A rugby league football team consists of thirteen players on the field, with four substitutes on the bench. Players are divided into two general categories: "forwards" and "backs".
Forwards are generally chosen for their size and strength. They are expected to run with the ball and attack, and to make many tackles. Forwards are often required to do a lot of hard work such as making openings for the backs and gaining metres in field position. Backs are usually smaller and faster, though a big player who can run can be of advantage in the backs. Their roles require speed and ball-playing skills, rather than just strength, to take advantage of the field position gained by the forwards.
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The numbering of positions is standardised. The starting side normally wear the numbers corresponding to their positions, only changing in the case of substitutions and position shifts during the game. In some competitions, such as Super League, players are issued with a squad number to use all season, no matter what positions they play in.
The positions and numbers are defined by the game's laws as:.[1]
There are some different names used in different parts of the world. Lock, five-eighth and halfback are used in Australia, New Zealand and some surrounding countries. The same positions are known as loose forward, stand-off and scrum half respectively in the Northern Hemisphere, where halfbacks refers to both the stand-off and scrum half. Numbers 8 and 10 are both usually referred to as props but may sometimes called "Front Row Forwards".
(In this article, positions with differing titles have been indicated as: "Northern hemisphere name" / "Australia & New Zealand name".)
The chart below shows these numbers alongside the full name for their positions. The chart shows a typical formation during a scrum. Forwards are above the line, and backs below.
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In addition to the thirteen on-field players, there are four substitutes. Usually, they will be numbered 14, 15, 16 and 17. Each player normally keeps their number for the whole game, regardless of which position they play in. That is, if player number 14 replaces the fullback, for example, player 14 will wear the number 14 for the whole game, and not change shirts to display the number 1.
When a coach names the team it will consist of the positions above, the 4 substitutes and usually an 18th man. The 18th man will be dropped before the match but may be replaced with one of the first 13 players or substitutes if the coach believes he deserves a spot.
Generally, the backline consists of smaller and faster players. The term "outside backs" is sometimes used to refer to the centres and wings (positioned towards the outer edges of the field), while "the halves" refers to the halfback and five-eighth.
Numbered 1, This position calls for all-round ball-playing ability and speed. The fullback is the last line of defence, standing behind the main line of defenders. Defensively, fullbacks must be able to chase and tackle any player who breaks the first line of defence, and must be able to catch kicks made by the attacking side. Their role in attack is usually as a support player but also come into the line to create an extra man in attack.
The threequarters, also known as outside backs, consist of the wings and centres. They are positioned closer to the edges of the field.
Also known as wingers. There are two wings in a rugby league team, numbered 2 and 5, positioned on each side of the field. They generally are among the fastest players in a team, with the speed to finish an attacking move.
There are two centres, right and left, numbered 3 and 4 respectively. They are usually positioned outside the halves and inside the wings.They are usually medium sized. Or, as is now common place are large, fast with good footwork and an offload to pass to their wingers.
There are two half backs (frequently referred to as 'the halves') - the stand-off half back (or five-eighth) numbered 6 and the scrum half back, numbered 7. Positioned more centrally in attack, near the forwards, they direct the ball in attack and are usually two of their team's main decision-makers.
Numbered 6, the stand-off half or five-eighth is usually responsible for directing the ball to the rest of the team in attack (hence the nickname 'pivot') and is often a strong kicker. A good stand-off should be a quick thinker and be able to direct his team around the park.
Numbered 7, the scrum half back or half back is usually involved in directing his team's play and is likely to be a very good passer. The position is sometimes referred to as "first receiver" as halfbacks are often positioned so as to be the first to receive the football from the dummy-half after a play-the-ball. This makes them important decision-makers in attack.[2] Scrum halves are often short and fast over a short distance and should also be very capable handlers of the ball.
A rugby league forward pack consists of players who tend to be bigger and stronger than backs, and generally rely more on their strength to fulfil their roles than play-making skills. The forwards also form and contest scrums, while the backs stay out of them.
The front row of the scrum includes the hooker with the two props on either side. All three may be referred to as front-rowers, but this term is most commonly just used for prop forwards.
The hooker, numbered 9, packs in the middle of the scrum's front row. Usually it is the hooker's responsibility to operate at the dummy half (see below) position, starting the play by passing the ball to a team mate or by running himself. A hooker is usually short, strong and fast.
There are two props, numbered 8 and 10, who pack in to the front row of the scrum on either side of the hooker. The props are often the two heaviest players on a team. Primarily, in attack their size and strength are utilised for running directly into the defensive line, as a kind of "battering ram" to simply gain metres.[3] Similarly, props are relied upon to defend against such running from the opposition's forwards.
Three forwards make up the back row of the scrum: Two second-rowers and a loose forward or lock forward. All three may be referred to as back-rowers.
Second-row forwards are numbered 11 and 12, and make up the second row of the scrum. Second-row forwards support the front rowers while attacking. They are either used as wide-running forwards to help create room for the quicker men due to their size or as endurance athletes who can play an entire game at a consistent level in the middle of the field. They are often nicknamed "tackling machines" due to their ability to make an enormous amount of tackles each game.
Numbered 13, the loose forward or lock packs behind the two second-rows in the scrum. From an attacking scrum they will sometimes pick the ball up themselves and run or pass. Many locks nowadays are used as a third ball player due to their ball playing skills as well as their size which they can use to break through the defence. It is customary in the NRL for each team to have a member of the back-row who can ball-play. Some notable professional locks have also played at five-eighth, as the roles can be similar.
A maximum of four substitutes (or interchange players) is allowed, who start the game on their team's bench. It is customary to see 3 forwards and either a utility or replacement hooker on the bench however not all teams do this. The rules governing if and when a replacement can be used have varied over the history of the game; currently they may replace any injured player or be used for a tactical substitution by their coach. Under the rules of the National Rugby League 10 interchanges are permitted per team, every game. However, if a player is deemed to have been injured due to foul play then the team is given a free interchange.
As well as their positions, players' roles may be referred to by a range of other terms.
Following a tackle, the defending team may position two players - known as markers - at the play-the-ball to stand, one behind the other. facing the tackled player and the attacking team's dummy-half.
The acting halfback, acting half or dummy-half is the name given to the player who stands behind the play-the-ball and collects the ball, restarting play and passing or running with the ball. The hooker has become almost synonymous with the dummy-half role. However, any player of any position can play the role of dummy-half at any time and this often happens during a game.
The first receiver is the name given to the first player to receive the ball off the ruck, i.e. from the dummy-half.[4]
If the ball is passed immediately by the first receiver, then the player catching it is sometimes referred to as the second receiver.
A player who can play in a number of different positions is often referred to as a 'utility player', or 'utility forward' or 'utility back'.
A player that can play as a Front Rower/Prop, Second-Rower, Hooker or as a Lock.
A player that can play as a Five-Eighth, Halfback, Fullback, Centre or Winger.
Although any player can attempt his team's kicks at goal (penalty kicks or conversions), most teams will have one player who will train extensively at kicking, and will often be the only player to take goal kicks for the team.
The captain is the on-field leader of a team and a point of contact between the referee and a team, and can be a player of any position. Some of the captain's responsibilities are stipulated in the laws.
Before a match, the two teams' captains toss a coin with the referee. The captain that wins the toss can decide to kick off or can choose which end of the field to defend. The captain that loses the toss then takes the other of the alternatives.[5]
When a 'specialist' player (hooker or scrum half, for example) persistently breaks the laws, the referee should inform the player's captain when issuing a final caution, so the captain may choose to move him to another position.[6]
The captains are also responsible for appointing a substitute should a referee suffer an injury during a game.[7]
A vice-captain is a player that is expected to captain the side when the club's captain is not included in the starting thirteen, or if the club captain is substituted. In essence the vice-captain then assumes the role of the captain, in its entirety. If the current captain is in the matchday squad, and comes on as a substitute, then the vice-captain may or may not relinquish the captaincy for the remainder of the match. Vice-captains' duties are not just to lead when the captain is not playing. A vice-captain is usually expected to lead the players with the captain and also help the younger players develop. Like the captaincy, the vice-captain role is usually handed to a senior player, or a player that can heavily influence a game. The vice captain is usually named by the manager at the start of the season, along with the captain.