By Hayden Sanders

To be good on the rugby union field, you have to be fit, and fitness is gained during your time off the field. Nothing can take the place of hard work. However, make sure that you are doing the kind of hard work that gets you the results you want.

You need to maintain a level of rugby fitness that ensures you have plenty of stamina, strength and power and flexibility.

To minimise the risk of injury and also to prepare your body for the harder work to come, you need to start every practice or fitness session with a well organised warm-up and stretching routine.

Eating the right kinds of food is also important.

You must follow a healthy diet that supplies the right amounts of energy and essential nutrients for good health and physical performance. It should provide the right proportions of carbohydrate, fat, protein, as well as water and fiber.

The main ‘fuels’ used by exercising muscles are carbohydrates and fats. The amount of each of these fuels used depends upon the type, intensity and duration of the exercise.

Keys to a solid rugby union training program includes:

- essential exercises that improve rugby union performance specifically

- an understanding of the qualities and concepts that, when combined create total rugby union fitness

- stretches that improve flexibility and help prevent injury

- exercises and routines that improve speed, muscular strength, agility and cardiovascular endurance

- a balanced diet that includes important proteins, carbohydrates, fats and fibre

I’m a born and bred New Zealander, where rugby union is in my veins. Having been involved as a fan and coach alike, I have seen too many players simply turn up for training expecting to become the best player on the team.

These set of articles provide pointers to a number of great resources that can help you develop your rugby union game and become the games next superstar!

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Get-Fit-For-Rugby-Union-With-Your-Very-Own-Training-Program&id=4604838

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By Rodney J Smith

Here’s a look at the Big Three of world rugby in terms of where they’re at ahead of the 2010 Tri Nations tournament. The teams will also have one eye firmly on long-range preparations for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand too, which adds to the pressure in this year’s Tri Nations.

Australian Wallabies

Considering the relatively low profile of rugby union in Australia and the fact that much of the athletic talent gravitates towards rugby league or Aussie Rules football, it’s a testament to the Australian fighting spirit and “never say die” attitude that they are so competitive in rugby union. Australia tends to favour an open running style of rugby, relying on fast, elusive backs and not a little guile to run rings around their opponents, which can be very entertaining to watch. Teams that are successful against them tend to try and force a more structured, forwards-oriented game on them to capitalise on what is perceived as their main weakness: an under-powered front five, particularly in the scrumming department.

It’s something that coach Robbie Deans is trying hard to address ahead of the 2010 Tri Nations and next year’s world cup. Many questions still remain after the summer internationals against the northern hemisphere sides, which this Tri Nations tournament may go a long way towards answering. If they can manage to be more competitive up front, one feels that the core of this young side could carry the Wallabies forward for the next decade.

New Zealand All Blacks

Although the Kiwis are a relatively small nation, rugby is religion in the Land of the Long White Cloud, which means the sport enjoys the pick of the athletic talent. Their ranks are further bolstered by imports from the various Polynesian islands whose people, both culturally and physically, seem born to play rugby. Arguably the team to beat over the years, the All Blacks have perhaps the most balanced approach to the game, combining strong, incisive running backs with tough battle-hardened forwards who are capable of dominating against most teams in world rugby. They are a formidable prospect, with few obvious weaknesses.

Their achilles heel seems to be an inability to win that most elusive of prizes: the world cup (apart from the inaugural tournament). Each year they seem to be the team to beat going into the competition, yet somehow they have not managed to win it, earning them the tag of “chokers”. Perhaps their problem is that they want it too much? Anyhow, one thing is sure: the Kiwi public will tolerate nothing less than a win at next year’s world cup on home soil – otherwise the players and staff may as well pack their bags and go play in the Heineken Cup!

No such problems in the Tri Nations though – the All Blacks have been dominant over the years, and will be keen to re-establish the natural order of things after under-performing in last year’s tournament.

South African Springboks

Rugby has traditionally been a white man’s game in South Africa. But since the birth of the Rainbow Nation, more non-white players have been coming through the ranks. Whilst this is still somewhat of a political process rather than pure rugby development, the future looks bright for the Springboks if they can tap deeply into the local talent pool. The Springboks have traditionally played “10 man rugby” built on a very powerful forward pack with a kicking flyhalf and the rest of the backline there mainly for defense but more recently they’ve made progress in becoming more balanced – sometimes swinging too far the other way – but lately seem to have to the balance just about right.

After a very successful couple of years in which they have won just about everything going, the challenge for them is to keep developing to stay ahead of the pack. Many of their stars are nearing the end of their playing careers, and it remains to be seen if suitable replacements can be found to take over the mantle after next year’s world cup. At the moment depth doesn’t seem to be much of a problem, but one or two injuries in key positions could have a big impact.

Be sure to catch all the excitement of the 2010 tri nations rugby tournament over at http://trinationsrugby.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rodney_J_Smith
http://EzineArticles.com/?Tri-Nations-Rugby—Team-Profiles&id=4615945

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Cheers guys.

The game is pretty easy to learn. The first club I played for, none of us had played before, but we won our first game after about 3 training sessions. The prop usually follows the ball around, like any forward. But they are only expected to get to every second one.

In the scrums, they are the key for your team. The lower you get, the more power you get. In the first year I played, we had the smallest pack, but we had the best scrum because our props were the best.

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Thanks!

I’ve been playing rugby for the past 7 years I would recommend going out for flanker or scrumhalf and after getting a couple years experience possibly 8 man.. but I would have him start of in the pack or the forwards because of his size and flanker if he’s fast and can tackle.

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Weight circuit training combined with your swimming. Work out all your muscles in a circuit and do some extra benching, you might want to do some running as well.

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Whatever your most comfortable with… I have used everything from football boots all the way up to high topped flanker boots… neither will help improve your striking… I prefer the Canterbury of NZ Rampage flanker boot with the 8 replaceable studs, but that’s because I tend to play on some rough pitch surfaces…

Cheers

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Thanks in advance and by the way, I have no idea how to play rugby so can you keep the answers to easy steps.

Well my tip for you is that you shouldn’t run your hardest until you got the ball or you are trying to tackle your opponent, so throughout the game you should just jog, so you don’t lose your breath.

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A Nike sports rugby Ad

Duration : 0:1:29

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Massive difference, first the eqiupment issue which is none in rugby, no forward passes, the breakdown after every tackle having to compete for the ball, no set number of Downs in rugby- you can keep the ball for as many phases as you like provided you don’t knock it on( lose the ball forward) or get peanalized.

But the biggest difference is you have to be a true athlete in rugby, 15 men on the paddock and only 7 subs which can only be subbed once during the game. If you come off the field due to injury- your game is done unless its for blood. so doing the maths if all subs get on (which they dont always) at least 8 players have to play the full 80 minutes. No offensive, defensive and special teams.

I used to play football thru school and loved it, great game. Moved to New Zealand 7 years ago and have followed rugby. Now I have to admit I think rugby’s a much better game.

Hope this helps

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