118-412: Austin Sean Healey (born 26 October 1973 in Wallasey (now part of Merseyside , formerly Cheshire ), is a former English rugby union player who played as a utility back for Leicester Tigers , and represented both England and the British & Irish Lions . He has 51 England caps and 2 Lions caps. He played for England at scrum half , fly-half , fullback and wing , and was often used as
236-411: A "tighthead" (their head is positioned between the opposition prop and hooker) or "loosehead" (their head is positioned on the outside of the scrum). The "blindside flanker" binds to the scrum on the side closest to the side line, while the "openside flanker" binds on the side with the most space between the scrum and the sideline. Full-backs (number 15) usually position themselves several metres behind
354-551: A South African record of 17 consecutive games and scored a then world record of 14 points in one game against New Zealand. Hugo Porta is regarded as one of the finest players that Argentina has produced and has been a member of the Laureus World Sports Academy since 2000. Of the players mentioned above, Ella, Kyle, Morgan, Osler and Porta are members of the IRB Hall of Fame. Four fly-halves are in
472-643: A centre for shipbuilding. Innovations during this period included the first inter-city railway , the first publicly-funded civic park , advances in dock technology , and a pioneering elevated electrical railway . The county was established in 1974, before which the entirety of the Wirral was in Cheshire and the remainder of the county was in Lancashire. Merseyside is notable for its sport, music, and cultural institutions. The Merseybeat genre developed in what
590-428: A good tactical kick and are deceptive runners. At defensive scrums they put pressure on the opposition scrum-half or defend the blindside. On defence in open play they generally cover for deep kicks after the ball has been passed wide. Traditionally, scrum-halves have been the smallest players on the team, but many modern scrum-halves are a similar size to the other players in the team. Five scrum-halves are members of
708-500: A legendary centre partnership for Cardiff and Wales in the era immediately following the Second World War. A fly-half (number 10) is usually the first player to receive the ball from the scrum-half following a breakdown, line-out or scrum. Therefore, they must be decisive with what actions to take. They must possess leadership and communicate effectively with the back line. Good fly-halves are calm, clear thinking and have
826-580: A lifter. Around the field, they have a similar set of responsibilities as the flankers at the breakdown. Number eights are often strong ball carriers and run off the backs in an attempt to break through or push past the opposition's defensive line. Number eights in the International Rugby Hall of Fame include: Mervyn Davies ( Wales and British and Irish Lions ), Morne du Plessis ( South Africa ), Brian Lochore ( New Zealand ) and Hennie Muller ( South Africa ). The flanker's role
944-593: A million people travel these Irish Sea ferry services. The Mersey Ferry has operated since the 1200s, currently between Wirral and Liverpool City Centre at Seacombe, Woodside and Liverpool Pier Head. In 2009–2010 it had 684,000 passengers using the service. The Port of Liverpool handles most commercial shipping, but the Birkenhead Docks complex in Great Float on the Wirral peninsula still handles some freight. The Port of Liverpool
1062-508: A number eight at the back of the scrum. The number eight, or eighthman in South Africa, binds between the locks at the back of the scrum, providing extra weight at the push. Number eights interact with the scrum-half at the back of the scrum to control and provide clean ball for the backs. They can also pick the ball from the back of the scrum and run with it or pass it to the scrum-half. At line-outs, they can be either another jumper or
1180-688: A number of notable wings throughout history. David Campese , a member of both the International and IRB Halls of Fame, played 101 times for Australia and held the world record for most tries in test matches . He was famous for his goose step and reverse pass. Welsh international Gerald Davies was influential in helping the British Lions of 1971 become the only Lions touring party to win a test series in New Zealand. Ieuan Evans played 72 games for Wales and scored 33 tries – at that time
1298-540: A premium on full-backs' skills in kicking from hand. The first test tries by full-backs in international matches came relatively early, in 1878 and 1880, but it was not until 1934 that a full-back scored a try in the competition now known as the Six Nations Championship . Only three tries had been scored by full-backs in the Championship prior to 1969. According to rugby historian John Griffiths,
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#17327870774391416-510: A record 38 tries on two Lions tours. André Boniface is a French international that is a member of both the International Rugby Hall of Fame and the IRB Hall of Fame. Also in the IRB Hall of Fame is Bill Maclagan , a 19th-century player for Scotland and the Lions, who played at three-quarters, which eventually evolved into the modern position of wing. Another 2011 inductee in the IRB Hall is Brian Lima of Samoa , who played most of his career on
1534-551: A record for Wales. In 1994, International Rugby Hall of Famer John Kirwan retired as the (then) most capped player and highest try scorer in All Black history. One of the most notable wingers is Jason Robinson , who played 51 games for England . He also scored 248 points in 159 matches (about 6.5 points per match) for the Sale Sharks from 2000-2007. Tony O'Reilly played wing for Ireland between 1955 and 1970 and scored
1652-499: A replacement (or substitute) because of his versatility. He is a famously competitive and "outspoken" character, gaining the nickname "The Leicester Lip" . Since retiring he has worked in the media. Austin attended Bidston Avenue Primary School in Claughton, Birkenhead, during his primary years. He passed the entrance exam and attended St Anselm's College, Birkenhead (Edmund Rice Trust) then Leeds Polytechnic . His Youth Rugby
1770-415: A replacement. He returned to international action appearing as a replacement in all three of the following season's autumn internationals when England recorded a series of victories over Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Healey flew out to Australia as injury cover for the victorious 2003 Rugby World Cup , however he was never officially added to the squad after certain players recovered, meaning he
1888-410: A scrum or line-out and are expected to link with the backline or secure the ball at the tackle. Both positions have a high workrate, meaning the players need to be fit, fast and good at reading the opposition's attacking plays. During open play if they have not made the tackle they usually stand in the loose next to the ruck or maul. This allows them to arrive quickly at the next tackle. The blindside
2006-532: A substantial trimming from the White Paper, excluding the northern and southern fringes of the area, excluding Chester, Ellesmere Port, and, for the first time, including Southport, whose council had requested to be included. Further alterations took place in Parliament, with Skelmersdale being removed from the area, and a proposed district including St Helens and Huyton being subdivided into what are now
2124-408: A team does not have enough specialist front row players, the scrums become 'uncontested' (i.e. no pushing is allowed and the team putting the ball into the scrum wins it). On their own scrum, the loosehead's role is to provide the hooker with a clear view to strike the ball, while the tighthead tries to keep the scrum stable. When the opposition is putting the ball in, the tighthead attempts to disrupt
2242-492: Is Merseyside's primary intercity railway station, being used by 10.46 million passengers in 2021–22. Train services are provided by Avanti West Coast , London Northwestern Railway , TransPennine Express , West Midlands Trains , Transport for Wales and Northern , and serve destinations across the UK. Merseyrail is the county's urban rail system and is operated by Merseytravel , the combined passenger transport executive for
2360-693: Is a container port that handles over 33 million tonnes of freight cargo per year, making it the fourth busiest port in the United Kingdom as of 2022 . It serves more than 100 global destinations including Africa, Australia, China, India, the Middle East and South America . Imports include grain and animal feed , timber , steel, coal, cocoa, crude oil, edible oils and liquid chemicals; there are exports of scrap metal for recycling. A second container terminal, Liverpool2 at Seaforth , can handle Post-Panamax vessels and doubled
2478-435: Is called the "second five-eighth" and the outside centre is simply known as "centre". In America and Canada the number 8 is known as "8-man". Collective terms are also used to describe similar positions; the props and hooker combine to form the "front row", the locks the "second row" and the flankers and number 8 the "back row", "loose forwards" or the "loosies". The front row and second row combined are collectively termed
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#17327870774392596-636: Is chaired by a Metro Mayor , Steve Rotheram , who was elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021 and in 2024 . The planning and commissioning of care within Merseyside is the responsibility of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Service (ICS), which covers NHS and other care services within the Cheshire and Merseyside area. NHS Cheshire and Merseyside serves a combined population of 2.7 million people, with some 17 NHS trusts, 349 GP practices, and 590 pharmacies under its control. Merseyside
2714-507: Is designed to improve transport links between Widnes and Runcorn and other key locations in the vicinity. National Cycle Route 56 and National Cycle Route 62 pass through the region, the former along the Wirral and the latter from Southport to Runcorn. Major bus companies are Stagecoach Merseyside and Arriva North West . Liverpool One bus station serves as a terminus for national coach travel. Liverpool Lime Street mainline station
2832-614: Is found at The Oval (Wirral) . Full back (rugby union) In the game of rugby union , there are 15 players on each team, comprising eight forwards (wearing jerseys numbered 1–8) and seven backs (numbered 9–15). In addition, there may be up to eight replacement players "on the bench", numbered 16–23. Players are not restricted to a single position, although they generally specialise in just one or two that suit their skills and body types. Players that play multiple positions are called "utility players". The scrum (a contest used to restart play) must consist of eight players from each team:
2950-421: Is generally the larger of the two and usually acts as a third jumping option at the line-out. The openside flanker is usually faster than the blindside, with good opensides excellent at turning over the ball at the tackle. Teams often use their openside flankers to 'charge' the opposition fly-half, putting pressure on him and forcing him to rush his decision-making, kicking or passing. Blindside flankers also have
3068-580: Is not in the IRB Hall. Three scrum-halves are in the IRB Hall but not the International Hall. New Zealander David Kirk , inducted in 2011, was captain of the All Blacks team that won the inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup. Fellow 2011 inductee Agustín Pichot , who played in three World Cups for Argentina , is perhaps best known as the Pumas' captain during their surprise run to third place in
3186-699: Is now the county, which has also produced many artists and bands , including the Beatles . The county contains several football clubs, with Everton and Liverpool playing in the Premier League . The Royal Liverpool and Royal Birkdale golf clubs have hosted The Open Championship 22 times between them, and the Grand National is the most valuable jump race in Europe. National Museums Liverpool comprises nine museums and art galleries. Merseyside
3304-575: Is planning substantial expansion, and is forecast to handle more than 12 million passengers by 2030, as well as targeting permanent direct long haul flights and significantly larger terminal facilities. Merseyside is host to several football league football clubs including Everton , Liverpool and Tranmere Rovers and several non-league football clubs including Marine A.F.C. and Southport F.C. Golf courses include Royal Liverpool Golf Club , Royal Birkdale Golf Club , Hillside Golf Club and Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club . Cricket clubs include
3422-401: Is positioned between the two props in the scrum. After the scrumhalf throws the ball into the scrum, the hooker from the team which threw in the ball must strike for the ball. Any front-row player may use a foot to strike for the ball and gain possession. However, given the role of the props in keeping the scrum stable, it is usually one of the hookers who successfully "hooks" the ball back with
3540-604: Is served by six motorways : the M58 to the north, M56 to the south, M6 & M62 to the east and M53 to the west. The M57 acts as an outer ring road and bypass for the city of Liverpool itself. The River Mersey is crossed by Queensway Tunnel and Kingsway Tunnel , which link Liverpool to Birkenhead and Wallasey respectively, and by the Silver Jubilee Bridge and Mersey Gateway Bridge , which link Runcorn and Widnes. The Mersey Gateway Bridge opened in 2017 and
3658-436: Is the 8th-highest try scorer in international rugby union history , and the highest-scoring centre of all time. Danie Gerber played centre for South Africa during the apartheid era and even though he was only able to play 24 tests over 12 years, he scored 19 tries. Mike Gibson played for Ireland and the Lions; his record of 69 caps for Ireland lasted for 26 years. Tim Horan won two World Cups for Australia, being named
Austin Healey - Misplaced Pages Continue
3776-410: Is to tackle the opposition and try to steal the ball. The openside flanker (number 7) binds to the side of the scrum that covers the greatest area, while the blindside flanker (number 6) covers the side nearest the side-line. They bind loosely to the side of the scrum, but still play an important role in keeping the props tight by pushing at an angle. They should be the first forward to a breakdown from
3894-689: The Guardian . The comments backfired after Harrison was selected to make his debut for the Third and deciding test of the series, and stole a crucial lineout - sealing the series victory for Australia. There was some suggestion that Healey's comments had served as motivation for the Wallabies team. On his return from Australia he played in every game for England until he was rested for the summer 2002 tour to Argentina, showing his versatility by starting at fullback , scrum half , and wing and came on twice as
4012-746: The Dee Estuary to the southwest, and the Irish Sea to the west. The largest settlement is the city of Liverpool . The county is highly urbanised, with an area of 249 square miles (645 km ) and a population of 1.42 million. After Liverpool (552,267), the largest settlements are Birkenhead (143,968), St Helens (102,629), and Southport (94,421). For local government purposes the county comprises five metropolitan boroughs : Knowsley , St Helens , Sefton , Wirral , and Liverpool. The borough councils (and Halton in Cheshire) collaborate through
4130-677: The Liverpool City Region combined authority , chaired by an elected mayor . What is now Merseyside was a largely rural area until the Industrial Revolution , when Liverpool and Birkenhead's positions on the Mersey Estuary enabled them to expand. Liverpool became a major port, heavily involved in the Atlantic slave trade and in supplying cotton to the mills of Lancashire, and Birkenhead developed into
4248-683: The Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive (which operates today under the Merseytravel brand) was set up, covering Liverpool, Sefton, Wirral and Knowsley, but excluding Southport and St Helens. The Redcliffe-Maud Report was rejected by the incoming Conservative government, but the concept of a two-tier metropolitan area based on the Mersey area was retained. A White Paper was published in 1971. The Local Government Bill presented to Parliament involved
4366-515: The metropolitan boroughs of Liverpool , Knowsley , Sefton , St Helens and Wirral . Following the abolition of the county council, some local services are run by joint-boards of the five metropolitan boroughs; these include the: The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority , which includes the five boroughs of Merseyside and the Borough of Halton in Cheshire, oversees transport, economic development and regeneration. The combined authority
4484-637: The sixth series of the BBC competition series Strictly Come Dancing with professional dancer Erin Boag . He was eliminated in week 12 of the competition to come 4th overall. He joined Gary Lineker on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Christmas Special, on 23 December 2008. Together they won £50,000 for their chosen charity - Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation. Healey presented The Big Tackle on ITV in March 2009, aimed at promoting and assisting rugby clubs around
4602-409: The "front row" (two props – a loosehead and tighthead – and a hooker), the "second row" (two locks), and a "back row" (two flankers and a number 8). The players outside the scrum are called "the backs": scrum-half, fly-half, inside centre, outside centre, two wings, and a fullback. Forwards compete for the ball in scrums and line-outs and are generally bigger and stronger than the backs. Props push in
4720-399: The "tight five". In the backs, "half-backs" can be used to describe the scrum-half and fly-half; "inside backs" to describe the scrum-half, fly-half and inside centre; "midfield" for the fly-half and both centres (in New Zealand it refers only to the second five-eighth and centre); and "outside backs" for the outside centre, wings and full-back. The two props are distinguished by being either
4838-418: The 1920s, initially as a way for coaches and selectors to rate individual players. The various positions have changed names over time, and many are known by different names in different countries. Players in the flanker positions were originally known as "wing forwards", while in the backs, "centre three-quarter" and "wing three-quarter" were used to describe the outside centre and wing respectively (although
Austin Healey - Misplaced Pages Continue
4956-531: The 1997 Five Nations tournament, and toured with the British Lions in 1997, making two appearances. He has played in the Five/Six Nations tournaments (‘98-'02) and in the 1999 World Cup . In the 1999/00 season he was voted both Leicester Tigers' and Allied Dunbar's Player of the Season. Leicester coach Bob Dwyer switched him to the wing to accommodate Fijian Waisale Serevi at scrum half . Healey
5074-607: The 2001 season, was rewarded with a call up to England's starting line-up during the Six Nations, and selection for the British & Irish Lions squad to tour Australia, where he put in some good performances for the mid-week team but missed out on further caps due to injury. However, for many people the abiding memory of this tour will be the controversy caused by his comments on Wallaby lock Justin Harrison in his column in
5192-463: The 2007 World Cup, which eventually led to their 2012 entry into The Rugby Championship, previously the Tri Nations. Australian George Gregan , inducted in 2013, retired from international rugby in 2007 with a then-world record 139 test caps, and also captained the Wallabies 59 times. The back row (or loose forwards) consists of three players – two flankers, one on either side of the scrum; and
5310-457: The British and Irish Lions during the 1970s and is regarded by many as the greatest player in history. Nick Farr-Jones captained Australia through their 1991 Rugby World Cup winning campaign; he was enshrined in the International Hall in 1999. When Joost van der Westhuizen retired in 2003, he had 89 caps, at the time the most for any South African. Of these players, only van der Westhuizen
5428-405: The IRB Hall but not the International Hall. Gareth Rees of Canada played in all of the first four Rugby World Cups, and remains the country's all-time leading test points scorer. Kennedy Tsimba of Zimbabwe , younger brother of the aforementioned Richard, only played four times for his country, but was one of the world's top fly-halves in the early 21st century, twice being named the player of
5546-503: The IRB Hall of Fame as players; Lochore was inducted into the IRB Hall primarily as a coach. Three locks are members of the IRB Hall of Fame but not the International Hall— Fairy Heatlie , a South African great of the era around 1900 who was also one of the first Argentina internationals; French international Lucien Mias ; and early 20th-century Scottish international David Bedell-Sivright . The hooker (number 2)
5664-466: The IRB Hall of Fame. The locks form the second row, with the loosehead lock (number 4) on the left and the tighthead lock (number 5) on the right. They scrummage by pushing against the front row, thereby providing much of the power, and are commonly known as the engine room. They are almost always the tallest players in a team, and are the primary targets when the ball is thrown in at line-outs. Locks must also have good catching and tackling ability. At
5782-495: The IRB Hall of Fame. Seven centres are in the IRB Hall but not the International Hall— Frank Hancock , a 19th-century Welsh player whose skills led to the creation of the modern two-centre formation; Guy Boniface , French international and younger brother of André; brothers Donald and Ian Campbell of Chile ; Zimbabwe international Richard Tsimba ; and Bleddyn Williams and Jack Matthews , who formed
5900-495: The International Rugby Hall of Fame; four of them are also in the IRB Hall of Fame. Ken Catchpole of Australia was made captain on his debut at 21 in 1961, and went on to captain the Wallabies in nearly half of his 27 tests. Danie Craven from South Africa was one of the greatest scrum halves in the 1930s and a respected administrator of the South African Rugby Board . Gareth Edwards played for Wales and
6018-506: The International Rugby or IRB Halls of Fame, Mike Gibson has 28 caps at fly-half, 48 at centre and 4 on the wing, and Tim Horan played 62 tests at centre, 2 on the wing and 9 at full-back. Danie Craven mostly played at half-back, but has also started a test in the forwards at number 8. Matt Giteau has also shown great versatility throughout his career, playing 6 tests at scrum-half, 46 at fly-half, 50 at centre and one on
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#17327870774396136-529: The Lions was inducted in 2013. He earned 27 caps for Ireland and appeared 17 times for the Lions from 1958 to 1965, captaining the Lions in six tests; after his playing career ended, he became the first head coach of Ireland and still later served as president of the IRFU and chairman of the IRB Council. The props "prop up" the hooker in the scrum. They form part of the front row of the scrum and push against
6254-705: The Liverpool City Region. The network has 66 stations on two lines; the Northern Line covers the centre of the county, and the Wirral Line covers the eponymous peninsula. The two lines meet in Liverpool City Centre , and Liverpool Central is the county's most-used station, with 10.75 million passengers in 2021–22. The network extends to Ormskirk in Lancashire, and Ellesmere Port and Chester in Cheshire. Merseytravel brands
6372-735: The Northern Hemisphere, while in New Zealand the fly-half and inside centre are called "first five-eighth" and "second five-eighth" respectively, while the scrum-half is known as the "half-back". There is a maximum of 15 players from each team allowed on a rugby field at any one time. The players' positions at the start of the game are indicated by the numbers on the backs of their shirts , 1 to 15. The positions are divided into two main categories; forwards (numbered 1 to 8) and backs (numbered 9 to 15). In international matches, there are eight substitutes that can replace an on-field team-mate. The substitutes, numbered 16 to 23, can either take up
6490-569: The Player of the Tournament in 1999 . As a player, Ian McGeechan won 32 caps for Scotland and went on two Lions tours, while as a coach he led the Lions a record four times. Welsh centre Gwyn Nicholls played from 1896 to 1906 and was known as the "Prince of Threequarters". Other centres in the International Rugby Hall of Fame are Jo Maso and Philippe Sella from France, known for their flamboyant attacking play. Gibson and Sella are also in
6608-667: The River Mersey). The two parts are linked by the two Mersey Tunnels , the Wirral line of Merseyrail , and the Mersey Ferry . Merseyside contains green belt interspersed throughout the county, surrounding the Liverpool urban area, as well as across the Mersey in the Wirral area, with further pockets extending towards and surrounding Southport, as part of the western edge of the North West Green Belt. It
6726-468: The Wallabies from 1955 to 1967. Utility backs tend to cover a greater number of positions, with players commonly switching between scrum-half and fly-half, fly-half and centre, or wing and full-back. Another famous utility player was Austin Healey , who started and played test matches for England and club matches for Leicester Tigers at fly half , scrum-half , full-back and winger . Among members of
6844-413: The ability to punt the ball a long distance with accuracy, and the speed and skill to join in back line attacking moves, especially counter-attacks. The full-back is the player most likely to field the high ball or "up and unders" kicked by the opposition. Good hands are needed to ensure the ball is caught cleanly to deny the opposition the chance to regain possession. As the full-back will inevitably catch
6962-552: The aforementioned Williams. Hastings and Irvine were accurate goal-kickers and Kiernan is credited with being the first attacking full-back in Irish rugby. Williams was chosen as the greatest Lions full-back at the inaugural Lions Legends Dinner at Lord's in 2008 and is praised for his safety under the high ball, tackling and calm decision making. The other full-backs in the International Rugby Hall of Fame are Don Clarke and George Nēpia from New Zealand . Clarke, nicknamed "the boot",
7080-400: The back line. They field any deep opposition kicks and are often the last line of defence should an opponent break through the back line. On attack, they can enter the back line, usually near the centres or wings, with the aim of providing an extra person and overlapping the defending players. Three of the most important attributes of a good full-back are good catching ability under a high kick,
7198-411: The ball and be good at organising the defensive lines. Outside centres generally have more room to move than inside centres. Centres also provide support at the breakdowns and can run as decoys to confuse the defence. Brian O'Driscoll is the fourth-most-capped player in rugby union history , having played 141 test matches, 133 for Ireland (83 as captain), and 8 for the British and Irish Lions . He
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#17327870774397316-419: The ball back towards the opposition. Due to their kicking skills, in some teams the full-back is also responsible for taking the goal kicks. For much of the history of the sport, the full-back position was almost totally defensive. Originally, the ball could be kicked directly into touch from any spot on the field, with a line-out then following at the spot where the ball went into touch. This effectively placed
7434-472: The ball deep in their own territory with little support from their own players, they should either kick the ball downfield or run forward to link up with their backs to start a counter-attack. If the full-back kicks the ball out, the opposition have the line-out, whereas if they start a counter-attack they have a number of options. To provide effective cover behind the defensive line, good full-backs are careful not to get caught out of position and must anticipate
7552-400: The ball for their team. The backs play behind the forwards and are usually more lightly built and faster. Successful backs are skilful at passing and kicking. Full-backs need to be good defenders and kickers, and have the ability to catch a kicked ball. The wingers are usually among the fastest players in a team, and score many of the tries. The centres' key attacking roles are to break through
7670-581: The ball into contact (sometimes known as "crash balls"). Locks in the International Rugby Hall of Fame include: Bill Beaumont ( England and Lions ), Gordon Brown ( Scotland and Lions ), Frik du Preez ( South Africa ), John Eales ( Australia ), Martin Johnson ( England and Lions ), Brian Lochore ( New Zealand ), Willie John McBride ( Ireland and Lions ), and Colin Meads ( New Zealand ). Du Preez, Eales, Johnson and McBride are also members of
7788-434: The ball. At the line-out, the prop's role is to support the jumper as they compete for the ball. They are usually positioned at the front of the line-out with a jumper in between them. They are also often involved in lifting jumpers when receiving kick-offs. While scrummaging is still seen as their main responsibility, modern props are also expected to contribute in the attack and defence. Props have to take in pressure from
7906-672: The commission never completed its final proposals as it was abolished in 1966. Instead, a Royal Commission was set up to review English local government entirely, and its report (known as the Redcliffe-Maud Report ) proposed a much wider Merseyside metropolitan area covering southwest Lancashire and northwest Cheshire, extending as far south as Chester and as far north as the River Ribble . This would have included four districts: Southport / Crosby , Liverpool / Bootle , St Helens / Widnes and Wirral / Chester . In 1970
8024-414: The country. In January 2009, he obtained his basic coaching qualifications, in order to put him in a better position from which to advise clubs. During the filming, he returned to his roots and visited his former local club, Birkenhead Park. Some of the other teams that he coached on the series included; Bristol Barbarians, Witney Angels RFC, Rosslyn Park, and University of Sussex. He competed on show one of
8142-544: The county had a two-tier system of local government with the five boroughs sharing power with the Merseyside County Council . In 1986 the government of Margaret Thatcher abolished the county council along with all other metropolitan county councils, and so its boroughs are now effectively unitary authorities . Merseyside is divided into two parts by the Mersey estuary; the Wirral is on the west side of
8260-418: The defensive line and link successfully with wingers. The fly-half can be a good kicker and generally directs the back line. The scrum-half retrieves the ball from the forwards and needs a quick and accurate pass to get the ball to the backs (often first to the fly-half). Early names, such as "three-quarters" (for the wings and centres) and "outside-half" or simply "out-half" (for fly-half) are sometimes used in
8378-499: The estuary, upon the Wirral Peninsula , and the rest of the county lies on the east side. The eastern part of Merseyside borders onto Lancashire to the north and Greater Manchester to the east, with both parts of the county bordering Cheshire to the south. The territory comprising the county of Merseyside previously formed part of the administrative counties of Lancashire (east of the River Mersey) and Cheshire (west of
8496-489: The first test, after Jonny Wilkinson fell victim to food poisoning. In 2001 he made the break during the Heineken Cup final that resulted in the winning try - Healey had started the match at scrum half with Andy Goode at 10, but was switched to fly-half in the closing minutes. He also scored the second and decisive try against Munster when Tigers retained the cup the following year. His form for Tigers during
8614-445: The fly-half playing the full-back's position in defence or a prop taking the hooker's position at line-outs. Different positions on the field suit certain skill sets and body types, generally leading to players specialising in a limited number of positions. Each position has certain roles to play on the field, although most have been established through convention rather than law. During general play, as long as they are not offside ,
8732-422: The fly-half. They also feed the scrum. Along with the fly-half, they make many of the tactical decisions on the field. During general play, the scrum-half is generally the player who receives the ball from the forwards and passes it to the backs. They are good communicators, especially at directing the forwards around, and their aim is to provide the backs with clean ball. Good scrum-halves have an excellent pass,
8850-560: The historic Aigburth Cricket Ground . Aintree Motor Racing Circuit hosted the British Grand Prix biennially between 1955 and 1961, and finally in 1962. Aintree Racecourse hosts the Grand National and there is also Haydock Park Racecourse . Totally Wicked Stadium hosts Rugby League and Hoylake hosts sailing (such as the Southport 24 Hour Race ) and is Britain's premier location for sand yachting. A ski slope facility
8968-461: The inside centre and is generally the faster of the two. The centres' main role is to provide space for the players outside them. They need to run good lines (run into spaces or at 90 degrees to their opposition), be able to side step and swerve, and have good passing skills. When the ball is moved along the opposition backline, the centres are the first players to make the tackle. They need to be aggressive tacklers to knock their opponent down and seize
9086-468: The latter of whom unleashed two great sidesteps to set up what some have described as " the greatest try of all time ". South African Naas Botha scored 312 points (including a record 17 drop goals) despite playing most of his career when the Springboks were boycotted. Australia's Mark Ella used his vision, passing skills and game management to orchestrate a new flat-back attacking style. Grant Fox
9204-481: The league. A notable performance for Healey was Away at Wasps , where he scored in the last minute to steal a draw. However, Wasps hammered Tigers in the final. In the 05/06 season, Healey was handed club vice-captaincy and regularly captained the team from scrum half and fly half during the international period. He looked back to near his best form and pressed both Harry Ellis and Andy Goode out of their respective regular slots of 9 and 10 at different times throughout
9322-436: The left wing and right wing are similar, although left-footed players are usually played on the left wing as they can step and kick better off their left foot. The winger on the blindside often "comes off the wing" to provide an extra man in the midfield, in the same way as would a full-back. One or both wingers will usually drop back on opposition kicks to give the full-back extra options for counter-attacking. There have been
9440-403: The line-out the locks are lifted and supported by teammates, allowing them to compete for the ball, either passing or tapping it to the scrumhalf or setting up a drive. In scrums the two locks bind tightly together, and each puts their head between a prop and the hooker. They compete for the kick-offs, and are involved in securing the ball in rucks and mauls. They commonly make short runs carrying
9558-431: The locks and loose forwards pushing from behind and the opposition pushing against them, so they are often among the strongest players in a team. Some of the more successful props have short necks and broad shoulders to absorb this force as well as powerful legs to drive the scrum forward. Since the game has become professional, non-specialist props or hookers cannot play in the front row. If, through sendings-off or injuries,
9676-456: The metropolitan boroughs of St Helens and Knowsley . Merseyside was created on 1 April 1974 from areas previously part of the administrative counties of Lancashire and Cheshire , along with the county boroughs of Birkenhead, Wallasey, Liverpool, Bootle, and St Helens. Following the creation of Merseyside, Merseytravel expanded to take in St Helens and Southport. Between 1974 and 1986
9794-448: The movement of a leg and foot coming into contact with the ball to win possession for their team. Hookers generally have a short back and long arms to aid in binding to the props. Hookers are usually more mobile than the props, and are often used to carry the ball up during open play. Only specialist front-row players can play hooker; if a team cannot field one for any reason, the scrums will become uncontested. In addition to their role in
9912-427: The network in the east of the county as the ' City Line ', but the services on it are not operated by Merseyrail. The Borderlands line connects the west of the Wirral to Wales , and is operated by Transport for Wales Rail . Liverpool Cruise Terminal provides facilities for long-distance passenger cruises. Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines MS Black Watch and Cruise & Maritime Voyages MS Magellan use
10030-701: The new series of Beat the Star in April 2009. He won 4/8 games, and ended up with 22 points overall, beating his opponent; Factory Manager, Glenn Clarke, who had 14 points overall. Healey appeared as one of the team captains for the second series of Hole in the Wall along with ex- EastEnders star Joe Swash . Austin is the host of the ITV gameshow The Fuse , which began on 13 July 2009. He also appeared on BBC gameshow, Mastermind , on 4 January 2013. His specialist subject
10148-433: The opposing hooker or loosehead, making it difficult for them to win the ball. Props in the International Rugby Hall of Fame include: Jason Leonard ( England and Lions ), Syd Millar ( Ireland and Lions ) and Wilson Whineray ( New Zealand ). Players who have the ability to play a number of positions in a team are called utility players. Utility players can be seen as "Jack of all trades" and they generally occupy
10266-421: The opposition's play. Their position behind the backline allows them to see any holes in the defensive line and they either communicate with the backs to close the gaps up or cover the gaps themselves. The full-back has the most potential for attacking the opposition, especially from a misdirected kick. If a kick is fielded and there is enough space and support, the full-back may decide to counter-attack by running
10384-414: The opposition's props. The loosehead prop (number 1) is positioned to the left of the hooker and their head will be on the outside of the scrum when it engages. The tighthead prop (number 3) is to the right of the hooker with their head positioned between the opposition hooker and the opposition loosehead prop. The prop's main role is to provide stability at the scrum and support the hooker in quickly winning
10502-448: The players may be positioned anywhere on the field. It is during the set pieces ( scrum and line-out ) that the positions are enforced. During early rugby union games there were only really two positions; most players were in the forwards, who formed part of the scrimmage (which later was called "scrummage" and then "scrum"), and a few defensive "tends" (from "goaltenders"). Eventually, the attacking possibilities of playing close behind
10620-532: The port's capacity when it opened in 2016. Liverpool John Lennon Airport is the county's international airport. It is in Speke , 6.5 miles (10.5 km) southeast of Liverpool city centre, with 5 million departures in 2020. Flights are primarily operated by easyJet and Ryanair , and over 70 destinations are served by the airport, including regular flights to the Near East and North Africa . The airport
10738-408: The position of the player they replace or the on-field players can be shuffled to make room for this player in another position. Typically, the forwards among the substitutes will have lower numbers than the backs. There are no personal squad numbers and a versatile player's position and number may change from one game to the next. Players can also change positions during the match; common examples are
10856-608: The reserve position in a team. For this reason, many try to avoid being labelled as utilities. Players in the forward positions are generally more specialised than those that play in the backs. However, flankers can usually play number eight , like Grégory Alldritt , David Pocock , Caelan Doris and Kieran Read . Many players may also be capable of playing lock as well as a back-row position , with several modern examples being Sébastien Chabal , Maro Itoje , Tadhg Beirne , Ryan Baird , Courtney Lawes , Steven Luatua , and Cameron Woki , all with international caps in both rows of
10974-406: The same as the front row. There are four backs: scrum-half, fly-half, centre, and wing. The scrum-half feeds the ball into the scrum. The other three players form the backline. Since play is much more open in sevens, with rucks and mauls generally kept to a minimum, most sevens players are backs or loose forwards in fifteen-a-side teams. When a team is defending in open play or from a penalty kick,
11092-500: The scrimmage were recognised. The players who stationed themselves between the forwards and tends became known as "half-tends". Later, it was observed that the players outside scrimmage were not limited to a defensive role, so the tends and half-tends were renamed "backs" and "half-backs". As the game became more sophisticated, the backs positioned at different depths behind the forwards. They were further differentiated into half-backs, three-quarter-backs, and full-back. Specialised roles for
11210-407: The scrum also evolved with "wing-forward" (modern day flankers) being employed to protect the half-back. The first international between England and Scotland was played in 1871 and consisted of 20 players on each side: thirteen forwards, three half-backs, one three-quarter and three full-backs. The player numbers were reduced to fifteen in 1877. Numbers were added to the backs of players' jerseys in
11328-492: The scrum, hookers generally throw the ball into the line-out. Hookers in the International Rugby Hall of Fame include: Sean Fitzpatrick ( New Zealand ) and Keith Wood ( Ireland and Lions ). Two hookers are members of the IRB Hall but not the International Hall. John Smit of South Africa , captain of the World Cup-winning Springboks in 2007, was inducted in 2011. Ronnie Dawson of Ireland and
11446-418: The scrum. The front row positions are usually very specialised, although some props can play both sides or even hooker. South African captain and IRB Hall of Fame member John Smit has played test matches in every front row position. Another IRB Hall member to have played multiple forward positions is 2013 inductee John Thornett , an Australian utility forward who played at flanker, number 8, lock and prop for
11564-426: The scrums, while the hooker tries to secure the ball for their team by "hooking" it back with their foot. The hooker is also usually responsible for throwing the ball in at line-outs, where it is mostly competed for by the locks, who are generally the tallest players on the team. The flankers and number eight are expected to be the first players to arrive at a breakdown and play an important role in securing possession of
11682-435: The season. Leicester made the premiership final again and were beaten by Sale Sharks, Healey claims to have thrown his silver medal away in disgust at the end of the game, claiming that he didn't do 'losers medals'. Following retirement from Leicester Tigers at the end of the 2005/6 season, Healey planned to start a new career as a banker with Credit Suisse and to also continue working as a BBC analyst. Healey competed in
11800-478: The task of stopping any attempt by the opposition's number eight to run with the ball around the blindside of a scrum. Flankers in the International Rugby Hall of Fame include: Dave Gallaher , Michael Jones , Ian Kirkpatrick , Graham Mourie (all New Zealand ), Francois Pienaar ( South Africa ), Jean Prat ( France ), Jean-Pierre Rives ( France ), Fergus Slattery ( Ireland and Lions ), and Wavell Wakefield ( England ). Pienaar and Prat are also members of
11918-665: The terminal to depart to Iceland , France , Spain and Norway . Peel Ports have also planned a second cruise terminal as part of the Liverpool Waters project. Prince's Landing Stage on Liverpool's Pier Head serves Isle of Man Steam Packet Company summer service to the Isle of Man (and Mersey Ferries). The Twelve Quays ferry port in Birkenhead serves winter Isle of Man ferry service and Stena Line services to Belfast , Northern Ireland . Almost three quarters of
12036-586: The terms are still sometimes used in the Northern Hemisphere) The names used by World Rugby tend to reflect Northern Hemisphere usage although fly-half is still often known as "outside-half" or "stand-off" in Britain, and "outhalf" in Ireland. In New Zealand , the scrum-half is still referred to as the "half-back", the fly-half is referred to as the "first five-eighth", the inside centre
12154-458: The vision to direct effective attacking plays. Fly-halves need good passing and kicking skills. Often the fly-half is the best kicker in the team and needs to be able to execute attacking kicks such as up-and-unders, grubbers and chip kicks as well as being able to kick for territory. Many fly-halves are also the team's goal kickers. Fly-halves in the International Rugby Hall of Fame include Cliff Morgan , as well as fellow Welshman Phil Bennett ,
12272-413: The wing but ended it as a centre. He participated in five World Cups for Manu Samoa and became known as "The Chiropractor" for his ferocious tackling. In 2012 Demi Sakata , a Japan star, who was considered one of the world's top players of the 1960s, became his country's first inductee into the IRB Hall. Jonah Lomu entered the International Hall in 2007 and the IRB Hall of Fame in 2011, debuted as
12390-468: The wing. 2013 IRB Hall inductee Waisale Serevi , although most famous as a sevens player and primarily a fly-half in 15s, also started tests as a scrum-half, full-back and wing, and came off the bench once as a centre and once as an emergency lock. Rugby sevens teams have only seven players on the field and can nominate five substitutes. The seven players are split into three forwards and four backs. Scrums are formed with three players who bind together
12508-591: The worldwide adoption of the current law restricting direct kicking into touch in September 1968 (a law previously used in Australia) "revolutionised full-back play". JPR Williams of Wales was the first full-back to regularly score tries after the law change, scoring six times in Five Nations matches in the 1970s. Notable full-backs include Serge Blanco , who scored 38 tries in 93 tests for France and
12626-486: The year in South Africa's domestic Currie Cup . He was also the first black player to captain the Zimbabwe national team. Thomas Lawton, Snr , an Australian inducted in 2013, was one of the leading fly-halves of the 1920s and early 1930s. The scrum-half (number 9) is the link between the forwards and the backs. They receive the ball from the line-out and remove the ball from the back of the scrum, usually passing it to
12744-411: The youngest ever All Black. There are two centres in a rugby team, inside centre (number 12) and outside centre (number 13). The inside centre usually stands close to the fly-half or at first receiver on the other side of the scrum or breakdown. Like the fly-half, they generally possess a good kicking game and are good at reading the play and directing the attack. The outside centre is positioned outside
12862-556: Was Everton Football Club . Healey's autobiography, Lions, Tigers and Roses , was published by Oxford University Press in 2001. Merseyside Merseyside ( / ˈ m ɜːr z i s aɪ d / MUR -zee-syde ) is a ceremonial and metropolitan county in North West England . It borders Lancashire to the north, Greater Manchester to the east, Cheshire to the south, the Welsh county of Flintshire across
12980-453: Was an accurate goal kicker and Nēpia was noted for his tackling and kicking ability. The wings are generally positioned on the outside of the backline with the number 11 on the left and the number 14 on the right. Their primary function is to finish off moves and score tries. Wingers are usually the fastest players in the team and tend to be either elusive runners or, more recently, big, strong and able to break tackles. The skills needed for
13098-630: Was designated as a "Special Review" area in the Local Government Act 1958 , and the Local Government Commission for England started a review of this area in 1962, based around the core county boroughs of Liverpool , Bootle , Birkenhead and Wallasey . Further areas, including Widnes and Runcorn , were added to the Special Review Area by Order in 1965. Draft proposals were published in 1965, but
13216-422: Was first drawn up from the 1950s. All the county's districts contain some portion of belt. Ipsos MORI polls in the boroughs of Sefton and Wirral in the 2000s showed that in general, residents of these boroughs identified slightly more strongly to Merseyside than to Lancashire or Cheshire respectively, but their affinity to Merseyside was more likely to be "fairly strong" than "very strong". Merseyside comprises
13334-467: Was included in the long list, but not the tour party (having not played international rugby for 3 years). He wrote a column for the Guardian on the tour, which included the quote 'Have you heard the latest from the Lions' camp? Clive's sending Andy Robinson to a fancy dress party tonight. He's going as a pumpkin, they're hoping when it gets to midnight he'll turn into a real coach!' Tigers finished top of
13452-640: Was known for his counter-attacking ability. In 1997, he was among the inaugural set of rugby players inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame and in 2011 he was also inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame . Four full-backs who played for the British and Irish Lions are in the International Rugby Hall of Fame; Gavin Hastings (also inducted into the IRB Hall in 2013 ) and Andy Irvine from Scotland , Tom Kiernan from Ireland and
13570-599: Was one of the most respected goal-kickers who scored more than 1,000 points in all matches for New Zealand. Barry John was known simply as "the king" to Welsh rugby fans and was rated third in the 1971 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award . Jack Kyle is widely considered Ireland's greatest player. Michael Lynagh took over fly-half from Ella, and in his first test in that position scored an Australian record of 23 points against Canada. Bennie Osler played for South Africa from 1924 until 1933, during which he played
13688-401: Was then selected on the wing for England. After an injury to Tigers' South African fly-half Joel Stransky , and the unsuitability of others such as Pat Howard and Andy Goode to fill the role, Healey was switched to fly-half . In this position, however, he was unable to make much of an international impression, his sole appearance at fly-half coming in the 2000 tour to South Africa in
13806-454: Was unable to pick up a medal for the success despite flying out to Australia. In the 2004/05 season Healey hit form again, and with the failings of the England backline, there were calls for him to be reinstated to ignite it. England coach Andy Robinson humoured the press that there was a chance of a recall, but it never came. Instead Healey turned his attention to the 2005 Lions' tour . He
13924-500: Was with Birkenhead Park FC where he returned with His Big Tackle Programme in 2009 which featured Park's Junior Colts. Healey played for England U21 in 1992 and went on to represent England A and the Barbarians '96 tour of Japan. After spells at Waterloo and Orrell , Healey initially signed for Leicester as a scrum half , having played at wing and outside centre for Orrell. He made his full England début against Ireland during
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