The John Eales Medal is awarded to honour the best Australian rugby union player each year. The medal, which was launched in 2002, is jointly awarded each year by the Australian Rugby Union and the Rugby Union Players Association .
86-475: The medal is named after John Eales , arguably the most successful captain in the history of Australian Rugby. Voting for the John Eales Medal is tallied after each Test match, with each Wallabies player awarding points on a 3–2–1 basis. RUPA Chief Executive Tony Dempsey is quoted as saying: This is the ultimate award. To be voted the best in your country by your own peers is the highest honour
172-411: 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
258-551: 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
344-638: A double major in psychology from the University of Queensland in 1991 prior to taking to the international rugby stage. Eales played lock for Queensland Reds and Australia . He was given the nickname "Nobody" because "Nobody's perfect". Eales' 55-cap time as captain marked an era of Australian success in world rugby. Eales played a part in Australia's victories at the Rugby World Cup , first in 1991 , and later in 1999 . He took over
430-428: 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
516-500: 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
602-580: 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
688-523: A lock by several players. Eales was a founder of the Mettle Group and his personal company the JohnEales5. He is also a director of Flight Centre Travel Group and Magellan Financial Group and has been a columnist for The Australian newspaper. He is also engaged as a consultant for Westpac . He is also a non-executive director at Fuji Xerox . Eales acted as a "rugby ambassador" at
774-508: 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
860-688: 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
946-550: A player can hope to aspire to. Naming this award after Australia's most successful captain ever is fully endorsed by the Players. This has become one of the most sought after and coveted awards in Australian sport. The winner of the 2021 medal, Michael Hooper , was honoured for a record fourth time. John Eales John Anthony Eales AM (born 27 June 1970) is an Australian former rugby union player and
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#17327976210981032-540: 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,
1118-510: 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
1204-551: 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
1290-410: 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
1376-408: 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
1462-632: A total of 402 points in the Super 12 competition with 6 tries, 66 conversions and 80 penalties for the Queensland Reds. No forward has scored more points than him in the competition's history. He is one of a select group to have won the Rugby World Cup twice . He retired as the most-capped lock of all time, with 84 Test appearances in that position (his other two Tests were as a number eight ). Eales has since been surpassed in caps as
1548-435: 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
1634-421: 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
1720-505: Is largely because of his goal kicking , which is unusual for a forward; his two tries are unremarkable (in comparison, all of Checchinato's, Charvis's and McCaw's points have come from tries). Eales captained Australia on 60 occasions, 55 times in Test matches, making him the second most capped Wallaby captain after George Gregan (59). As of 2017, he is ranked seventh in games played as international captain. As of 2017, Eales' 86 caps make him
1806-580: 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
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#17327976210981892-401: 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
1978-436: 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
2064-410: 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
2150-828: The 2007 Rugby World Cup in France, which involved a number of media duties and fulfilled the role as an Athlete Liaison Officer for the Australian Olympic Committee in the Athens, Beijing and 2012 London Olympics . He is also an Ambassador for the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation , Hearts in Union and the Melanoma Institute Australia. Together with Bond University , he presents
2236-782: The Mosman Cricket Club in Sydney Grade Cricket . Number eight (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:
2322-409: 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
2408-399: 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
2494-418: 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
2580-520: 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
2666-457: 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
John Eales Medal - Misplaced Pages Continue
2752-405: 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
2838-503: 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)
2924-466: 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
3010-495: 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
3096-495: 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
3182-506: 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
3268-529: 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
3354-735: 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
3440-569: 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
3526-468: 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
John Eales Medal - Misplaced Pages Continue
3612-413: 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
3698-552: 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",
3784-417: The annual John Eales Rugby Excellence Scholarship which includes one-on-one mentoring with Eales. Eales has written two books, Learning From Legends , Sport, and a Business version. Eales is an occasional lecturer at University of Notre Dame . Politically, Eales supported Australia's becoming a republic in the runup to the 1999 Australian republic referendum . Eales' son, Elijah Eales, plays for
3870-400: 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,
3956-465: 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
4042-419: 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
4128-472: 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
4214-400: 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
4300-581: 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
4386-434: 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
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#17327976210984472-594: The captaincy from Phil Kearns . Eales scored 173 points for Australia – 2 tries (one valued at 4, one at 5), 34 penalties and 31 conversions – a total which, as of April 2013, places him 12th on the all-time scoring list for Australia . He is the highest scoring forward in Test rugby history and, as of November 2015, only one of seven forwards to have surpassed 100 points in Test rugby (the others being Richie McCaw , Jean Prat , Takashi Kikutani , Colin Charvis , Mamuka Gorgodze and Carlo Checchinato ). This
4558-418: 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
4644-445: 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 ,
4730-422: 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,
4816-473: The fourth most capped forward in Australia's Test rugby history, and joint 9th on the overall list. Eales played 20 Tests against the All Blacks, winning 11 and losing 9. Of those 20 Tests, he captained the Wallabies 11 times, winning 6 and losing 5. Eales is one of only 21 players to have represented the Queensland Reds in 100 or more state games – he represented his state in 112 games. He scored
4902-461: 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
4988-468: 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
5074-436: 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
5160-403: 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
5246-431: 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,
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#17327976210985332-523: The most successful captain in the history of Australian rugby. In 1999, he became one of the first players to win multiple Rugby World Cups . Eales went to school at Marist College Ashgrove , in Ashgrove . In his youth, Eales was a cricket all-rounder and played first grade cricket for Queensland University in the Brisbane QCA cricket competition. Eales completed a Bachelor of Arts degree with
5418-448: 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
5504-433: 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
5590-421: 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
5676-414: 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
5762-448: 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
5848-408: 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
5934-608: 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
6020-406: 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,
6106-500: 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
6192-407: 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
6278-492: 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
6364-418: 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
6450-426: 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
6536-478: 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
6622-586: 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
6708-458: 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 ,
6794-413: 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
6880-468: 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
6966-591: 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
7052-486: 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
7138-411: 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
7224-453: 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
7310-640: 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
7396-599: 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
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