Sky Records are sometimes used. Collectively, the flankers and the number eight can also be known as the back-row forwards – referring to their scrum positions – or as loose forwards because they are loosely bound to the scrum. Role. Flankers are the position where the player should have all-round attributes: speed, strength, fitness, tackling and handling skills. Flankers are always involved in the game, as they are the players most commonly involved in winning the ball in open play, especially the openside flanker. Blindside flankers tend to be bigger, but not as fast as their partners on the openside. In open 	Flanker (rugby union)
20756363	play, flankers will often stand behind the backs, supporting them. If any ball is dropped by the backs, the flankers' job is to clear up messy ball and start a new phase of play. Because they are always close to the ball, they are often first to the breakdown. Flankers do less pushing in the scrum than the tight five, but need to be fast as their task is to break quickly and cover the opposing half-backs if the opponents win the scrum. At one time, flankers were allowed to break away from the scrum with the ball but 	Flanker (rugby union)
20756364	this is no longer allowed and they must remain bound to the scrum until the ball is out. Flankers also have to defend at the back of the scrum if the opposition wins the ball and the opposing number 8 decides to pick and go (i.e. pick up the ball from the back of the scrum and drive forward with it). New Zealand openside flanker Richie McCaw, who was nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year a record eight times from 2002 to 2012, described three key roles for the flanker: Openside and blindside. The two flankers do not 	Flanker (rugby union)
20756365	usually bind to the scrum in a fixed position. Instead, the openside (occasionally known as the strong side, traditionally wearing number 7) flanker attaches to the scrum on whichever side is further from the nearer touchline, while the blind-side (occasionally known as weak side or closed side, traditionally number 6) flanker attaches themselves to the scrum on the side closer to the touchline. Since most of the back play is usually on the open side, where there is more space, it is usually the openside flanker's job to be the first to any breakdown of play and to 	Flanker (rugby union)
20756366	get their hands on any loose ball (or to cause a breakdown by tackling the ball carrier or otherwise hurrying him into error). At a scrum where the ball has been won by the opposition, the openside flanker often has the best view of when the ball is out and is able to break away and close down the opposing ball-carrier, reducing the time available for a pass or kick. Openside flankers are often smaller and quicker than their blindside counterparts. The blindside flanker has the job of stopping any move by the opponents on the blind (or 'narrow	Flanker (rugby union)
20756367	') side from a scrum. Blindside flankers are often responsible for cover defence from set pieces and may play a more physical role at the line-out, where they may well be used as a jumper. They can also be used for breaking their opposition line in open play using their speed and strength to break tackles. Most countries prefer a quicker openside flanker with the ability to get off the scrum quickly so that he can scavenge for the ball. In South Africa, however, it is preferred for the blindside flanker to be quicker as it is often their duty 	Flanker (rugby union)
20756368	to carry the ball, meaning they prefer the person running with the ball being quicker rather than the person trying steal it. Flankers are not always assigned specific roles as opensides and blindsides. For example, Scotland flankers Finlay Calder and John Jeffrey played left and right, rather than open and blind. French teams tend not to make a distinction between the two roles, and their flankers also usually play left and right rather than open and blind: thus, Serge Betsen often wore the number 6 but would pack down on either the open or blind sides of the scrum, and 	Flanker (rugby union)
20756369	will often harass the opposition fly-half in the manner of an openside; like Calder and Jeffrey for Scotland, Betsen and Olivier Magne formed an outstanding left-right partnership for France. Flanker (rugby union) Flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Each team of 15 players includes two flankers, who play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside or openside flankers, numbers 6 and 7 respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they 'flank' each set of forwards. They compete for the ball – most commonly in rucks and mauls	Flanker (rugby union)
20756370	Sky Records Sky Records Sky Records was a Hamburg, Germany-based independent record label specializing in krautrock/Kosmische Musik and electronic music. Some of their releases could be classified as progressive rock or art rock, experimental music, industrial, ambient, or new age. No new releases appeared after 1998. History. Sky Records was founded in 1975 by Günter Körber after he left Metronome Musik, the parent company of influential krautrock/Kosmische label Brain Records. Körber was able to sign several former Brain Records recording artists to his new label, most notably Cluster just as they began a successful collaboration with Brian Eno. The 	Sky Records
20756371	success of the albums Cluster & Eno" in 1977 and "After the Heat" in 1978 helped put Sky on a solid financial footing. Other former Brain artists signing with Sky included Thirsty Moon and Michael Rother shortly after his departure from Neu! and Harmonia. Along with several subsequent Cluster albums, group members Dieter Moebius and Hans-Joachim Roedelius also released several solo albums and collaborations on Sky. Other notable artists who recorded for the label include Conrad Schnitzler, Asmus Tietchens, Harald Grosskopf, Adelbert von Deyen, Nik Tyndall, Earthstar, Serge Blenner, Insane Jane, and Dieter Schütz. The 1990s mainly saw reissues of  earlier albums from the catalog on CD. The label was dissolved in 1997. Günter Körber died in 2013. Many of the label's original releases have since been reissued on the Bureau B label. Sky Records Sky Records was a Hamburg, Germany-based independent record label specializing in krautrock/Kosmische Musik and electronic music. Some of their releases could be classified as progressive rock or art rock, experimental music, industrial, ambient, or new age. No new releases appeared after 1998. History. Sky Records was founded in 1975 by Günter Körber after he left Metronome Musik, the parent company of influential