Rugby is becoming one of the fastest growing physical sports in the world. Even though it is associated with heavy muscular players there is a place for you on a rugby team no matter what your size. Before you start to play or even dream about one day playing at Cardiffs famous Millennium Stadium there are some basic skills that you will need to grasp first.

If you are a winger your main job is to run fast, so swerving and dummying will be two of the most important skills that you need to learn. A swerve can be just as effective as completing as a sidestep but it is much easier to achieve and can be very effective. First you must run with the ball straight at the defender. Use both hands so the defender cannot guess which direction you are going to go. Then you need to slowly curve your run as you get near the defender. It is important at this point to hold the ball in the opposite side of the tackler so they do not have a chance to swipe it. You should also angle your hips away from the defender to give you more power for your new direction. Once you are aligned to a new direction you need to sprint as fast as you can. It is important not to sprint before you change direction or you will find it harder to curve your run and the defender may reach you first.

The dummy is another important skill for all fast runners in team. The idea is simple, you want to draw the defender away from you by making him think you are going to pass the ball to another player. Body language and timing are very important for this skill and it will take some practice. As you are running with the ball look at your teammate and draw your hands back as if you are about to pass the ball. Next you need to wait till the defender moves towards your team-mate, this part is important as you need to make sure the defender has fallen for the dummy first. As he moves swing your arms in that direction and simultaneously change direction moving away from the defender. This might only buy you a few feet away from the defender but that can mean the difference in scoring a try and being taken down.

Tackling is a skill every player on the field needs to master. The first step is to pin-point your opponents hips and try to centre your shoulders in that direction. When about to make contact you need to aim at your opponents mid-section or hips. The ideal tackle is when you connect your shoulder to their upper hip, this will almost always knock them off balance and allow you to steal the ball. It is important to remember to always wrap your arms around the other person as it will be classed as a foul if you hit without holding.

As you can see there are a few basic skills you need to learn in order to be a rugby master but once you do you will never look back!

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[tags]Play rugby,sport,skills[/tags]