Former Gloucester full back Rob Cook was best known for his bizarre goal kicking technique which left crowds laughing in disbelief.
Prior to kicking for goal, Cook would spread his legs wide to help him focus as part of his routine before addressing the ball.
Despite the unusual style, it proved effective for him as the leading points scorer in the Championship between 2009-2012 with the Cornish Pirates before joining Gloucester for the 2012/2013 season.
“That just happened. When I was at uni and I was kicking, I had a stance like Jonny Wilkinson, or at least I had my hands like Jonny,” said Cook.
“I don’t know what happened, but then I just got a little bit wider. I think it was more mental than anything with me. It was working so why change it?
“If you look at my stance, the bit before I actually stand up and kick, it’s irrelevant really.”
During his four years at the Cherry and Whites Cook scored 278 points in 79 appearances before joining Nuneaton in 2016 and he still plays for Malvern at the tender age of 37.
Cook added: “Everyone’s different, you know. Your body’s built in a different way. Owen Farrell is what, 6ft 2in? He’s a certain weight, he carries his body differently to everyone else.
“So you’ve got to find what works for you. When I’m coaching, you can give players the basics, but it’s about finding what works for them. It might not look right but if it’s going over nine times out of 10 what’s the point of changing it?”
Various other questionable routines have been trialled over the years such as Quade Cooper’s Superman pose and Dan Biggar’s shuffle, but Cook’s split stance has to be one of the most unusual to date.
0 Comments