Rugby League Positions - Names and Numbering

Names and Numbering

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 the numbers are defined by the game's laws as:

Backs
  • 1 Full Back
  • 2 Right Wing Threequarter
  • 3 Right Centre Threequarter
  • 4 Left Centre Threequarter
  • 5 Left Wing Threequarter
  • 6 Stand-Off Half or Five-Eighth
  • 7 Scrum Half
Forwards
  • 8 Prop
  • 9 Hooker
  • 10 Front Row Forward
  • 11 Second Row Forward
  • 12 Second Row Forward
  • 13 Lock Forward

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 are occasionallly 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 names most commonly used for their positions. The chart shows a typical formation during a scrum. Forwards are above the line and backs below.

Rugby league positions
8 Prop 9 Hooker 10 Prop
11 Second row 12 Second row
13 Loose forward (or Lock)

Read more about this topic:  Rugby League Positions

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