Rugby Union: Positions Guide - Backs

Step 1: The Backs

The ‘backs' are the rear seven players– essentially, the players that don't take part directly in a Scrum. They tend to be more athletic than the bulky forwards, and run to evade rather than confront. They are:

9. One Scrum Half
10. One Fly-Half
11. One Left Wing
12. and 13. Two Centres – an ‘Inside' and an ‘Outside'.
14. One Right Wing
15. Full back.

Let's take a look at what they do in a little more detail...

Step 2: The Scrum Half

The scrum half acts as a go-between between the Forwards and the Backs. Primarily a defender, they're the ones that tend to be first on the scene at any rucks or mauls.

Scrum-halves are responsible for putting the ball into the scrum, and for taking it out the other end.

Step 3: The Fly-Half

The Fly-Half is the tactics man. He can either kick the ball way up the pitch for a quick and easy way to gain ground, pass it out to the backs, feed it to the forwards for a big push, or take the plunge and make a run for it himself.

They need to know how to kick well, they need to be agile and nimble, and they need to be quick thinking – the Fly-Half's movements dictate the direction the team takes. One wrong move and the whole game can go down the pan.

They tend to also be the goal kicker. If there are any points to be gained from Conversions or Penalties, the Fly-Half is the man for the job.

Step 4: The Centres

Inside and outside centres are the passers. They need to be able to deliver a ball quickly and precisely under extreme pressure.

They'll also need to be fast -- to break through the opposition front lines—and strong, as one of the backs' main forms of defence.

Outside Centres tend to be lighter and more agile, whipping through the opposition's backs before passing out to the wingers in an effort to score a try.

Inside Centres operate in more of a defensive role, tackling alongside the forwards while breaking through the opponents in order to make space for the Outside Centre. They also take on the responsibilities of the Fly-Half in the event that they're caught up in a ruck or maul, so need to be skilled kickers as well.

Step 5: The Wingers

The two wingers operate on the very edges of the pitch; often the last in the line of a push for the try, they whip through opposition defences catching the defenders off-guard and putting the ball over the try-line.

When not scoring, wingers need to be adept tacklers; if the opposition gets past them, they've often got a clear run to the posts and five easy points.

Wingers often also operate as a sort of Full Back – fielding kicks from the opposition and returning them where appropriate…

Step 6: The Full Back

The Full Back is the last line of defence against the opposition scoring. Placed right at the back of the squad, they need to be strong enough to tackle any incoming players, and skilled enough to return any long kicks in a tactically-advantageous manner…

Done