Rugby playing position titles.

Most positions are relatively self-explanatory (full back, centre, prop, hooker etc.).

But why 'fly' half?

Also when I was a boy I seem to recall that a lock was the No8 but has since migrated generically to the second row.

And would there be better names for individual positions to clarify their roles? e.g. enforcer for no.5?

And surely No8 needs a proper job description.

Just a bit of fun...

Q.Why is a flyhalf called a flyhalf?
A.In 1878, a short pass was developed for one of the half-backs who charged ahead. He was known as the flying half-back, which later shortened to fly-half.

Well here's my shot at job descriptions:

1. Hydraulic prop
2. Hooker (an optional pass-time)
3. Pit prop

4. Rock
5. Enforcer

6. Retriever
7. Scavenger
8. Link

9. Feeder
10. General

12. First defence
13. Facilitator

11/14. L/R Flyer

15. Counter attack.

(not very good, but it's a start)

3. Lynchpin, Anchorman or The most important player on the park!

11/14 Girls

12/13 being and England fan I have no idea as I haven't seen one for many years!

HERSH wrote:3. Lynchpin, Anchorman or The most important player on the park!

11/14 Girls

12/13 being and England fan I have no idea as I haven't seen one for many years!

6. Workhorse
7. Cheater
8. Bulldozer

Hersh, a tight head prop by any chance?!

And calling us wingers 'girls' ... jealousy methinks given we know actual real live women that are not related to us. And they also look like women too.

debaters1 wrote:Hersh, a tight head prop by any chance?!

And calling us wingers 'girls' ... jealousy methinks given we know actual real live women that are not related to us. And they also look like women too.

So the left winger knows the right winger, whats your point?

The New Zealanders call the flyhalf 1st 5 8th and inside centre 2nd 5 8th. I think it sounds stupid

Well I have to agree with Hersh here.

Anyone who has a starting number greater than eight is a total Felicity.

And that includes the anodyne amazons of the Welsh back line

gowales wrote:The New Zealanders call the flyhalf 1st 5 8th and inside centre 2nd 5 8th. I think it sounds stupid

That’s because they're upside-down

gowales wrote:The New Zealanders call the flyhalf 1st 5 8th and inside centre 2nd 5 8th. I think it sounds stupid

Not only stupid, but mathematically impossible. It's a typical mistranslation of SHspeak into fluent Totalbollocks.

I thank you...

debaters1 wrote:jealousy methinks given we know actual real live women that are not related to us. And they also look like women too.

methinks those actual live women might also be known as hookers, but they don't play Rugby.

Number 8 does have a job description: Be amazing.

Parisse may be the only player who truely follows his job description.

Portnoy wrote:Well here's my shot at job descriptions:

1. Hydraulic prop
2. Hooker (an optional pass-time)
3. Pit prop

4. Rock
5. Enforcer

6. Retriever
7. Scavenger
8. Link

9. Feeder
10. General

12. First defence
13. Facilitator

11/14. L/R Flyer

15. Counter attack.

(not very good, but it's a start)

I think the problem with getting too prescriptive in position titles is that it doesn't account for how clubs and countries can approach the positions very differently.

For example you have 10 as the 'General', but in France that is quite often more the 9. At 12 you can have Australia's take, Matt Giteau, or SA's, Jean de Villiers.

Prop - a stationary inanimate object in a play used to create a theatrical illusion. A position which speed is not so much measuring the ability to run but their ability to evolve.

Hooker - not only a lady of dubious virtue but also slang for 'a concealed problem'. Says it all really. Frequently so unfit that they have to be held up by colleagues (type 'history of the scrum' into google)

2nd row - read 'second rate' - forwards can't spell (or catch judging by these players perfomance).

Flanker - again derived from forwards inability to even spell simple swear words. Sometimes ironically referred to as 'wing-forward'.

No. 8 - a position consisting of an entirely negative statement and a number which coincides with the limit of a forwards ability to count. It also shows the lack the ability of forwards to think up names for positions as after taxing their brains coming up with the names above simply referred to this player as the number.

skippy wrote:Prop - a stationary inanimate object in a play used to create a theatrical illusion. A position which speed is not so much measuring the ability to run but their ability to evolve.

Hooker - not only a lady of dubious virtue but also slang for 'a concealed problem'. Says it all really. Frequently so unfit that they have to be held up by colleagues (type 'history of the scrum' into google)

2nd row - read 'second rate' - forwards can't spell (or catch judging by these players perfomance).

Flanker - again derived from forwards inability to even spell simple swear words. Sometimes ironically referred to as 'wing-forward'.

No. 8 - a position consisting of an entirely negative statement and a number which coincides with the limit of a forwards ability to count. It also shows the lack the ability of forwards to think up names for positions as after taxing their brains coming up with the names above simply referred to this player as the number.

Some lovely definitions that I've surprising never heard before

HERSH wrote:

gowales wrote:The New Zealanders call the flyhalf 1st 5 8th and inside centre 2nd 5 8th. I think it sounds stupid

That’s because they're upside-down

yes it actually is stupid.

Half back ...full back.
In between. ..center 3/4
then they added a position between half (4/8) and centre(6/8)...5/8ths...
Then they added a second 5/8ths, finally realising that 7/16ths would be ridiculous.

Most ridiculous position naming process ive ever known. .

HERSH wrote:

gowales wrote:The New Zealanders call the flyhalf 1st 5 8th and inside centre 2nd 5 8th. I think it sounds stupid

That’s because they're upside-down

yes it actually is stupid.

Half back ...full back.
In between. ..center 3/4
then they added a position between half (4/8) and centre(6/8)...5/8ths...
Then they added a second 5/8ths, finally realising that 7/16ths would be ridiculous.

Most ridiculous position naming process ive ever known. .

HERSH wrote:

debaters1 wrote:Hersh, a tight head prop by any chance?!

And calling us wingers 'girls' ... jealousy methinks given we know actual real live women that are not related to us. And they also look like women too.

So the left winger knows the right winger, whats your point?

Apologies for the late repsonse here, but I can be the bigger man and say, touche. Good work Hersh, and to a lesser extent, Doctor Grey.

Fly half is known as out-half in Ireland. Never know why in-half didn't catch on for scrum-half then.

Portnoy wrote:Well I have to agree with Hersh here.

Anyone who has a starting number greater than eight is a total Felicity.

And that includes the anodyne amazons of the Welsh back line

Does that include the likes of Props, Hookers, Locks and Backrowers off the bench? Maybe thats what the Ulster fan said to Trevor Brennan before he jumped over the hordings and smacked him.

Portnoy wrote:Most positions are relatively self-explanatory (full back, centre, prop, hooker etc.).

But why 'fly' half?

Also when I was a boy I seem to recall that a lock was the No8 but has since migrated generically to the second row.

And would there be better names for individual positions to clarify their roles? e.g. enforcer for no.5?

And surely No8 needs a proper job description.

Just a bit of fun...

Yeah. I used to play lock as a youngfellah. It seemed to make sense to me that the guy at the back would "lock" the scrum together. Then I moved to 2nd row. Smellier and not as much fun. Leppin off the back of a scrum and running over an out half was the best thing in the world.
There was always a little full back who knew that the physics of getting anyone's ankles together no matter how big would result in him on the deck, and had the guts and technique to try it.
Ah simpler days. Wingers used to throw in though. Wasn't all good.

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

Portnoy wrote:Most positions are relatively self-explanatory (full back, centre, prop, hooker etc.).

But why 'fly' half?

Also when I was a boy I seem to recall that a lock was the No8 but has since migrated generically to the second row.

And would there be better names for individual positions to clarify their roles? e.g. enforcer for no.5?

And surely No8 needs a proper job description.

Just a bit of fun...

Yeah. I used to play lock as a youngfellah. It seemed to make sense to me that the guy at the back would "lock" the scrum together. Then I moved to 2nd row. Smellier and not as much fun. Leppin off the back of a scrum and running over an out half was the best thing in the world.
There was always a little full back who knew that the physics of getting anyone's ankles together no matter how big would result in him on the deck, and had the guts and technique to try it.
Ah simpler days. Wingers used to throw in though. Wasn't all good.

"Wingers used to throw in though. Wasn't all good."

With a wingmill one-armed bowling action.
Didn't they still use that in the classic Baa-baas v ABs game at the CAP?

Most certainly. Grant Batty & Sid Going always used to mix them up as a kid. One was a winger the other a scrum half. Both small and bald. Think Sid was the Scrummie

Ireland famously have never beaten the ABs. Closest we came was a draw the week before the Babas game. We would have won it on modern scoring.

1. Fat Boy
2. Fat Boy with Long Arms
3. Obese Kid
4. Gangling Bloke
5. Failed Basketball Player
6. Lunatic Happy To Take Nine Punches To Get One In
7. Mr Tactile Hands Grabby McGrabberson
8. Big Fecker With Largest Shirt Size In The Team

9. Mr Irritating Ferretty Gobby Little Douchebag
10. Mr Self Important
12. Mr Braindead Who Spends His Life Taking First Contact
13. Mr Braindead's Mate Who Always Gets Into Handbags
14. Mr Fancy Pants Who Never Gets His Knees Muddy
11. Mr Flash Harry Speedy Pants Whom All The Ladies Love
15. Mr Standing At The Back Getting Freezing Cold

George Carlin wrote:1. Fat Boy
2. Fat Boy with Long Arms
3. Obese Kid
4. Gangling Bloke
5. Failed Basketball Player
6. Lunatic Happy To Take Nine Punches To Get One In
7. Mr Tactile Hands Grabby McGrabberson
8. Big Fecker With Largest Shirt Size In The Team

9. Mr Irritating Ferretty Gobby Little Douchebag
10. Mr Self Important
12. Mr Braindead Who Spends His Life Taking First Contact
13. Mr Braindead's Mate Who Always Gets Into Handbags
14. Mr Fancy Pants Who Never Gets His Knees Muddy
11. Mr Flash Harry Speedy Pants Whom All The Ladies Love
15. Mr Standing At The Back Getting Freezing Cold

NZ came up with wing forward play-did they come up with the name too? That's the 7 by the way-Dave Gallaher was the first well-known exponent of it.

As a winger i can remember many an hour during January matches spent shuffling up and down the pitch at a half jog in the full knowledge that the only way the ball was going to come my way was accidentally.

Both packs made the unspoken collective decision that keeping the ball between the 16 of them meant that they'd always be moving, therefore warm. Sick baxtards. Then out of sheer frustration one the Outhalves/Flyhalves/No. 10/First 5-8 would kick the ball in field instead of to touch and then you were expected to sitch on your Usian Bolt after burners and nail the winger/full back about catch it. That was fun.

My hooker on one occasion, i think it was a club game for Suttonians and we were playing in Palmerstown, was lining up a throw at lineout time and realised his hands and legs were shivering with the cold and wondered if that was how bad he was while running around etc, the wingers and FB ust be hypotheric/dead. We weren't far off it.

[quote="HERSH"]3. Lynchpin, Anchorman or The most important player on the park!

11/14 Girls

12/13 being and England fan I have no idea as I haven't seen one for many years![/quote]

I thought you'd say, that as an England fan, the name for the centres should be 'the Foreigners'