Rugby League positions | National Rugby League (NRL) Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Share A rugby league football team consists of thirteen players on the field, with four substitutes on the bench. Players are divided into two general categories: "forwards" and "backs". Forwards are generally chosen for their size and strength. They are expected to run with the ball and attack, and to make many tackles. Forwards are often required to do a lot of hard work such as making openings for the backs and gaining metres in field position. Backs are usually smaller and faster, though a big player who can run can be of advantage in the backs. Their roles require speed and ball-playing skills, rather than just strength, to take advantage of the field position gained by the forwards. Contents Want more info on Rugby League positions?! Backs Generally, the backline consists of smaller and faster players. The term "outside backs" is sometimes used to refer to the centres and wings (positioned towards the outer edges of the field), while "the halves" refers to the halfback and five-eighth. Fullback Edit Numbered 1, This position calls for all-round ball-playing ability and speed.

The fullback is the last line of defence, standing behind the main line of defenders. Defensively, fullbacks must be able to chase and tackle any player who breaks the first line of defence, and must be able to catch kicks made by the attacking side. Their role in attack is usually as a support player but also come into the line to create an extra man in attack. KELEMETE SUUUUUUUGGGGGGGAAAAADAAAAAABALLLLLLLLLSSSSSSSSS The three-quarters The threequarters, also known as outside backs, consist of the wings and centres. They are positioned closer to the edges of the field. Wing Edit Also known as wingers. There are four wings in a rugby league team, numbered 100 and 1, positioned around the fullback. They generally are among the strongest players in a team, with the muscle to defend the fullback. The wingers have to be able to kill someone if they have to. Edit There are two centres, right and left, numbered 3 and 4 respectively. They are usually positioned outside the halves and inside the wings.They are usually medium sized.

Or, as is now common place are large, fast with good footwork and an offload to pass to their wingers. The halves Edit There are two half backs (frequently referred to as 'the halves') - the stand-off half back (or five-eighth) numbered 6 and the scrum half back, numbered 7. Positioned more centrally in attack, near the forwards, they direct the ball in attack and are usually two of their team's main decision-makers. Stand-off Edit Numbered 6, the stand-off half or five-eighth is usually responsible for directing the ball to the rest of the team in attack (hence the nickname 'pivot') and is often a strong kicker. A good stand-off should be a quick thinker and be able to direct his team around the park. Scrum half Edit Numbered 7, the scrum half back or half back is usually involved in directing his team's play and is likely to be a very good passer. The position is sometimes referred to as "first receiver" as halfbacks are often positioned so as to be the first to receive the football from the dummy-half after a play-the-ball. This makes them important decision-makers in attack.

[1] Scrum halves are often short and fast over a short distance and should also be very capable handlers of the ball. Forwards Edit A rugby league forward pack consists of players who tend to be bigger and stronger than backs, and generally rely more on their strength to fulfil their roles than play-making skills. The forwards also form and contest scrums , while the backs stay out of them. The front row The front row of the scrum includes the hooker with the two props on either side. All three may be referred to as front-rowers, but this term is most commonly just used for prop forwards. Hooker Edit The hooker, numbered 9, packs in the middle of the scrum's front row. Usually it is the hooker's responsibility to operate at the dummy half (see below) position, starting the play by passing the ball to a team mate or by running himself. A hooker is, strong and fast. Good hookers are fast from the play the ball which always the team to get on the front foot. this can lead to a penalty, good field position or even a try.

Prop Edit There are two props, numbered 8 and 10, who pack in to the front row of the scrum on either side of the hooker. The props are often the two heaviest players on a team. Primarily, in attack their size and strength are utilised for running directly into the defensive line, as a kind of " battering ram " to simply gain metres. [2] Similarly, props are relied upon to defend against such running from the opposition's forwards. The back row Three forwards make up the back row of the scrum: Two second-rowers and a loose forward or lock forward. All three may be referred to as back-rowers. Second-row forward Edit Second-row forwards are numbered 11 and 12, and make up the second row of the scrum. Second-row forwards support the front rowers while attacking. They are either used as wide-running forwards to help create room for the quicker men due to their size or as endurance athletes who can play an entire game at a consistent level in the middle of the field. They are often nicknamed "tackling machines" due to their ability to make an enormous amount of tackles each game.

Loose forward Edit Numbered 13, the loose forward or lock packs behind the two second-rows in the scrum. From an attacking scrum they will sometimes pick the ball up themselves and run or pass. Many locks nowadays are used as a third ball player due to their ball playing skills as well as their size which they can use to break through the defence. It is customary in the NRL for each team to have a member of the back-row who can ball-play. Some notable professional locks have also played at five-eighth, as the roles can be similar. Interchange Edit A maximum of four substitutes (or interchange players) is allowed, who start the game on their team's bench. It is customary to see 3 forwards and either a utility or replacement hooker on the bench however not all teams do this. The rules governing if and when a replacement can be used have varied over the history of the game; currently they may replace any injured player or be used for a tactical substitution by their coach. Under the rules of the National Rugby League 10 interchanges are permitted per team, every game. However, if a player is deemed to have been injured due to foul play then the team is given a free interchange.

Roles As well as their positions, players' roles may be referred to by a range of other terms. Marker Following a tackle, the defending team may position two players - known as markers - at the play-the-ball to stand, one behind the other. facing the tackled player and the attacking team's dummy-half. Dummy-half Edit The acting halfback, acting half or dummy-half is the name given to the player who stands behind the play-the-ball and collects the ball, restarting play and passing or running with the ball. The hooker has become almost synonymous with the dummy-half role. However, any player of any position can play the role of dummy-half at any time and this often happens during a game. First receiver The first receiver is the name given to the first player to receive the ball off the ruck, i.e. from the dummy-half. [3] Second receiver If the ball is passed immediately by the first receiver, then the player catching it is sometimes referred to as the second receiver. Utility A player who can play in a number of different positions is often referred to as a 'utility player', or 'utility forward' or 'utility back' if the player specialises in playing forward or back positions.

Goal-kicker Although any player can attempt his team's kicks at goal ( penalty kicks or conversions ), most teams will have one player who will train extensively at kicking, and will often be the only player to take goal kicks for the team. Captain See also: Captain (sports) The captain is the on-field leader of a team and a point of contact between the referee and a team, and can be a player of any position. Some of the captain's responsibilities are stipulated in the laws. Before a match, the two teams' captains toss a coin with the referee. The captain that wins the toss can decide to kick off or can choose which end of the field to defend. The captain that loses the toss then takes the other of the alternatives. When a 'specialist' player (hooker or scrum half, for example) persistently breaks the laws, the referee should inform the player's captain when issuing a final caution, so the captain may choose to move him to another position. The captains are also responsible for appointing a substitute should a referee suffer an injury during a game.

Vice Captain Rugby League Positions | RUGBY LEAGUE BASE Rugby League Positions Rugby League Positions A rugby league football team consists of thirteen players on the field, with four substitutes on the bench. Players are divided into two general categories: “forwards” and “backs”. Forwards are generally chosen for their size and strength. They are expected to run with the ball and attack, and to make many tackles. Forwards are often required to do a lot of hard work such as making openings for the backs and gaining metres in field position. Backs are usually smaller and faster, though a big player who can run can be of advantage in the backs. Their roles require speed and ball-playing skills, rather than just strength, to take advantage of the field position gained by the forwards. The numbering of positions is standardised. The starting side normally wear the numbers corresponding to their positions, only changing in the case of substitutions and position shifts during the game. In the Super League, players are issued with a squad number to use all season, no matter what positions they play in.

The positions and numbers are defined by the game’s laws as: Backs 2 Right Wing Three quarter 3 Right Centre Three quarter 4 Left Centre Three quarter 5 Left Wing Three quarter 6 Stand-Off Half or Five-Eighth 7 Scrum Half or Half-Back Forwards 12 Second Row Forward 13 Loose Forward or Lock Forward There are some different names used in different parts of the world. Lock, five-eighth and halfback are used in Australia, New Zealand and some surrounding countries. The same positions are known as loose forward, stand-off and scrum half respectively in the Northern Hemisphere, where halfbacks refers to both the stand-off and scrum half. Numbers 8 and 10 are both usually referred to as props but may sometimes called “Front Row Forwards”. In addition to the thirteen on-field players, there are four substitutes. Usually, they will be numbered 14, 15, 16 and 17. Each player normally keeps their number for the whole game, regardless of which position they play in.

That is, if player number 14 replaces the fullback, for example, player 14 will wear the number 14 for the whole game, and not change shirts to display the number 1. Backs Generally, the backline consists of smaller and faster players. The term “outside backs” is sometimes used to refer to the centres and wings (positioned towards the outer edges of the field), while “the halves” refers to the halfback and five-eighth. Fullback – Numbered 1, This position calls for all-round ball-playing ability and speed. The fullback is the last line of defence, standing behind the main line of defenders. Defensively, fullbacks must be able to chase and tackle any player who breaks the first line of defence, and must be able to catch kicks made by the attacking side. Their role in attack is usually as a support player but also come into the line to create an extra man in attack. Wing – Also known as wingers. There are two wings in a rugby league team, numbered 2 and 5, positioned on each side of the field. They generally are among the fastest players in a team, with the speed to finish an attacking move.

Centre – There are two centres, right and left, numbered 3 and 4 respectively. They are usually positioned outside the halves and inside the wings.They are usually medium sized. Or, as is now common place are large, fast with good footwork and an offload to pass to their wingers. Stand-off – Numbered 6, the stand-off half or five-eighth is usually responsible for directing the ball to the rest of the team in attack (hence the nickname ‘pivot’) and is often a strong kicker. A good stand-off should be a quick thinker and be able to direct his team around the park. Scrum half – Numbered 7, the scrum half back or half back is usually involved in directing his team’s play and is likely to be a very good passer. The position is sometimes referred to as “first receiver” as halfbacks are often positioned so as to be the first to receive the football from the dummy-half after a play-the-ball. This makes them important decision-makers in attack.Scrum halves are often short and fast over a short distance and should also be very capable handlers of the ball.

Forwards A rugby league forward pack consists of players who tend to be bigger and stronger than backs, and generally rely more on their strength to fulfil their roles than play-making skills. The forwards also form and contest scrums, while the backs stay out of them. Hooker – The hooker, numbered 9, packs in the middle of the scrum’s front row. Usually it is the hooker’s responsibility to operate at the dummy half position, starting the play by passing the ball to a team mate or by running himself. A hooker is usually short, strong and fast. Prop – There are two props, numbered 8 and 10, who pack in to the front row of the scrum on either side of the hooker. The props are often the two heaviest players on a team. Primarily, in attack their size and strength are utilised for running directly into the defensive line, as a kind of “battering ram” to simply gain metres. Similarly, props are relied upon to defend against such running from the opposition’s forwards. Second-row forward – Second-row forwards are numbered 11 and 12, and make up the second row of the scrum. Second-row forwards support the front rowers while attacking.

They are either used as wide-running forwards to help create room for the quicker men due to their size or as endurance athletes who can play an entire game at a consistent level in the middle of the field. They are often nicknamed “tackling machines” due to their ability to make an enormous amount of tackles each game. Loose forward – Numbered 13, the loose forward or lock packs behind the two second-rows in the scrum. From an attacking scrum they will sometimes pick the ball up themselves and run or pass. Many locks nowadays are used as a third ball player due to their ball playing skills as well as their size which they can use to break through the defence. It is customary in the NRL for each team to have a member of the back-row who can ball-play. Some notable professional locks have also played at five-eighth, as the roles can be similar. Share this: Rugby League - Guide to the Game The Official Laws detailing all aspects of the game. The simple aim of Rugby League is to score more points than your opponents A Rugby League match lasts for 80 minutes (two 40 minute halves).

Timekeepers monitor this and sound a siren or hooter as a signal to the ref when the game is over. You score tries (worth four points) by touching the ball down over your opponent’s try line. You can convert that to six by kicking a goal. The other means of scoring are a penalty goal (also worth two points) and a drop goal (worth one point). There are two teams of 13 players with four reserves on the interchange bench. Each team can make a maximum of 12 changes involving any combination of players. Rugby League players have to be multi-skilled but some players do focus on roles within their teams including carrying the ball into the opposition line (forwards), attacking on the fringes (backs) and distributing the ball (hooker and half backs). All players work together in their team’s defensive formation. The ball has to be passed backwards. It can be passed as many times as you like until a player is tackled in possession. Each team has the ball for six plays (or tackles). After a tackle, the ball carrier plays the ball back along the ground to a receiver standing behind directly behind them. After the six plays are completed the team in possession must handover the ball to the opposition.

Most teams elect to kick at this point in order to gain as much ground as possible. Six players form a Rugby League scrum. They are a means of re-starting the game and create a good opportunity to attack. Scrums are awarded for knock-ons (losing the ball forward) or forward passes. You are offside in Rugby League if you are within the gap maintained between the attacking and defensive sides by the referee or if you interfere with play after being in front of a team mate when they have kicked the ball in open play. A 40-20 kick is when a player kicks the ball behind his own 40 metre line and it bounces into touch within the opposition’s 20 metre line. If this happens the side that kicked the ball get the advantage of putting the ball into the resulting scrum. A goal line drop out is taken from under your own posts if you have been forced to touch the ball down in your own in-goal area or put the ball out of play in this area.

Related Video NRL National Rugby League Media Man Australia Media Man Australia sprearheads media and publicity campaign for Betezy - KnightsBet - SharksBet - BunnyBet - TitansBet Profile Betezy Leading sports news story - Daily Telegraph, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, News.com.au, The Sun-Herald, The Weekend Australian, iGaming Business, CAP, Gambling 911 Profile The National Rugby League (often referred to as the Telstra Premiership for sponsorship purposes) is a professional competition for rugby league clubs in Australia and New Zealand, and is Australia's primary rugby league competition. It is the world's most attended rugby league competition and often considered the most competitive. The National Rugby League was formed in 1998 following the merging of the Australian Rugby League and Super League competitions, and is currently contested by sixteen clubs. In a total of nine seasons, the title has been won by seven teams: Brisbane Broncos, Bulldogs, Melbourne Storm, Newcastle Knights, Penrith Panthers, Sydney Roosters and Wests Tigers. The most successful team are the current champions, the Brisbane Broncos, who have won the title three times and are the only team to have won the title more than once.

History Origins For more details on this topic, see History of the National Rugby League. The 1980s brought about much expansion to the New South Wales Rugby League premiership, with new teams Canberra and Illawarra being introduced into the competition in 1982. Although this move brought out more interest in the competition statewide in New South Wales, it would spell the beginning of the demise of some of the traditional Sydney-based clubs. Following the 1983 season, foundation club Newtown Jets were ultimately forced to withdraw from the competition because of financial difficulties. In 1988, another three teams were introduced in the competition, including the Newcastle Knights and two Queensland teams Brisbane Broncos and Gold Coast-Tweed Giants. These new teams proved to be much more successful both financially and in popularity than their traditional counterparts and paved the way towards a push for a more nationalised game. This was further established in 1995, with the Australian Rugby League inviting four more teams from outside NSW to participate. Establishment With twenty-two teams playing in two competitions in 1997 crowd attendances and corporate sponsorships were spread very thinly, and many teams found themselves in financial difficulty.

On September 23, 1997 the ARL announced that it was forming a new company to control the competition in 1998 and invited Super League clubs to participate. On October 7 Rupert Murdoch announced that he was confident that there would be a single competition in 1998 and in the following months the National Rugby League, jointly owned by the ARL and News Limited, was formed. It was announced that the 1998 Season would have 20 teams competing, 19 Super League/ARL teams and the Melbourne Storm, who were owned by News Limited. Clubs on both sides of the war were shut down. News decided to close the Hunter Mariners and the financially ruined Western Reds, who were $10million in debt at the end of 1997, while the ARL decided to close down the South Queensland Crushers, who were also in severe financial trouble. At the end of 1998 News Limited decided to close down the Adelaide Rams and the ARL closed down the Gold Coast Chargers, even though they were one of the few clubs to make a profit during the Super League war.

Structure A Partnership Executive Committee administers the agreement between the Australian Rugby League and News Limited as well as making major financial decisions.[8] Three representatives from each party make up this committee. A National Rugby League Board which is commissioned by the Partnership Committee is comprised of six delegates from each party is responsible for administering the competition. Both bodies nominate a Chairman to lead each board for a term of 12 months, with one Chairman representing the Australian Rugby League and one representing News Limited in any one year. These roles reverse each year. The National Rugby League markets the premiership on behalf of the clubs as well as organising the draw and finals matches. Along with the Australian Rugby League, representative matches and the World Sevens tournament are also promoted by the National Rugby League as well. When the draw is finalised, teams are responsible for controlling and organsing their assigned home games. Clubs each have their own organisational structure but are also bound to the National Rugby League by a common set of rules in club agreements. Competition format and sponsorship Competition There are currently sixteen clubs in the National Rugby League. Teams are divided into two equal pools of eight at the competition of each season, with each pool of equal strength based on that season's results.

During the course of the regular season (which lasts from March to August) each club plays a total of two games against teams in the opposite pool, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents for a total of 16 games for each club. Teams play six of those seven others in their own group just once during the season, and play the remaining club twice. In total, each team plays 24 games in the 25-week regular season and a total of 192 games in a National Rugby League season. Teams receive two points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then points difference and then points percentage. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is declared minor premiers. Qualification for finals series Canberra Raiders and Newcastle Knights playing at Canberra Stadium in 2005.The eight highest placed teams then contest the finals series, which is contested using the McIntyre System. This has been for every National Rugby League season with the exception of 1998.

This system consists of a number of knockout and sudden-death games over four weeks between the top eight teams in August and September until there are only two teams remaining. These two teams then play in the Grand Final, on the first Sunday of October. In the first week, the top four seeds play at their respective home grounds. From week two onwards, all finals matches are scheduled to be played in Sydney, either at Aussie Stadium or Telstra Stadium. In 1998 the Grand Final was held at Sydney Football Stadium. Since 1999 the Grand Final has been contested at Telstra Stadium, the primary athletics venue during the 2000 Olympic Games held in Sydney. In June 2006, the NRL announced that the National Rugby League Grand Final will continue to be held at Sydney's Telstra Stadium until at least 2012, when it will be considered to be moved interstate if certain circumstances arose. Sponsorship Since 2001, the National Rugby League has been sponsored by Telstra. In the years beforehand, the premiership was simply known as the "National Rugby League".

The list below details who the sponsors have been and what they called the competition 19982000: National Rugby League 2001current: Telstra (NRL Telstra Premiership) Competition rules and representative season Salary cap Main article: Salary cap The National Rugby League adopted a salary cap based on the Australian Football League model in the early 1990s. In the NRL, clubs found to have breached the salary cap rules usually incur a fine. For example, six clubs were fined for minor infractions in 2003. These infractions are usually technical in nature and can sometimes be affected by third-party factors such as loss of sponsorship revenue affecting an allowance. However in mid-2002, the Bulldogs were found guilty of serious and systemic breaches. In addition to a more substantial fine, they were stripped of their competition points accumulated to that date, and hence denied a place in the finals. As the club had been leading the competition table prior to the penalty's imposition, this was a shattering outcome for the club and its fans.

Furthermore, in the 2006 pre-season the New Zealand Warriors revealed that their former management had rorted the salary cap in the 2004 and 2005 seasons. As a punishment the club was stripped of four competition points for 2006 and fined $430,000 Australian dollars. They also must play 2007 under a reduced salary cap. Representative season As well as playing for their club in the National Rugby League season, players are sometimes entitled to play in a number of representative competitions that are conducted at the same time. These competitions include the one-off ANZAC Test and Country Origin VS City Origin matches and the State of Origin series. In order for a player to qualify for a representative team in these competitions, they must firstly be eligible to be chosen for the side. In recent times, these qualification requirements have been relaxed which has seen a number of players representing teams which they would not have always been allowed to play for.

This has caused some controversy given that some players have chosen to play for arguably weaker teams (hence making it easier to be selected) despite only having weak ties with that team both geographically and ancestrally, most notably in the case of Australian-born Nathan Fien being selected for New Zealand on the ground that his great-grandmother was born in New Zealand. Media coverage A 2004 match between Brisbane Broncos and the Bulldogs The National Rugby League premiership has ultimately been revolutionised by television, with there being a large shift away from daytime games to nightime games over recent years to better suit the contracted television networks Channel 9 and Foxtel. From 2001 onwards, the Grand Final has been held during the evening of a Sunday night. With the admission of the Gold Coast Titans to the premiership in 2007, the number of weekly games has risen from seven to eight. Free to air broadcaster Channel 9 will broadcast a live game on Friday night in addition to a delayed match that has been featured for some years. A delayed Sunday match will also continue to be shown on the network.

The News Limited-begun Foxtel network which broadcast its first rugby league matches during the 1997 Super League season has broadcast the remaining National Rugby League matches since the competition's inception in 1998. Players Each club in the National Rugby League has a "top squad" of twenty-five players, which are signed under the Salary Cap (as described above). By and large, the players who play in National Rugby League matches are sourced from these "top squad"s. Occasionally during a season, however, the need may arise for a club to use players outside these 25, and in this case players are usually sourced from the club's junior ranks (such as the relevant Premier League squad). Most of the players in the National Rugby League are of Australian origin, although there are increasing numbers of both New Zealand and Pacific Island-born players being selected by clubs. In recent years, Polynesian players have made up 75 per cent of junior representative teams in New South Wales. English-born players in the National Rugby League amount to very few, particularly when compared to the significant number of Australian-born players appearing in the European Super League.

However the few English players who appear in the National Rugby League, such as Adrian Morley and Brian Carney, have noted that the National Rugby League provides a higher standard of rugby league than is played in Europe. The players voted to be the best in each position at the end of the season are honoured at the Dally M Awards, with the player of the year awarded the Dally M Medal. The man of the match in the Grand Final is awarded the Clive Churchill Medal. Statistics The Bulldogs hold the record for the most consecutive wins, having won 17 matches in a row between 31 March 2002 and 3 August 2002. The Parramatta Eels set the records for the highest score and margin of victory in a 744 victory over the Cronulla Sharks on 23 August 2003. The most victories achieved within a season is 20, held jointly between the Parramatta Eels in 2001, the Bulldogs in 2002 and the Melbourne Storm in 2006. None of these teams went on to win the Grand Final.

Since the first National Rugby League season in 1998, a total of six players have topped the scorers list in a season. However, the only player to have won the title more than once is Hazem El Masri, the overall top scorer in the National Rugby League's history, having claimed the title in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006. His tally of 342 points in 2004 remains the most points scored by an invididual in a season. Nigel Vagana's 130 tries scored across all nine seasons of the National Rugby League makes him the most prolific try scorer in the competition's history. Nathan Blacklock holds the record for the most tries in a season, with 27 scored in 2001 for his team, the St. George Illawarra Dragons. Three players hold the record for the most points scored in a game; Hazem El Masri, Andrew Johns and Matt Geyer with 34 apiece. Only three players have scored five tries in a game; Francis Meli, Jamie Lyon and Nigel Vagana.

(Credit: Wikipedia) Sports Betting Rugby Positions Explained: Forwards | iSport.com Rugby Positions Explained: Forwards Rugby Positions Explained: Forwards There are essentially two groups of players on each side of a rugby match: The Forwards and the Backs . Many comparisons have been made about the different characteristics of these two groups, ranging in nature from mostly objective observations (forwards are big; backs are fast) to more subjective associations (forwards are meatheads with very limited ball-handling skills; backs are dainty creatures who don’t like to get their uniforms dirty). Although the subjective comparisons are usually humorous and an excellent source of debate, this explanation of the different rugby positions – including various names and responsibilities inherent in each – will strive for an objective tone, in the hopes that doing so will make it easier to understand the identity of each position. This guide will feature information about the various Forwards positions in rugby. For information on the Backs positions, please go to the Rugby Positions Explained: Backs guide. Life in the Pack The forwards of a team wear jerseys numbered 1 through 8 in Union, and 8 through 13 in League.

Forwards are the bigger of the two groups of players; the collective group of forwards is also referred to as the ‘pack,’ which is primarily involved in the scrums, rucks, mauls and line-outs of a match. Though the majority of the ball-carrying is done by the backs, sometimes forwards are used to punch the ball straight ahead short distances. In these instances, the forward is expected to charge straight ahead, either running over people or carrying them as long as possible. It’s not unusual to see forwards carry the ball close to the try line, as they can usually keep running after the first hit or two by opposing players. Whoso would be a man, must be a non-conformist, and preferably play in the pack. Ralph Waldo Emerson 19th Century American Author & Philosopher Here is a list of the assorted forward positions, including the responsibilities for each and different jersey numbers/names with which they’re associated, depending on the code of rugby: Props Prop s wear numbers 1 &3 in Union rugby, and 8 & 10 in League rugby. There are two props in a pack, called loosehead (left prop) and tighthead (right prop).

The two names refer to the side of the scrum on which they reside, and more specifically how they align with the opposing team’s pack during a scrum. The left prop is called 'loosehead' because that player only meets up with the other team’s prop during a scrum, meaning that player's head is unbound on both sides, and loose. The right prop is called 'tighthead' because that player’s head is between the prop and hooker of the other team, making for a tighter fit. Both sides demand enormous strength and attention to technique. However, the tighthead position is seen as the more difficult and important of the two because of the fact that the tighthead prop has to deal with the opposition pushing from two sides, compared to the loosehead prop having only one player to push against. Regardless of which side a prop occupies, they’re almost always the heaviest and strongest of the forwards. Along with the hooker – who is less concerned with pushing, and more concerned with raking the ball back after a put in – the props are the front of the pack, and must provide the strongest force of resistance to the other team’s pack during a scrum.

They are also critical in both winning and supporting rucks and mauls, and play important parts during a line-out by either lifting a jumper or binding on to the ball carrier. Hooker The Hooker wears number 2 in Union, and number 9 in League. Regardless of the association to a certain ‘profession’, the position of Hooker gets its name from the primary responsibility of that player during a scrum, namely ‘hooking’ the ball back with a foot after it’s been rolled in. Still of a decent size (but not nearly as big as the props), the hooker resides between both props, and is supported by the props by tightly binding on with them to the point that the hooker is able to free up one foot for raking the ball. Because the props on either side of the hooker will need both feet on the ground to push as much as possible, by raking the ball backwards the hooker is the first player with a chance to secure possession of the ball during a scrum. The hooker is also the player responsible for throwing the ball in during a line-out.

Along with helping on rucks and mauls, the hooker usually dictates the movement of the forwards during a match, setting up a short run by another forward or instructing other forwards on where to position themselves when on defense. In rugby League, the hooker is also commonly responsible for acting as the ‘Dummy-half’, which refers to the person that passes the ball out after the ball carrier has been tackled. Locks There are two Lock s in a pack, with no difference inherent to their position in, or responsibilities during, the scrum. Locks wear numbers 4 & 5 in Union, and 11 & 12 in League. They support the props and hooker during a scrum, both by binding on underneath and keeping the front row (props and hooker) tight, and by providing additional pushing strength. They are often the tallest players on the team, and will do the majority of the jumping during a line-out. Locks are also considered to be better ball carriers than most of the other forwards. Like all other forwards, they are involved in most of the rucks and mauls that take place during a game.

As both locks make up the second row of a pack, the position itself is also commonly referred to as ‘second row’, and in rugby League these players are known as ‘Second-row Forwards’. Flankers There are two Flanker s in the pack that wear numbers 6 & 7, but the flanker position only exists in Union rugby. Much like locks, there are two flankers in a pack. Unlike locks, however, there are two different names for the flankers, 'Blindside' and 'Openside,' depending on which side of the scrum they’re located. The blindside flanker will support whichever lock is positioned closest to the nearest touch-line (also known as the blind side of the pitch) by binding on at the side. The openside flanker does the same thing from the lock closest to the open side of the pitch (the side furthest from the touch line). Both flankers should be taller/bigger players, capable of moving with some speed yet maintaining a high level of physicality. No forward is allowed to disengage from the scrum until the ball is called out (except the eight man in some instances).

So because the flankers are located on either side of the pack, they’re usually the first forwards to engage in play (along with the eight man). Depending on which side won the scrum, the flanker will usually either make a play on the opposing team’s scrum half – the first player on the other team to play the ball from a scrum – or act as a passing option from the scrum half on their team if they won the scrum. For the same reasons, flankers are expected to be the first players to go after the ball when it’s loose or turned over. Either way, flankers are sometimes a temporary connection between forwards and backs, as they often are involved with both groups during a match. The exception to this characteristic concerns League teams, as the flanker positions don’t exist in the League code of rugby. Eight Man The Eight Man is the forward located at the very rear of the pack, and occupies the spot where the scrum half picks up the ball from a scrum. In Union rugby, the eight man is also referred to as the No. 8, as that's the number worn by the eight man; in League it's number 13.

The normal eight man is similar to a lock in terms of physical size, though the eight man wants to be slightly faster than the locks, instead of slightly stronger. The eight man supports the locks by binding on with them from behind, providing extra stability and a platform from which the locks can drive forward. The eight man also drives, but is less concerned with pushing and more concerned with securing the ball to make it easy for the scrum half to pick it up. Along with the locks and hooker, the eight man is a regular fixture in rucks and mauls, and is sometimes an additional jumper in line-outs. In rugby League, the equivalent of the eight man is called the loose forward, and is both located and responsible for the same things as an eight man. The Pack: Eight handsome burly guys whom you'd want to marry your daughter. They are intelligent, elegant, sensitive and sweet. Truly the ideal men. Anonymous The most unique quality of the position is that the eight man is allowed to disengage from the scrum and pick up the ball, much like the scrum half does, though the scrum half is never considered part of the scrum.

This player effectively transfers from being a part of the scrum to the player that restarts play outside of it. Because of this allowance, the eight man is sometimes included in the back-line schemes to run with the ball. Forwards Sub-categories The pack (forwards), aside from being broken up into individual positions, is also sub-categorized according to the players’ locations in the scrum, and their overall responsibilities: Front Row (Union and League): The Front Row consists of both props and the hooker, who all make up the first line of players on each team in a scrum. Tight Five (Union only): The Tight Five are composed of the front row (props and hooker) and both locks, or the second row. They’re referred to as the tight five because all five of these players bind together tightly before a scrum, compared to the flankers and eight man who are also attached, but not as tightly. Loose Forwards (Union only): Though ‘loose forward’ is an actual position in the League code of rugby, in Union the term Loose Forwards refers to the flankers and eight man, as they are not as tightly fixed to the rest of the pack (tight five) during a scrum.

Back Row (League only): In League, the Back Row consists of both second row forwards and the loose forward; it’s common for players in these positions to be referred to as ‘back rowers.’ Staying Strong It is the responsibility of the forwards to handle the vast majority of physical play during the course of the match. Forwards must attack any stoppage of play, either to retain possession of the ball for their team, or to try and take it away from the other team. While the backs score most of the points in a match, it is often due to the work of the forwards that the opportunity to score points even exists. Share this Guide:

Question: How many players from each team usually make up a rugby league scrum?
Answer: 6