Names of Player Positions

Country by Country List of the Names of the Rugby Player Positions

Note: I found this on a University of Idaho women’s rugby page.

Sometimes useful things disappear on the Internet (sites come and sites go), so I have posted this onto the Rugby Reader’s Review in order to preserve it. The author is unknown. - Wes

               1 2 3

              6 4 5 7

         11                   12

Argentina

1.  Pilar Izquierdo

2.  Hooker

3.  Pilar Derecho

4.  Segunda Linea

5.    "      "

6.  Ala

7.   "

8.  Octavo or ocho

9.  Medio scrum

10. Apertura

11. Wing Ciego (which means blind wing)

12. Primer Centro

13. Segundo Centro

14. Wing

15. Full Back

Australia

1.  Tight Head prop

2.  Hooker

3.  Loose head prop

4.  second row

5.  second row

6.  Blindside Flanker, Blindside Breakaway

7.  Openside Flanker, Openside Breakaway

8.  Number 8 or sometimes Lock Forward (! apparently due to league influence)

9.  Half Back

10. Five-eighth

11. Left Wing

12. Inside Centre

13. Outside Centre

14. Right Wing

15. Full Back

Denmark

1.  Stolpe

2.  Hooker

3.  Stolpe

4.  Anden raekke

5.  "

6.  Flanker

7.  "

8.  Laaser (which means lock!)

9.  Klyngehalf

10. Stand-off

11. Blind wing

12. Foerste Center

13. Anden Center

14. Aaben wing

15. Fullback

England

1.  prop/ loosehead prop / loosehead

2.  hooker

3.  prop / tighthead prop / tighthead

4.  second row / lock

5.  second row / lock

6.  flanker / blindside flanker / blindside / wing forward

7.  flanker / openside flanker / openside / wing forward

8.  number eight (or eightman in North of England)

9.  scrumhalf

10. flyhalf / outside half / stand-off

11. winger (or wingman in North of England)

12. centre / inside centre

13. centre / outside centre

14. winger (or wingman in North of England)

15. fullback

France

1.  Pilier gauche                           Pilar

2.  Talonneur                               Talon

3.  Pilier droit                            Pilar

4.  Seconde ligne gauche (deuxieme ligne gauche) Seconde latte

5.  Seconde ligne droit (deuxieme ligne droit)   Seconde latte

6.  Troisieme ligne aile gauche

7.  Troisieme ligne aile droit

8.  Troisieme ligne centre

9.  Demi de melee

10. Demi d'ouverture                        Ouverture

11. Trois quart aile gauche                 Ailier ( or ailier gauche )

12. Trois quart centre gauche               Centre

13. Trois quart centre droit                Centre

14. Trois quart aile droit                  Ailier ( or ailier droit )

15. Arriere

South of France:

1.  Pilier gauche ( nickname : pilar )   |               |               |

2.  talonneur                            | premier ligne |               |

3.  pilier droit (idem)                  |               |le cinq de     |

4.  deuxieme ligne ( seconde latte )     | deuxieme lign |devant         |les avants, les gros

5.  deuxieme ligne       (idem)          |               |               |le huit

6.  troisieme ligne aile ( flanker ; type: plaqueur)|                    |le paquet

7.  troisieme ligne aile  ( flanker; type : coureur)|troisieme ligne     |

8.  troisieme ligne centre                          |                    |

9.  demi de melee                        | la charniere, les demis

10. demi d'ouverture, ouvreur            |

11. ailier gauche, trois quart aile gauche ( 3/4 aile )

12. premier centre , trois quart centre; if he kiks " cinq huitieme " (5/8) |les arrieres,

13. deuxieme centre,  (idem) but never kiks !     |la ligne

14. ailier droit, trois quart aile droit ( 3/4 aile )

15. arriere

Georgia

(ex USSR)

1.  martzxeni st'olbiki

2.  xukeri

3.  mardzhveni st'olbiki

4.  meore linia

5.  meore linia

6.  mesame linia

7.  mesame linia

8.  rva nomeri (litt. "the 8")

9.  tzxra nomeri (litt. "the 9")

10. ati (litt, "the 10")

11. martzxeni bolo mesameotxi

12. tsentralury mesameotxi

13. tsentralury mesameotxi

14. mardzhveni bolo mesameotxi

15. txutmet'i (litt. "the 15")

Germany

1.  Linker Erste Reihe Stuermer, Prop

2.  Hakler

3.  Rechter Erste Reihe Stuermer, Prop

4.  Linker Zweite Reihe Stuermer, Nummer 4

5.  Rechter Zweite Reihe Stuermer, Nummer 5

6.  Linker Dritte Reihe Stuermer (or Linker Aussenstuermer, Aussenstuermer links)

7.  Rechter Dritte Reihe Stuermer (or Rechter Aussenstuermer, Aussenstuermer rechts)

8.  Nummer Acht (=8 in words) (or: Dritte Reihe Stuermer Mitte)

9.  Gedraengehalb

10. Verbinder

11. Linker Fluegel (or: kurzer Eckdreiviertel)

12. Innen Dreiviertel (3/4) (= Innendreiviertel)

13. Aussen Dreiviertel (3/4) (= Aussendreiviertel)

14. Rechter Fluegel (or: Langer Eckdreiviertel)

15. Schluss

New Zealand

1.  loose-head prop

2.  hooker

3.  tight-head prop

4.  lock

5.  lock

6.  blindside flanker

7.  openside flanker

8.  no. 8

9.  halfback

10. first five-eight, first five

11. left wing

12. second five-eight, second five

13. centre three-quarter, centre

14. right wing

15. full back

Russia

1.  levyj stolb

2.  otygryvajush'ij / xuker

3.  pravyj stolb

4.  vtoraja linija

5.  vtoraja linija

6.  levyj kryl'jevoj

7.  pravyj kryl'jevoj

8.  st'agivajush'ij / vos'm'orka (litt. "the 8")

9.  poluzash'itnik sxvatki / xaf (old) / dev'atka (litt. "the 9")

10. bluzhdajush'ij poluzash'itnik / des'atka (litt. "the 10")

11. levyj krajnij tr'oxchetvertnoj

12. tzentralnyj tr'oxchetvertnoj

13. tzentralnyj tr'oxchetvertnoj

14. pravyj krajnij tr'oxchetvertnij / tchetyrnadzatyj (litt. "the 14")

15. zash'itnik / zamykajush'ij (old) / zamok (coll.) / p'atnadtzatyj (litt. "the 15")

Scotland

1.  loose head prop

2.  hooker

3.  tight head prop

4.  left lock

5.  right lock

6.  blind side flanker

7.  open side flanker

8.  number 8

9.  scrum half

10. stand off

11. left wing

12. inside centre

13. outside centre

14. right wing

15. full back

South Africa

    Afrikaans           Northern Sotho          Sesotho

1.  loskopstut          mothekginngeleng        motshehetsi wa kantle

2.  haker               mokgoetsi               hukara

3.  vaskopstut          mothekgigojeng          motshehetsi wa kahare

4.  loskopslot          mokgonyinngeleng        senotlolo sa kantle

5.  vaskopslot          mokgonyigojeng          senotlolo sa kahare

6.  loskopflank         morapinngeleng sekramong  sebalapele lehlakoreng

7.  vaskopflank         morapigojeng sekramong  sebalapele lehlakoreng

8.  agsteman            monna wa boseswai       monna wa borobedi

9.  skrumskakel         sekramohafo             sekgotho

10  losskakel           morapsana               sebapalahare

11. linkervleuel        morappinggeleng wa morago  sebapalaleqeleng

12. binnesenter         monosinggeleng          sebapalasetsing

13. buitesenter         monosigojeng            sebapalasetsing

14. regtervleuel        morapigojeng wa morago  sebapala ka ho le letona

15. heelagter           moralokamorago          mosireletsi wa ho qetela

    Tswana              Xhosa                   Zulu

1.  poropo              irenka                  ifolosi eliyinsika

2.  hukere              ihuka                   ihhuka

3.  poropo              irenka                  ifolosi eliyinsika

4.  loko                ilokhu                  ifolosi eliyingidi

5.  loko                ilokhu                  ifolosi eliyingidi

6.  mofolanka           iflenki                 ifolosi langasophikweni

7.  mofolanka           iflenki                 ifolosi langasophikweni

8.  morobedi            idoda yesibhozo         unamba-8

9.  sekeramohalofo      isikramhafu             iskramuhhafu

10. folaihalofo         iflayihafu              iflayihhafu

11. wingi ya molema     iphiko lasekhohlo       iwingi lasokunxele

12. sentere ya ka fa teng  isenta               isenta

13. sentere ya ka fa ntle  isenta               isenta

14. wingi ya moja       iphiko lasekunene       iwingi lasokunene

15. fulubeke            umvingci                ifulibhekhi

USA

1.  prop

2.  hooker

3.  prop

4.  2nd row (lock)

5.   "   "    "

6.  (weak/closed side) wing forward (wing break) (flanker)

7.  (strong/open side) wing forward     "           "

8.  number 8  (abbrev.: #8)

9.  scrum half (half back)

10. fly half   (half back)

11. wing

12. (inside) center

13. (outside) center

14. wing

15. full back

Wales

1.  Rheng Flaen

2.  Bachwr

3.  Rheng Flaen

4.  Ail Rheng

5.  Ail Rheng

6.  Blaen Asgellwr (Ochr dywyll)

7.  Blaen ASgellwr (Ochr agored)

8.  Wythwr

9.  Mewnwr

10. Maswr

11. Asgellwr chwith

12. Canolwr

13. Canolwr

14. Asgellwr de

15. Cefnwr