What position did you play?
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@pakman said in What position did you play?:
I'd let them have outside and come in low side on.
Hah. In my first year out of school I was playing senior 3 I think, so it was a lot of church teams and stuff. I would've been lucky to be 70 kilos so become used to being at fullback and guys running straight at and usually over me. That's how I eventually learnt to hit hard.
One time I decided to plant my feet early and look scared, then basically as soon as they'd straightened and thought I was easy pickings I'd take off directly at them. Worked a fucken treat and became my thing 😬
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At Primary school had a promising career at lock coz I was the tallest kid in the class but before I could become the next Pinetree we shifted to a non rugby area and I ended up playing two years of league and then three of soccer as that's what all my mates played.
Fortunately my parents divorced and we moved back to the Shore where I specialised as a non-kicking, non-passing 2/5 because I was big. Tactically most of our plays revolved around me taking it up. I was a rugby god. It worked really well until we started crossing the bridge and I found out that what passed for big amongst the little white boys at my school made you a midget facing the poly's from South Auckland. It did lead to my passing skills improving out of sight though.
Beer and girls curtailed my career until I ended up in Holland where I mostly played as a very slow, non-catching, non-tackling 14. Truth be told I specialised mainly in the after match.
Finally a few years later I got roped into two seasons in London for a social side back where I started - as a lock. Mainly because I didn't want to freeze my balls off in the backline who never saw the ball more than once a game. Our idea of spin it wide was giving it to the half back. I did learn to appreciate the rolling maul as a great way to avoid hypothermia in an English February.
Finally gave it away when someone tried to take my eye out which I decided wasn't very social.
Still available for selection although to be honest I have slowed down a lot since my days in Holland. Still good at the after match though.
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@JC said in What position did you play?:
Halfback. I was a cross between Justin Marshall (i.e. good hair) and Sid Going (i.e. we both came from Northland). Other than those points there was nothing else in my game that was reminiscent of any All Blacks.
JP rhymes with JC?
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@Bones said in What position did you play?:
@JC said in What position did you play?:
Halfback. I was a cross between Justin Marshall (i.e. good hair) and Sid Going (i.e. we both came from Northland). Other than those points there was nothing else in my game that was reminiscent of any All Blacks.
JP rhymes with JC?
Believe me, I’ve clutched at all those straws 😞
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One theme that runs all through this thread is the number of positions we’ve all played. I believe there is a correlation along the lines of: more positions played = the shittier you are at rugby.
To back this up I can tell you that whilst I spent most of my “career” in the back row, I have played every position barring 2 and 9. Case proven.
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@Catogrande no no NO!!
It is because we were so good at so many positions, we suffered as one of those supremely talented athletes that was never given the opportunity to specialise in just one position and take thier game right to the top!
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@nzzp said in What position did you play?:
@Snowy said in What position did you play?:
Didn't like lock much and still enjoyed more running ball in hand so moved myself to 8 when they made me captain. Complete abuse of power.
I always wanted to be an 8.
And I could have been good too, aside from the lack of athleticism, speed, ball skills and mongrel.
There’s always accountancy!
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@Magic65 said in What position did you play?:
@nzzp went up against him in his first year at Ponies. Preferred TH but was loose that day. Couldn't buckle the 19yr old straight outta MAGs.
Peter Fatiolofa had same experience, so no shame there!
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@nzzp said in What position did you play?:
@Snowy said in What position did you play?:
Didn't like lock much and still enjoyed more running ball in hand so moved myself to 8 when they made me captain. Complete abuse of power.
I always wanted to be an 8.
And I could have been good too, aside from the lack of athleticism, speed, ball skills and mongrel.
Go to 3.35
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@raznomore said in What position did you play?:
@sparky I swear did not see that coming.
These days I'm a Referee. 😉
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@sparky said in What position did you play?:
@raznomore said in What position did you play?:
@sparky I swear did not see that coming.
These days I'm a Referee. 😉
People will judge. You know this is an open forum right?
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@Stargazer said in What position did you play?:
As a little kid, I started at halfback because I was the smallest player in the team. A few years later, I was the first to get a growth spurt and managed to convince the coach to move me to the outside backs, because I had quite a bit of pace and I didn't like playing at halfback. I mostly played at fullback, but also on the wing.
Then we moved to the Netherlands and there was no rugby club to find in our area at the time, so I played football, mostly as a striker. I also did a fair bit of ice speed skating in Winter and swimming and road cycling in Summer.
When I was 16, we moved to France, where I started playing rugby again, mostly at fullback or first five. I moved back to the Netherlands to go to Uni, played rugby (fullback & first five) and sevens, even got some interest from national coaches and ... then I made the mistake of going on holiday to England.
In England, an idiot thought it was a good idea to ignore a red light, hit me with his car while I was crossing a street and I ended up in hospital with multiple broken bones, a skull fracture and spinal damage. That took a long time to heal, and I tried getting back into rugby a few years later, but other health problems forced me to abandon rugby completely and take up non-contact sports (which I still do back in NZ).
Amazing story @Stargazer
Your passion for the game that was seemingly taken away from you prematurely is to be admired.
How’s the body holding up these days? -
@Stargazer said in What position did you play?:
As a little kid, I started at halfback because I was the smallest player in the team. A few years later, I was the first to get a growth spurt and managed to convince the coach to move me to the outside backs, because I had quite a bit of pace and I didn't like playing at halfback. I mostly played at fullback, but also on the wing.
Then we moved to the Netherlands and there was no rugby club to find in our area at the time, so I played football, mostly as a striker. I also did a fair bit of ice speed skating in Winter and swimming and road cycling in Summer.
When I was 16, we moved to France, where I started playing rugby again, mostly at fullback or first five. I moved back to the Netherlands to go to Uni, played rugby (fullback & first five) and sevens, even got some interest from national coaches and ... then I made the mistake of going on holiday to England.
In England, an idiot thought it was a good idea to ignore a red light, hit me with his car while I was crossing a street and I ended up in hospital with multiple broken bones, a skull fracture and spinal damage. That took a long time to heal, and I tried getting back into rugby a few years later, but other health problems forced me to abandon rugby completely and take up non-contact sports (which I still do back in NZ).
Quite unusual travel pattern. Did one of your parents work for a multinational?
That is horrific. What happened to the driver?
Do you have many longer term impacts, other than having to be careful?
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@Catogrande said in What position did you play?:
One theme that runs all through this thread is the number of positions we’ve all played. I believe there is a correlation along the lines of: more positions played = the shittier you are at rugby.
To back this up I can tell you that whilst I spent most of my “career” in the back row, I have played every position barring 2 and 9. Case proven.
Speak for yourself
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@pakman said in What position did you play?:
Quite unusual travel pattern. Did one of your parents work for a multinational?
No, we moved to the Netherlands for family reasons (both my parents are (partially) of Dutch descent). My father took the opportunity to work and do research at a Dutch university during those first years and was then offered an opportunity to work at a research institute in France for a few years, before they returned to NZ.
That is horrific. What happened to the driver?
He spent a short time in prison, had to pay a fine and reparations. I can't remember the details. Most of that time is a blur.
Do you have many longer term impacts, other than having to be careful?
@ACT-Crusader said in What position did you play?:
Amazing story @Stargazer
Your passion for the game that was seemingly taken away from you prematurely is to be admired.
How’s the body holding up these days?I never entirely got rid of my back problems, but I'd say that the lasting impact is more psychological in nature. My main health problems are caused by several autoimmune diseases.
I think anyone who's been reading my posts on the Fern can now understand why I sometimes get frustrated when players get injured, or aren't getting or taking opportunities to play and develop their game.
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Lock/6/8 (pretty sure thats what most locks say when they want to not play lock)
Loved my footy growing up played most of the age group reps from 9-12 years old. Got to play with and against some really good players growing up in HB in what was a pretty good period for HB rugby.
Played 3 years of 1st 15. Coach had sat me down in 5th form and outlined what big aspirations he had for me and how he thought I could be the next big name to add to his Taine Randall/John Timu list. God knows where he got that idea from.... I was always really fit but never had any type of acceleration or top-end speed. I could just keep up my average sprint for a whole game. I just generally looked like I was more places because I was alright at reading the game. I think he was excited because I was 189cm at 15 and he thought I would still grow and then fill out my frame (was 72kg)....
I certainly filled out the frame but didn't grow another CM taller. Plodded along after that and career highlights were few and far between. Literally the list is 50+ games for a mediocre 1st 15, playing a colts game for Tech while on high school holidays and getting play of the day over future World Cup Try scorer Karne Hesketh, and making a Canadian Provincial Training squad a day after I landed off the basis that 'he's a kiwi so he must be alright'.
After high school just played a bit at uni and then here and there overseas while travelling. Had much more success as a physio than a player haha having worked with some cool teams in both rugby and other sports.
Rugby is a sport I watch now basketball and golf and the sports I play...or attempt to.
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Also just a disclaimer. If I ever catch up with any of you in person there is a high likelihood after a few shandys I will be a lot better than my explanation. Every year since my last game I get 4.5% better.
Statisticans have run the numbers and in 7 years I would have been better than McCaw, DC, BBBR and Scott Hamilton Combined.
