Best skills for Number 8

I want to pool everyone's knowledge together to help train new players. What do you think are the most essential skills? The more views we have the better.

Ranking the skills in order, my view is:
Stamina
Strength
Technique
Defence
Handling
Jumping
Attack
Agility
Speed
Kicking

What have I got wrong in your opinion?

Tech before strength. I would place defense behind jumping but thats a minor change. Overall the skills for 8 are closer to one an other compared to other positions. Agility behind speed.

IMO of course.

Stamina, tech, strength, attack, defense, handling, jumping, speed, agility

What do you look for for height and weight?

Is taller and heavier better?

Definitely both weight as height need to be as large as possible.

Possibly the least important player in blackout rugby?

Can help boost your line out or ruck, so could go down the flanker or lock routes, probably ending up somewhere in between.

Which means height, weight and a lot of skills come into it, so quite a commitment to get a great 8.

I'd say one of the key players in BR. You can have tight 5 players who deliver on the setpiece, aren't too wobbly in defence and don't do much else, and you can hide wingers or perhaps a winger. But back row, even the 8 I wouldn't say is a position to hide anyone.

The 8 doesn't get much love as regards their individual stats, actually the 9 can suffer there as well, but they'll link a lot of plays as part of a unit even if they don't see figures returned for that on their stats.

I guess how much an 8 gets involved in stats you cannot see is open to debate. But there are certain positions which can get away with a couple of key skills and I think 8 is one of them.

I throw my worst heaviest tall backrow there. But I make sure every position in the backrow is catered with a great player. Can't underestimate a strong backrow.

Let's try this:

Stamina
Technique
Strength
Defense
Handling
Jumping
Speed
Attack
Agility
Kicking

but also can be:

Stamina
Technique
Strength
Jumping
Handling
Defense
Speed
Attack
Agility
Kicking



That's one of the most interesting positions in BR and I think his skills should be more in connection with the type of pack you have, what tactics you play and what opponent do you have upfront and not the same type of skills; For example, if you have a excellent tight 5 why bother to train him in strength too much? isn't better to train him with more Handling and Attack than?

If we accept the idea that N8 is jack of all trades as opposed to a speedy/tech 7 and a strong defender/lineout specialist at 6 than I think 8 should be trained to maximize the effect of his untrainables/squad strong points.