Finnegan Posted 5 November 2009 Posted 5 November 2009 Now I imagine this is the wrong place to come expecting you all to side with rugby - but I'm having an argument with a friend of mine who thinks pretty much all "fast" footballers are faster than their rugby playing counter parts. He claims that even the so called fastest rugby players are too bulky and are carrying too much weight, relative to their size, to be fast. The flip side of this of course being most football players are weedy twigs compared to the average Olympic sprinter. Now, speculation aside, it got me interested in finding the actual speeds of professional footballers but a quick couple of google searches and I actually can't seem to find any reliable figures for any pro footballers sprinting times? I told my friend that the likes of JP Pietersen and Bryan Habana have been clocked at narrowly over 10 seconds and that Tom Varndell can reportedly do the 100 in 11 seconds. To which he tried to claim that even Wayne Rooney can run the hundred in under ten. Now surely that's absolutely bollocks? In fact I'll personally eat my weight in Oreos if Wayne Rooney can run that quickly, I just don't have any evidence. So come on, brainiacs of Foxes Talk. Can you help me find any reliable sprint times for professional footballers? (Preferably ones people have heard of. And no, Dennis Rommerdahl hasn't run it in 10.5, that's a myth.)
Raj Posted 5 November 2009 Posted 5 November 2009 Now I imagine this is the wrong place to come expecting you all to side with rugby - but I'm having an argument with a friend of mine who thinks pretty much all "fast" footballers are faster than their rugby playing counter parts. He claims that even the so called fastest rugby players are too bulky and are carrying too much weight, relative to their size, to be fast. The flip side of this of course being most football players are weedy twigs compared to the average Olympic sprinter.Now, speculation aside, it got me interested in finding the actual speeds of professional footballers but a quick couple of google searches and I actually can't seem to find any reliable figures for any pro footballers sprinting times? I told my friend that the likes of JP Pietersen and Bryan Habana have been clocked at narrowly over 10 seconds and that Tom Varndell can reportedly do the 100 in 11 seconds. To which he tried to claim that even Wayne Rooney can run the hundred in under ten. Now surely that's absolutely bollocks? Some come on, brainiacs of Foxes Talk. Can you help me find any reliable sprint times for professional footballers? (Preferably ones people have heard of. And no, Dennis Rommerdahl hasn't run it in 10.5, that's a myth.) Fooking geek!! Tis actually a good question. Id go with the power and anaerobic strength of Rugby players being able to achieve quicker speeds for short spells. Aint got no times though!!!. I'll fook off now!!!
Finnegan Posted 5 November 2009 Author Posted 5 November 2009 Fooking geek!!Tis actually a good question. Id go with the power and anaerobic strength of Rugby players being able to achieve quicker speeds for short spells. Aint got no times though!!!. I'll fook off now!!! Nothing wrong with being an occasional nerdy statto. Could do with John Motson, really. Will have to make do with Fez and Manny.
Sir Fynwy Posted 5 November 2009 Posted 5 November 2009 Nothing wrong with being an occasional nerdy statto. Could do with John Motson, really. Will have to make do with Fez and Manny. Just look at the fastest men in the world, they all carry more muscle than your average footballer. Football relies on short sprints, fast reactions and fast turning in general whilst Rugby requires longer runs in fairly straight lines from players like wingers and flankers (both my positions in the past). Also footballers usually run with a ball under control at their feet, not conducive to going really fast. I'd take the fastest Rugby players to beat the fastest footballers. When I did my league trials I couldn't believe the speed of some of the proffessional rugby players. PS. I'd guess that the fastest players of any ball sport are American football running backs.
James. Posted 5 November 2009 Posted 5 November 2009 Your mate's having a fucking laugh if he thinks Rooney could do 100m in under 10 seconds. I would say the fastest rugby player would beat the fastest footballer. Although this does remind me of all those idiots who thought Brian Habana could beat a cheetah.
Finnegan Posted 5 November 2009 Author Posted 5 November 2009 the Habana thing was a stunt, they raced over a marginal distance and he got a head start iirc. And yeah, you're pretty much all echoing what I've said so far. I just need some evidence, or as good as you can get on the internet.
Samilktray Posted 5 November 2009 Posted 5 November 2009 Not a single Rugby player is gonna touch Luton Shelton for speed.
potter3 Posted 5 November 2009 Posted 5 November 2009 I imagine the fastest Rugby players are probably about on par with the fastest footballers.
Joe. Posted 5 November 2009 Posted 5 November 2009 Always thought of Walcott as about the fastest in the Premier League... think I remember reading something about him doing 100m in around 10 seconds. Might be bollocks though. That said, Habana is rapid.
Sir Fynwy Posted 5 November 2009 Posted 5 November 2009 Chavanga has been timed at 10.27s for 100m and was the 400m champion of Zimbabwe before becoming a SA Rugby player, Shelton hasn't been timed as far as I can see but some claim he can do 100m in 10s or slightly below, I'd want to see that timed properly.
lildave3 Posted 5 November 2009 Posted 5 November 2009 Walcott did it in about 11.something seconds as a kid I think? He was faster than Mark Lewis Francis at the same age iirc. But i'd imagine there is no real difference between the sports...
Finnegan Posted 5 November 2009 Author Posted 5 November 2009 But i'd imagine there is no real difference between the sports... I should point out the claim was one way. I didn't tell my friend I thought rugby players would be faster. Merely that there were extremely fast rugby players as well as footballers and that the two were comparable.
lildave3 Posted 5 November 2009 Posted 5 November 2009 I should point out the claim was one way. I didn't tell my friend I thought rugby players would be faster. Merely that there were extremely fast rugby players as well as footballers and that the two were comparable. Tbh, I know which i'd rather attempt to stop.
Samilktray Posted 5 November 2009 Posted 5 November 2009 Luton Shelton can do it in 7 seconds flat. True dat.
Edmund Posted 5 November 2009 Posted 5 November 2009 Just look at the fastest men in the world, they all carry more muscle than your average footballer. Football relies on short sprints, fast reactions and fast turning in general whilst Rugby requires longer runs in fairly straight lines from players like wingers and flankers (both my positions in the past). Also footballers usually run with a ball under control at their feet, not conducive to going really fast.I'd take the fastest Rugby players to beat the fastest footballers. When I did my league trials I couldn't believe the speed of some of the proffessional rugby players. PS. I'd guess that the fastest players of any ball sport are American football running backs. Basically this. Rugby players core leg strength in comparison to football players is on another level. Speed = leg muscle. Like flynwy said all sprinters must be made of 80% muscle and like rugby players will train with up hill sprints to build leg muscle. You only had to tell your mate to look at Jonah Lomu to realise this.
Finnegan Posted 5 November 2009 Author Posted 5 November 2009 Tbh, I know which i'd rather attempt to stop. You mean you find this man more intimidating than DJ Campbell?
Webbo Posted 5 November 2009 Posted 5 November 2009 I have a vague memory of a young Heskey winning a competition amongst other teams sprinting the lenght of a pitch in football boots. Quite a respectable time too iirc.
BoneDog Posted 5 November 2009 Posted 5 November 2009 I'm sure in the early 90's they used to do a 100m sprint competition thing with top footballers. I remember Tony Daley winning it a couple of times I think. Fast
SOCCERROO FOX Posted 6 November 2009 Posted 6 November 2009 You are going to have fast footballers and fast rugby players impossible to compare.
Sir Fynwy Posted 6 November 2009 Posted 6 November 2009 You are going to have fast footballers and fast rugby players impossible to compare. It's not impossible to compare, you could get all of the quick players to do a timed run on a 100m track like the national sprint trials, it's unlikely anyone could be bothered though. I'm pretty sure that the sports science boys at city have a fairly good understanding of each of our players sprint times over 40m and 60m, stato Nige will want to see the data.
Unit Posted 6 November 2009 Posted 6 November 2009 I remember reading that Tigers ex player tom varndell ran the 100m in 10 seconds in socks, on grass so obviously could go faster
Sir Fynwy Posted 6 November 2009 Posted 6 November 2009 I remember reading that Tigers ex player tom varndell ran the 100m in 10 seconds in socks, on grass so obviously could go faster Sounds a bit unlikely, if he was doing 10 dead in socks on grass he'd be well sub 10 on a track in spikes and Bolt would have to look out.
Tommy G Posted 6 November 2009 Posted 6 November 2009 I remember reading that Tigers ex player tom varndell ran the 100m in 10 seconds in socks, on grass so obviously could go faster Bollocks. So on track, in spikes he could probably knock half a second off that which is close to the WR time. Some people believe some utter tosh.
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