Rugby Union Numbering Schemes - History of The Use of Numbers On Shirts

History of The Use of Numbers On Shirts

The first use of numbered shirts was the match between New Zealand and Queensland at Brisbane, Queensland in 1897 in order to allow the spectators to identify the players. In that match New Zealand wore the numbers 1 to 15 starting at fullback, whilst the hosts wore the numbers 16 to 30.

The practice was adopted for various major internationals but no definitive system was adopted. The matter was brought before the IRB by the English and Welsh Rugby Unions in 1921 but it was decided that the identification of players by marking their shirts was a matter to be determined by the team themselves. Most teams used numbers but in the 1930s, the Welsh used letters. In the early days, a "back-row" was truly a back row, with all three of these player packing down with their shoulders driving the second-row (rather that with the flankers driving the props directly as is required today). Therefore in many numbering systems these three players were numbered to reflect that (rather than with the two flankers having consecutive numbers as it is today).

Scotland first adopted a numbering system in 1928 for the match against France, but dropped it again immediately. Thus when Scotland played England that year, King George V who attended the game asked why the Scottish players were not numbered, the former president of the Scottish Football Union (as it was then) James Aikman Smith answered This sir is a rugby match not a cattle sale.

By the 1950s, the RFU had produced a booklet called Know the Game in which it is stated that there are no hard and fast rules governing the names of the positions or the numbers worn but it lists the custom in Britain as being 1 for the fullback, to 15 for the lock (now known as the number 8). Rugby league still uses this reverse numbering system.

It is for this reason that rugby teams are traditionally published on team lists in newspapers and online in this order; though the numbering system has changed, the order in which the positions are listed has remained the same. However, you may see the centres swapped over, or the flankers listed in reverse order.

By 1950 all the home nations used numbers; England, Scotland and Wales used the system described above, whilst France and Ireland did the reverse using what we would now describe as the modern system. By the 1960/1 season however they had all agreed to use the France/Ireland system, with 1 being loosehead prop and 15 being the fullback.