Rugby Positions

Rugby is a game that consists of good hand-eye coordination. Each team has fifteen players on the field: eight forwards and seven backs. A real team sport where forwards and backs must be ready to ruck, maul, handle, pass, and catch the ball. The forwards either punch up field with the ball or pass it out to the backs, who then advance the ball up field with blistering speed passing from one to another or by themselves.

The Forwards:

There are eight forwards on each team, who participate in scrums, line-outs, and mauls. Each player relies on team-mate support, because one man can't do it all. It is the forwards that cause and recover most of the ball turn-overs. These are the players that set the tempo of the game by participating in every play one way or another.

The Props 1 & 3; and the Hooker; 2:
The foundation of a good teams starts with the front row of the scrum. The first three positions consist of two props and one hooker, located between them. The name prop comes from propping up, supporting, the hooker during a scrum. The hooker gets its name from using their legs to hook the ball back into their side of a scrum

The Second Row; 4 & 5:
The second row is made up of a power house pair. One of their main jobs is to fiercely push forward during a scrum. Their role is just as prominent as they soar to catch or steal the ball during a line-out, throw in.

The Flankers; 6 & 7, and Number 8:
The back row of a scrum is compiled of two flankers and a number eight man. They are always the first players out of a scrum and to the action, supporting the backs as they charge up field.

The Backs:

There are seven players that form the backs, who all play a major role in the game. These are usually the players that are faster and smaller in size compared to the forwards. Once the forwards win the ball from a scrum or   maul and provide it to the backs, they run the ball down the field. There role in the game is just as critical on offense and defense.

 The Scrum Half 9 and the Fly Half 10:
The scrum half is a man of great courage. He follows the forwards and is constantly around the ball.  The forwards pass the ball to the scrum half after they win it in the kick off, maul, or scrum. He then pitches the ball out to the fly half. The scrum half is as vital to the team as a quarterback in American football. His partner, the fly half, must know his every move and be able to catch anything that the scrum half throws out to him. The fly half then opens up the running and kicking game with the help of the rest of the backs. He either passes the ball to the inside center or kicks it up the field, timing it right so the wings and centers can catch or recover the ball.

The Centers; 12 & 13 and the Wings; 11 & 14:
There are two centers and two wings The first person behind the fly half is called the inside center, followed by the outside center. Their names are given due to how they line up on the field. One is always on the outside of the other. They either advance the ball up field using the wingers as decoys or pass it out to them, in which they follow the wingers down the field as support. The wings play off of the outside center and run in their support. This is not their only role. Wings help out on defensive maneuvers, even while their team has the ball. They also chase after the ball after it has been kicked by the fly half, so the other team can not take a quick line-out.

The Full Back 15:
This position acts as a safety behind the other fourteen players. He must make the last effort tackles on those out whit the rest of the players. The full back must catch and kick the ball unerringly. They are sometimes included in the running plays with the other backs.