The beauty of rugby union is that there are so many different positions each requiring different physical attributes and different skill sets. Hence the saying ‘rugby is a game for all shapes and sizes’. But, which position in rugby is the hardest?
The hardest position in rugby is hooker, the player wearing number 2 who is right in the middle of the scrum. This position requires not only tremendous amounts of strength, courage and power to make big hits and hold the scrum up, but also a cool head and timing to throw a ball into the lineout accurately.
Of course, hooker is not the only difficult position on the pitch in different scenarios; different positions can be equally demanding so we will take a look at some of the other different positions shortly.
Firstly though, let’s expand more on the hooker’s role: imagine having just thrown your body at the knees of the opposition number eight running full tilt at you and knocking them into touch, and then having to pick up the ball, switch off all of that aggression and execute a closed skill with everyone on the pitch and in the crowd watching.
Not forgetting that one bad throw, leads to yet more pressure being placed on them as the opposition sense a weakness and try to break the hookers confidence.
Hookers can also find themselves as a key ball carrier and handler in loose play and will also be key members of the defensive line close to the ruck where they have to continually absorb big hits from opposition forwards.
Some hookers even specialise in popping up in the centres or find themselves taking scoring passes out wide where a different skill set once more is required. You might also find our guide to average player heights and weight by position interesting here.
Other positions in contention for being the hardest position in rugby include:
Fly-half/Number 10
This position is deceptively hard to play. There is an expectation for this guy to ‘run’ the team. This requires fantastic communication skills, leadership ability, the respect of your teammates and the skill set to execute your plans even when your forward pack might be on the back foot.
You can’t just be a good runner, or a good kicker, the 10 needs to be able to play in both styles and at the right time. Sure, a 10 might have a preference for one or the other but if there is a muddy pitch and slow ball then good luck trying to run your way out of that for 80 minutes.
Conversely, on a dry pitch where the expectation is for running rugby and fun, and a fly-half has to be able to take a flat pass form the scrum-half and distribute to his centres accurately.
Don’t forget that 10s will also be targeted by opposition ball carriers as a weak link in defence due to their usually slighter build than most and so actually have to constantly prove they can tackle the big guys in order for them not to receive more special attention.
Masters at this are/were Jonny Wilkinson and Owen Farrel but George Ford whilst most consider him to be an attacking playmaker also has great tackle technique and is very brave.
Open-side Flanker
As this player is traditionally the first person to the breakdown, their job is to secure possession or at the very least slow down the opposition’s ball. This might sound easy but the technicality of the laws, the physical technique and power required and the ability to decide in a split second what to do as they approach a break down at speed makes the position difficult to master.
Allied to this is the fact that it is very easy to give away penalties in this position where over eagerness might not always work in their favour and flying into rucks is no longer the done thing.
And let’s not forget the fitness requirements of this position. There is no hiding like some other players can get away with. Personally, I graduated from the backs into the forwards as a second row and I was amazed how easy it was to ‘take a break’ by just standing in the line whilst play was on the other side of the pitch.
Out of Position
Finally, as regards hardest positions to play. The harvest position in rugby could actually be said to be when you are out of position.
With the physical attributes and skills of players still being quite distinct, despite what Eddie Jones would have you believe, it is still difficult for a prop to defend on the wing, or for a fly-half to defend the base of the ruck near the line. In both those situations the player is going to feel extremely ill at ease!
Other tough positions/situations on a pitch are outside center, where the player has a lot of tough decision making to do in the defensive line which needs to be done at pace.
Second rows who have to remember intricate dance movies, sorry, lineout moves and the scrum-half who is constantly in the thick of it. Let’s look at the other side of the coin now.
Suggested reading: What is Rugby culture like?
What Is The Easiest Position In Rugby?
Without a shadow of a doubt, the easiest position in rugby is wing!
The position of winger who wears the number 11, or 14 jersey is the easiest position on the pitch. These players tackle less than every other position and the tackle they do make are generally side-on. Furthermore, they have little to do in regards to decision making and can even get away with not being able to pass in one direction!
If you don’t believe me then think about the majority of players that switch from union to league. The players that generally make it are wingers. Jason Robinson played Rugby Union for England after just a handful of club games, and later became the first black captain of England.
My point is, so long as you are rapid then nothing else really matters. This is why players like Louis Rees Zammett can come from nowhere with very little experience and become almost an overnight star. There is so much less to learn than there is for more technical positions elsewhere on the pitch.
Don’t get me wrong, Louis Rees Zammet has incredible hands and skill set but his raw uncoachable pace means he can pretty much walk into any side in the world right now.
So, despite the difficulties of positioning and fielding high balls, which let’s face it, more experienced team mates can tell you where to stand, it is by some way the easiest position on the pitch! You might also want to read about the best positions for small players here.
A Distant Second
I am now thinking of what other positions could be considered easy positions to play and I just can’t put any other in the same bracket as the wingers. However, it has been said that blindside flanker is an easy place for players to hide in.
Nobody seems to mind if you don’t do much, or aren’t noticed much in this position as you are not expected to be beating the openside to breakdowns and the number 8 tends to be the main ball carrier in most teams. So, I guess I would offer the blindside up as my second choice for the easiest position in rugby union.
Making Everything Look Easy
I can’t help but finish by mentioning Richard Hill though, an out and out blindside flanker doing both the seen and unseen work to great effect, a true warrior of the game. This guy made everything look easy! You might also be curious about the best positions for big players to play in here.
Photo Credits:
Featured image 1: Stefanie from Bangkok / Sydney, Thailand / Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
