Jeez - that's a pretty tall order. I don't think there is any way I can cover "all" of these things without showing you in person, and even then I'd only get about 10% out of what you're likely to learn in actually playing the position. But I suppose there are some basics.... don't think you've stopped growing either - I grew another inch in my first year of Uni and with the help of the gym went from 95kg to 110kg. Ah to be young again... and to be only 110kg again! 8)
First bit of advice: go find someone who has played hooker and ask these same questions of them.
The scrum:
Learn to hook with your right leg. Some guys never do - they think its as easy as sticking your left leg out straight and and letting the ball roll under it while your scrum motors forward. But if you learn the art of swinging your hips and getting that right leg pointing towards the tunnel, you learn things:
- You'll find that through the torso and hips you need to be really flexible, but at the same time really strong. Guys like Sean Fitzpatrick epitomised hooker play because he was a solid unit but had narrowish hips - allowed him to maneuver his hips and legs within the scrum
- On the days where your scrum is copping a pounding and your loosehead ISN'T crushing his opposite, having the right leg strike in your arsenal will be key in ensuring you can get the ball back quickly without the opposition hooker being able to drill you.
- It really assists with striking opposition ball. I played Second Grade with a guy in his late 40s and he still had the knack of swivelling downwards and across to piss off the opposition hooker.
- It also teaches your locks to bind properly onto their props and NOT onto you - make sure you discuss this with them because the freedom of movement you need is key to being a good hooker on your own ball and the opposition ball
- Like scrums, nothing replaces live practice or match experience. Get as much as you can.
Work out with your tight five various calls for scrums. Some think its about just pushing real hard but there are subtleties as you might know from playing prop. Sometimes you'll want to strike for opposition ball if your THP is holding his own. Sometimes you might just want to put on a real 8-man drive when you're inside their 22 - in which case my advice about foot placement is "don't get in the fucking way of your props" - keep your feet just inside the line of your shoulders and push in time with your scrum.
BTW that should be your job too - on the opposition ball, YOU should call the push as your Props will (should) be busy trying to smash their opposites. Work out a rhyth - I have found that short, sharp bursts work better than long sustained pushes on opposition feed. So when the ball comes in, you call it in bursts "EIGHT-2-3 aaaaaaand EIGHT-2-3 aaaaand EIGHT-2-3". What I love about this call is if you do shunt the opposition, they know that more pain is coming on the next call and start to get a bit flighty :lmao:
I know you said your throwing is OK, but I should cover this anyway -
The lineout:
- Don't worry about pretty spiral throws every time - but make sure they're not wobbly shit either.
- Learn to throw with both feet on the line, not one on the line and one back from the line. You'll need genuine core strength for this and have to lock your abs when throwing. Anton Oliver learned this in the last few years of his rugby and it improved his throwing from abominable to half-decent. Balance is the key.
- Learn to throw long distances. Most lower level rugby the ball never goes past the 4 jumper but if you can pull out the odd ball over to a backrower standing on the 15, you're set. Go buy a couple of cheap practice balls and a large texta. Go down to the local park where there are goalposts (they can even be AFL posts or a power pole) and reach up as high as you can to make a mark on the post - this will be about the height you want to hit from 15 metres away as your #8 takes the ball on the opposition 22 and trundles over to score.
- Make sure your short-distance throwing is top notch. If I ask you to hit your 2 jumper you should be able to stand 5m from that same pole and hit the same spot every single time. Pick out a rivet or marking about 12 feet off the ground.
- Learn variance in your throws - Subtle changes are the best. We have a 2 call to hit the front jumper at the peak of his lift. If the opposition 2 jumper is giving us shit, we have a 1 call where the lift is exactly the same but the ball hits him around the stomach, low and fast. Confuses hell out of the opposition and then they start thinking - which is when you've won.
- Make sure you can deliver an accurate lob throw - clear that front jumper and have it land almost vertically on the target. Get a round 10L plastic bucket and put it the ground 10m away. Learn to get the ball in the bucket. I think I did this once out of all the time trying but the point is you don't need to get it in the bucket every time - just in that general area, and at a steep angle.
- Fill the bucket with water and go back to throwing at the goal post, making sure to dunk the ball into the water every time. In recent times, and especially the last few years of drought, throwing a wet ball has nearly died out, but you'll need it
I think that's about it. Ask any questions.
A lot will depend on the other members of your tight five. Make sure your loosehead is not a muppet because he is all that stands against having your head popped like a boil when the opposition tighthead and hooker decide to squeeze the living shit out of you on your own feed. Make sure you take the opportunity to drink with your props and become blood brothers - go out drinking with them, and pick a fight with someone slightly larger than yourself (tell him his girlfriend has nice tits, despite being a slapper ... something like that). If your props don't come in with fists swinging (or at least hold the guy off you), tell them to harden the fuck up or piss off. Don't expect the locks to do anything about it - they'll be too busy trying to crack onto chicks. Fat, ugly chicks... Locks drink too much.
