His speed also allows him to generate the pressure in defence, although it additionally helps that he is particularly laterally mobile, something which can see him recover in defensive situations where he is perhaps outnumbered or had to drop out of a blitz prematurely. They try to penetrate the defensive line by trying to deceive the opposition by using individual of combined skills They are also required to create space for the wings Common Errors: Playing outside or inside center requires a very mixed bag of physical attributes – but then isn’t that true for all rugby positions? [104] 2013 IRB Hall inductee Waisale Serevi,[105] although most famous as a sevens player and primarily a fly-half in 15s, also started Tests as a scrum-half, wing and full-back, and came off the bench once as a centre and once as an emergency lock. RugbyPass is the premier destination for rugby fans across the globe, with all the best rugby news, analysis, shows, highlights, podcasts, documentaries, live match statistics, fixtures & results, and much more! One of the most consistent defensive 13s in recent years, Wales’ Jonathan Davies leads the way in terms of his solidity and assuredness in the tackle. Onto the real talk. Specialised roles for the scrum also evolved with "wing-forward" (modern day flankers) being employed to protect the half-back. [31], Three scrum-halves are in the IRB Hall but not the International Hall. Joe Marchant has progressed, exuding poise since his return to Harlequins following a sabbatical in … Outside Centre, or Centre if you are from New Zealand, is a position that has produced some of Super Rugby's best, with some true legends of the past decade appearing on the coming slides. [95] For this reason, many try to avoid being labelled as utilities. He has put on masterpieces in reading the game defensively against both England and New Zealand in recent seasons and in conjunction with his attacking ability, it makes Am one of the premier outside centres currently playing. We identify five key traits below that any outside centre needs to have in their repertoire if they are to be successful, as well as highlighting the current players at the position who best embody these skills. The loosehead prop is positioned to the left of the hooker and his head will be on the outside of the scrum when it engages. There is a maximum of 15 players from each team allowed on a rugby field at any one time. A procession of outside centres is pushing through. [51] 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. Like the fly-half, they generally possess a good kicking game and are good at reading the play and directing the attack. [15][16], Collective terms are also used to describe similar positions, with the props and hookers combining to form the "front row", the locks the "second row" and the flankers and number 8 the "back row", "loose forwards" or the "loosies". He was also the first black player to captain the Zimbabwe national team. He is the 8th-highest try scorer in international rugby union history, and the highest scoring centre of all time. Typically, the forwards among the substitutes will have lower numbers than the backs. Players that play multiple positions are called "utility players". Clarke, nicknamed "the boot", was an accurate goal kicker[35] and Nepia was noted for his tackling and kicking ability. [48], 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. [80] Around the field, they have a similar set of responsibilities as the flankers at the breakdown. The scrum-half feeds the ball into the scrum. [90], Hookers in the International Rugby Hall of Fame include: Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand) and Keith Wood (Ireland and Lions). The players outside the scrum are called "the backs": scrum-half, fly-half, inside centre, outside centre, two wings, and a fullback. They commonly make short runs carrying the ball into contact (sometimes known as "crash balls"). His career has been beset by injury issues, although of late he has managed to stay off the treatment table and on the pitch, something which was key to England making it to the Rugby World Cup final. Following on from the examination of the inside centre position in our series looking at building the perfect rugby player, we now move on to their midfield partners, the outside centre position. They are also often involved in lifting jumpers when receiving kick-offs. When the ball is moved along the opposition backline, the centres are the first players to make the tackle. There are no personal squad numbers and a versatile player's position and number may change from one game to the next. The most important training principles for centres and wingers. [23] The prop's main role is to provide stability at the scrum and support the hooker in quickly winning the ball. If your team gets the ball you attack. [23] Hookers generally have a short back and long arms to aid in binding to the props. [71] Along with the fly-half, they make many of the tactical decisions on the field. [46], Jonah Lomu entered the International Hall in 2007 and the IRB Hall of Fame in 2011,[44] debuted as the youngest ever All Black. [103] Danie Craven mostly played at half-back, but has also started a Test in the forwards at number 8. 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). The votes were cast and former Dragons academy graduate Ashley Smith came out on top to seal his place in the Dragons Rugby Ultimate XV – but who will partner him in midfield and be the outside centre in the Ultimate Dragons backline? [39] Welsh international Gerald Davies was influential in helping the British Lions become the only Lions touring party to win a Test series in New Zealand. [79], The props "prop up" the hooker in the scrum. The wingers are usually among the fastest players in a team and score many of the tries. [59] Fly-halves need good passing and kicking skills. 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 are not restricted to a single position, although they generally specialise in just one or two that suit their skills and body types. Although not always first choice for France, there aren’t too many better at creating opportunities for others than Geoffrey Doumayrou. Subscribe and never miss the action: http://bit.ly/19EmecF Have YOUR say! [24] If a kick is fielded and there is enough space and support, the full-back may decide to counter-attack by running the ball back towards the opposition. [90] 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. The full-back is the player most likely to field the high ball or "up and unders" kicked by the opposition. 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. The number eight, or eighthman in South Africa, binds between the locks at the back of the scrum, providing extra weight at the push. [23] Centres also provide support at the breakdowns and can run as decoys to confuse the defence. Now to see who will be selected as the outside centre in our Ultimate XV feature – in association with doopoll. At line-outs, they can be either another jumper or a lifter. Stuart HoggFew things in rugby are quite as exciting as Hogg in full flight. [80] They can also pick the ball from the back of the scrum and run with it or pass it to the scrum-half. His power is often talked about, but it’s his footwork and ability to run away from defenders which actually usually bring the biggest gains. [68] 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. In international matches, there are eight substitutes that can replace an on-field team-mate. [60] South African Naas Botha scored 312 points (including a record 17 drop goals) despite playing most of his career when the Springboks were boycotted. [31] 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. [83] The openside flanker is usually faster than the blindside, with good opensides excellent at turning over the ball at the tackle. Ireland’s defence coach Les Kiss was left fuming at the 2011 Rugby World Cup when Russia scored two scorching tries from first-phase ball and … Full-backs usually position themselves several metres behind the back line. [34] The other full-backs in the International Rugby Hall of Fame are Don Clarke and George Nepia from New Zealand. Ball-carriers don’t necessarily need to be as big and physical as their inside centre counterparts, but they have to have a way of consistently beating defenders and getting a team moving forward. They are usually positioned at the front of the line-out with a jumper in between them. 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. Period . [40] Ieuan Evans played 72 games for Wales and scored 33 tries – at that time a record for Wales. 7 Days. One or both wingers will usually drop back on opposition kicks to give the full-back extra options for counter-attacking. In other words if I was left-side centre and the scrum was on the right-hand side of the field, I would be outside-centre, and vice versa. 24 November 2020 ‘Outside Inside Centre’ poem created as heartfelt message to Welsh rugby. Rugby is a game built around getting over the gain-line and the outside centre position is as key to that as any other. Numbers were added to the backs of players' jerseys in the 1920s, initially as a way for coaches and selectors to rate individual players. David Campese, a member of both the International and IRB Halls of Fame,[31] played 101 times for Australia and held the world record for most tries in test matches. [81] They should be the first forward to a breakdown from a scrum or line-out and are expected to link with the backline or secure the ball at the tackle. [67] Bennie Osler played for South Africa from 1924 until 1933, during which he played a South African record of 17 consecutive games and scored a then world record of 14 points in one game against New Zealand. Ball-carriers don’t necessarily need to be as big and physical as their inside centre counterparts, but they have to have a way of consistently beating … Two hookers are members of the IRB Hall but not the International Hall. List of England national rugby union players is a list of people who have played for the England national rugby union team.The list only includes players who have played in a Test match.. If, through sendings-off or injuries, a team does not have enough specialist front row players, the scrums become 'uncontested' (i.e. [23] The openside flanker binds to the side of the scrum that covers the greatest area, while the blindside covers the side nearest the side-line. Of course, that ability to break the gain-line will be mitigated if the player can then not find support through their passing or offloading. [49] Mike Gibson played for Ireland and the Lions; his record of 69 caps for Ireland lasted for 26 years. [23] After the scrumhalf has put the ball into the scrum, the hookers use their feet to "hook" the ball back and win possession for their team. Outside centres generally have more room to move than inside centres. However, flankers can usually play number eight[98] and sometimes the blindside may be used as a lock. [87], 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). As mentioned before, they will often find themselves in isolation at the position and all the good defensive reads in the world won’t help if they can’t also make the necessary solo tackle. Players who have the ability to play a number of positions in a team are called utility players. 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. John Smit of South Africa, captain of the World Cup-winning Springboks in 2007,[91] was inducted in 2011. [76] When Joost van der Westhuizen retired in 2003, he had 89 caps, at the time the most for any South African. Hastings and Irvine were accurate goal-kickers[32] and Kiernan is credited with being the first attacking full-back in Irish rugby. But as a rule the outside centre tends to be quicker, but not maybe as big as an inside centre. [82] This allows them to arrive quickly at the next tackle. 'This isn't sour grapes' - Healey says Biggar cajoled ref and says he'd have... 'I have a few tricks': New meets old as Sevu Reece prepares for showdown... Super Rugby Aotearoa: Highlanders player ratings vs Chiefs, Wallaby great asks for his name to be withdrawn from '11 captains letter', Three Ulster rugby players 'spoken to' after getting snapped flouting social distancing - report, Scotland and Argentina may be be destined for Pools of Death at next World Cup, examination of the inside centre position. One player who ticks every box as a ball-carrier here is England’s Manu Tuilagi. Speaking of that ability to thrive defensively, any outside centre must be adept at making the right decisions on that side of the ball. Sign-up for our newsletter today to receive the latest updates, content and releases from Scottish Rugby. Sort . He has excelled in that area for region, country and the British and Irish Lions over his career, and like Joseph and Am, exemplifies what it means to be an adept defensive outside centre. Rugby is a game built around getting over the gain-line and the outside centre position is as key to that as any other. [80] 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. Jonathan Davies is a balanced runner who has performed well for Wales in the centres in recent times. Super Rugby # 12 / 29 -1 . [23] The centres' main role is to provide space for the players outside them. 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. no pushing is allowed and the team putting the ball into the scrum wins it). The name for the player just outside him is a lot easier, in that it's merely an "outside centre" or a "second centre",or down south simply a "centre". If their team gets it you defend. [3] Each position has certain roles to play on the field, although most have been established through convention rather than law. Since the game has become professional, non-specialist props or hookers cannot play in the front row. [71] They are good communicators,[23] especially at directing the forwards around, and their aim is to provide the backs with clean ball. As the full-back will inevitably catch 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. Early names, such as "three-quarters" (for the wings and centres) and "outside-half" (for fly-half) are sometimes used in the Northern Hemisphere, while in New Zealand the fly-half and inside centre are colloquially called "first five-eighth" and "second five-eighth" respectively, while the scrum-half is known as the "half-back". Another attribute which is key to the position, and we touched upon it with Doumayrou, is a player’s speed. [23] Wingers are usually the fastest players in the team and are either elusive runners or, more recently, big, strong and able to break tackles. It is during the set pieces (scrum and line-out) that the positions are enforced. He's the near-perfect attacking fullback. Gareth Rees of Canada[44] played in all of the first four Rugby World Cups, and remains the country's all-time leading Test points scorer. Fly-halves in the International Rugby Hall of Fame include Cliff Morgan, as well as fellow Welshman Phil Bennett, the latter of whom unleashed two great sidesteps to set up what some have described as "the greatest try of all time". [25] Due to their kicking skills, in some teams the full-back is also responsible for taking the goal kicks. If you are quick and powerful, there's no better place to be than in the middle of the pitch. Watch Super Rugby Aotearoa Live & On Demand, Premium feature exclusive to TheXV.Rugby - Free Trial. According to rugby historian John Griffiths, 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". [31][44] Four fly-halves are in the IRB Hall but not the International Hall. Full-backs need to be good defenders and kickers, and have the ability to catch a kicked ball. As a centre you are well away from scrums, simply occupying territory and waiting to see what happens. The players' positions at the start of the game are indicated by the numbers on the backs of their shirts, 1 to 15. [26], Notable full-backs include Serge Blanco, who scored 38 tries in 93 tests for France[27] and was known for his counter-attacking ability. [17][18] The front row and second row combined are collectively termed the "tight five". [88] Hookers are usually more mobile than the props and are often used to carry the ball up during open play. Outside Centre (No.13) Centres are the key players in finding ways and means of beating the advantage line (gain line) and getting the ball in front of the forwards. Outside backs. The La Rochelle centre is elusive and has the hands and speed to put others into strong positions to score, something he frequently does with composure thanks to his strong awareness of the options around him. [6], The various positions have changed names over time and many are known by different names in different countries. The centres' key attacking roles are to break through the defensive line and link successfully with wingers. [71] They receive the ball from the line-out and remove the ball from the back of the scrum, usually passing it to the fly-half. Note that the "position" column lists the position at which the player made his Test debut, not necessarily the position for which he is best known. Most good tacklers have a preferred shoulder for a hard tackle, but the best … 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. When they kick 1. you chase try and regain possession 1. or contain the opposition player who gathers the ball When they pass, you are involved 1. you catch an… [52] Welsh centre Gwyn Nicholls played from 1896 to 1906 and was known as the "Prince of Threequarters". [53] Other centres in the International Rugby Hall of Fame are Jo Maso and Philippe Sella from France, known for their flamboyant attacking play. André Boniface is a French international that is a member of both the International Rugby Hall of Fame and the IRB Hall of Fame. New Zealand seems to want uncertainty to prevail when it comes to major coaching roles. For much of the history of the sport, the full-back position was almost totally defensive. Forwards compete for the ball in scrums and line-outs and are generally bigger and stronger than the backs. During general play, as long as they are not offside, the players may be positioned anywhere on the field. Being able to execute ball-handling skills when running at pace is key for a 13, who will be more regularly be able to find space to run into than many of their colleagues in the pack or back line. [19] 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. Their primary function is to finish off moves and score tries. My explanation of the role of the inside and outside centre in rugby union...Signed NGJ. The tighthead is to the right of the hooker with his head positioned between the opposition hooker and the opposition loosehead prop. [81] 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. He participated in five World Cups for Manu Samoa and became known as "The Chiropractor" for his ferocious tackling. Super Rugby AU: Wallabies legend Tim Horan wants excitement machine Jordan Petaia to spend time in Queensland’s No.15 jersey.