now is to get out there and give it a go.
You might also want to read our guide to the basic rules of rugby, here, or our guide to the 31 skills needed for rugby here.
Photo Credits
Israel Dagg of New Zealand taking a high ball vs Australia in 16 October 2011, 16:08 courtesy of: Jean Francois Beausejour from Cannes, France, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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