[3] Each position has certain roles to play on the field, although most have been established through convention rather than law. During general play, the scrum-half is generally the player who receives the ball from the forwards and passes it to the backs. [24] If a kick is fielded and there is enough space and support, the full-back may decide to counter-attack by running the ball back towards the opposition. Joost van der Westhuizen may have passed away in 2017, aged 45, but as the old saying goes, legends never die. Du Preez, Eales, Johnson[44] and McBride are also members of the IRB Hall of Fame as players; Lochore was inducted into the IRB Hall primarily as a coach. [71] They are good communicators,[23] especially at directing the forwards around, and their aim is to provide the backs with clean ball. was originally known as Pretoria City but bought by M-Net in 1995 after which it was renamed. The back row (or loose forwards) consists of three players â two flankers, one on either side of the scrum; and a number eight at the back of the scrum. Matfield was the most-capped lock for any nation in rugby history, with all of his 127 appearances at that position in 2011, this record has now been overtaken by Alun Wyn Jones. [68] Hugo Porta is regarded as one of the finest players that Argentina has produced and has been a member of the Laureus World Sports Academy since 2000. [17][18] The front row and second row combined are collectively termed the "tight five". He was also the first black player to captain the Zimbabwe national team. [22] The "blindside flanker" binds to the scrum on the side closest to the side line, while the "openside flanker" binds on the side with the most space between the scrum and the sideline.[17]. SuperSport is a South Africa-based Pan-Africa group of television channels carried on the DStv satellite & GOtv terrestrial platforms. [79], The props "prop up" the hooker in the scrum. [66] Michael Lynagh took over fly-half from Ella and in his first test in that position scored an Australian record of 23 points against Canada. Props push in the scrums, while the hooker tries to secure the ball for their team by "hooking" it back with their heel. The network made full use of the satellite platform to expand its sports offering: For the Olympic Games, six channels are generally used for live events. A fine rugby player, golfer, and tennis player. Struggling Sony Sugar appoint new tactician The Star, ... Every previous league result since the 1996/97 season The South African 08:50. [20][21] The two props are distinguished by being either a "tighthead" (their head is positioned between the opposition prop and hooker) or "loosehead" (their head is positioned on the outside of the scrum). It is available mainly in the countries of Lusophone Africa, but also in other African countries including South Africa. Numbers were added to the backs of players' jerseys in the 1920s, initially as a way for coaches and selectors to rate individual players. The scrum (a contest used to restart play) must consist of eight players from each team: the "front row" (two props, a loosehead and tighthead, and a hooker), the "second row" (two locks), and a "back row" (two flankers, and a number 8). The players' positions at the start of the game are indicated by the numbers on the backs of their shirts, 1 to 15. [69], Of the players mentioned above, Ella, Kyle, Morgan, Osler and Porta are members of the IRB Hall of Fame. However, flankers can usually play number eight[98] and sometimes the blindside may be used as a lock. They also feed the scrum. [67] Bennie Osler played for South Africa from 1924 until 1933, during which he played a South African record of 17 consecutive games and scored a then world record of 14 points in one game against New Zealand. As of September 2020, much the same way Sky Sports has done, SuperSport started to run thematic channels with most major sports getting their own channels. As the game became more sophisticated, the backs positioned at different depths behind the forwards. [85] At the line-out, the locks are lifted and supported by teammates, allowing them to compete for the ball, either passing or tapping it to the scrumhalf or setting up a drive. [43] Another 2011 inductee in the IRB Hall is Brian Lima of Samoa,[44] who played most of his career on the wing but ended it as a centre. [4], The first international between England and Scotland was played in 1871 and consisted of 20 players on each side: thirteen forwards, three half-backs, one three-quarter and three full-backs. SuperSport Blitz is Africa's premier dedicated 24-hour sports news channel featuring the latest news, features, announcements, highlights, previews & sporting events all around the world. [23] Hookers generally have a short back and long arms to aid in binding to the props. It has produced many great players throughout the years, and here are the ten I feel are the best. [108] There are four backs: scrum-half, fly-half, centre, and wing. [36], The wings are generally positioned on the outside of the backline with the number 11 on the left and the number 14 on the right. Rugby league legends fear embattled Brisbane has shown no improvement from the form that won them the NRLâs wooden spoon last year. In the first of a series looking back at the big names to play in the Varsity Cup, DYLAN JACK looks at how Handre Pollard helped UP-Tuks retain the title in 2013. [41] In 1994, International Rugby Hall of Famer John Kirwan retired as the (then) most capped player and highest try scorer in All Black history,[42], Tony O'Reilly played wing for Ireland between 1955 and 1970 and scored a record 38 tries on two Lions tours. Fresh from helping the Junior Springboks win the 2012 World Rugby U20 Championship, Pollard linked up with the UP-Tuks team as part of his deal with the Vodacom Bulls, who he joined after finishing his schooling at Paarl Gimnasium. [85] They compete for the kick-offs and are involved in securing the ball in rucks and mauls. Their position behind the backline allows them to see any holes in the defensive line and they either communicate with the backs to close the gaps up or cover the gaps themselves. In August 2011, SuperSport renewed its contract with the PSL for another five years. David Campese, a member of both the International and IRB Halls of Fame,[31] played 101 times for Australia and held the world record for most tries in test matches. [5] The player numbers were reduced to fifteen in 1877. During general play, as long as they are not offside, the players may be positioned anywhere on the field. He participated in five World Cups for Manu Samoa and became known as "The Chiropractor" for his ferocious tackling. Rewind back to the 1970s and 1980s, to greats like Garfield Sobers, Clive Lloyd, Vivian Richards, Desmond Haynes, Gordon Greenidge, Courtney Walsh, ⦠Pienaar famously led South Africa’s national rugby team, the Springboks, to victory at the World Cup in 1995, a year after Mandela became the country’s first democratically elected president. The channel also shows many PSL themed news and talk shows under the "PSL TV" brand. [15][16], Collective terms are also used to describe similar positions, with the props and hookers combining to form the "front row", the locks the "second row" and the flankers and number 8 the "back row", "loose forwards" or the "loosies". For much of the history of the sport, the full-back position was almost totally defensive. [44] Fellow 2011 inductee AgustÃn Pichot,[44] who played in three World Cups for Argentina, is perhaps best known as the Pumas' captain during their surprise run to third place in the 2007 World Cup,[78] which eventually led to their 2012 entry into The Rugby Championship, previously the Tri Nations. Players that play multiple positions are called "utility players". [23] They are almost always the tallest players in a team and are the primary targets when the ball is thrown in at line-outs. Different positions on the field suit certain skill sets and body types, generally leading to players specialising in a limited number of positions. Current lead commentators in English are Matthew Pearce, Hugh Bladen, Gavin Cowley, Owen Nkumane and Paul Stubbs, while their analyst pool includes Joel Stransky, Gcobani Bobo, Bobby Skinstad, Breyton Paulse, Nick Mallett, Ashwin Willemse, Kobus Wiese, Victor Matfield, Jean de Villiers and Naas Botha. [86] In scrums, the two locks bind tightly together and each put their heads between a prop and the hooker. Pienaar and Prat are also members of the IRB Hall of Fame. no pushing is allowed and the team putting the ball into the scrum wins it). Full-backs usually position themselves several metres behind the back line. SuperSport Action broadcasts a range of extreme sports as well as major boxing matches, UFC and EFC mixed martial arts programming and overflow content from rugby, soccer and cricket. [107] The seven players are split into three forwards and four backs. Props in the International Rugby Hall of Fame include: Jason Leonard (England and Lions), Syd Millar (Ireland and Lions) and Wilson Whineray (New Zealand). At line-outs, they can be either another jumper or a lifter. The substitutes, numbered 16 to 23, can either take up the position of the player they replace or the on-field players can be shuffled to make room for this player in another position. Danie Gerber played centre for South Africa during the apartheid era and even though he was only able to play 24 tests over 12 years, he scored 19 tries. South Africa's most capped player is Victor Matfield with 127 caps. [52] Welsh centre Gwyn Nicholls played from 1896 to 1906 and was known as the "Prince of Threequarters". On August 8, 2020, SuperSport announced a gradual makeover/revamp of its channels, meaning the numbering of the channels since the channel's commencement of expansion in 2003 such as SuperSport 3 would be replaced with specific-sport TV channels which they "enhances the sports viewers' experience" and "makes it easier to find and watch a favorite league, competition or sport". Two hookers are members of the IRB Hall but not the International Hall. SuperSport Maximo is the Portuguese-language channel broadcasting the same events from the other SuperSport channels. That's not as easy as it sounds", "Statsguru / Test matches / Player records (filters: overall figures, South Africa, total matches played (descending order)", "The rules of engagement â tighthead v loosehead", "Ben Foden keen to side-step curse of the utility player", "I want to be England's rock, says Delon .Armitage", "Statsguru / Player analysis / Mike Gibson / Test matches", "Statsguru / Player analysis / Tim Horan / Test matches", "Statsguru / Player analysis / Danie Craven / Test matches", "Sevens great Serevi enters IRB Hall of Fame", "Statsguru: Player analysis / Waisale Serevi / Test matches", http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/rules_and_equipment/6332057.stm, Country by country list of the names of player positions, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rugby_union_positions&oldid=1006616794#Hooker, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 13 February 2021, at 21:19. [109], When a team is defending in open play or from a penalty kick, the defending team will often play a line of six defenders across the field, with one player deeper known as the "sweeper" whose role is to field kicks or to tackle attacking players who have broken through the defensive line. [44] Seven centres are in the IRB Hall but not the International HallâFrank Hancock, a 19th-century Welsh player whose skills led to the creation of the modern two-centre formation;[55] Guy Boniface, French international and younger brother of André;[30] brothers Donald and Ian Campbell of Chile;[56] Zimbabwe international Richard Tsimba;[57] and Bleddyn Williams and Jack Matthews, who formed a legendary centre partnership for Cardiff and Wales in the era immediately following World War II.[31]. The Springboks and New Zealand's national rugby team, the All Blacks, have a long tradition of intense and friendly sporting rivalry. [23] The prop's main role is to provide stability at the scrum and support the hooker in quickly winning the ball. JPR Williams of Wales was the first full-back to regularly score tries after the law change, scoring six times in Five Nations matches in the 1970s. It provides sports content in South Africa and many other African countries. The centres' key attacking roles are to break through the defensive line and link successfully with wingers. [65] Jack Kyle is widely considered Ireland's greatest player. In 2007, the SABC lost its exclusive rights to the local Premier Soccer League (PSL) to SuperSport, in a deal worth R1.6 billion. They are also often involved in lifting jumpers when receiving kick-offs. [71] At defensive scrums they put pressure on the opposition scrum-half or defend the blindside. [44] Three locks are members of the IRB Hall of Fame but not the International HallâFairy Heatlie, a South African great of the era around 1900 who was also one of the first Argentina internationals; French international Lucien Mias; and early 20th-century Scottish international David Bedell-Sivright. The number eight, or eighthman in South Africa, binds between the locks at the back of the scrum, providing extra weight at the push. [81] Teams often use their openside flankers to 'charge' the opposition fly-half, putting pressure on him and forcing him to rush his decision making, kicking or passing. Players are not restricted to a single position, although they generally specialise in just one or two that suit their skills and body types. [38] The winger on the blindside often "comes off the wing" to provide an extra man in the midfield, in the same vein as a full-back. Another famous utility player was Austin Healey, who started and played test matches for England and club matches for Leicester Tigers at fly half, scrum half, full back and winger. The tighthead is to the right of the hooker with his head positioned between the opposition hooker and the opposition loosehead prop. John Smit of South Africa, captain of the World Cup-winning Springboks in 2007,[91] was inducted in 2011. [76] When Joost van der Westhuizen retired in 2003, he had 89 caps, at the time the most for any South African. Variety 1 focuses on cycling and swimming events while also functioning as an overflow channel for soccer, golf, tennis, rugby and cricket events. A Premier Soccer League team bears the channel's name. Among members of the International Rugby or IRB Halls of Fame, Mike Gibson has 28 caps at fly-half, 48 at centre and 4 on the wing[102] and Tim Horan played 62 tests at centre, 2 on the wing and 9 at full-back. Lifestyle Welcome to The South African's Lifestyle! [23] The centres' main role is to provide space for the players outside them. Several outstanding players had to be left out, because I just couldn't find a place for them. [23] Centres also provide support at the breakdowns and can run as decoys to confuse the defence. [88] When the opposition is putting the ball into the scrum, the hooker will either attempt to win the ball or try to disrupt the scrum. Successful backs are skilful at passing and kicking. It provides sports content in South Africa, Nigeria and many other African countries. Rest of Africa only, SuperSport Máximo 2 HD (242) (Portuguese Channel. SuperSport PSL focuses mainly on domestic soccer matches in South Africa and other African countries through live broadcasts, magazine shows and highlights. They also had operations in Thailand, under the current name True Sport, The channel broadcasts most of the major sporting events and leagues of association football, rugby, cricket, tennis, golf, motorsport, cycling, boxing, wrestling, hockey, athletics. The positions are divided into two main categories; forwards (numbered 1 to 8) and backs (numbered 9 to 15). [39] Welsh international Gerald Davies was influential in helping the British Lions become the only Lions touring party to win a Test series in New Zealand. [48], Brian O'Driscoll is the fourth most-capped player in rugby union history, having played 141 test matches, 133 for Ireland (83 as captain), and 8 for the British and Irish Lions. It was previously the world's biggest[clarification needed] broadcaster of live rugby and cricket (having been overtaken by Sky Sports), and also the world's second biggest[clarification needed] Premier League broadcaster, broadcasting matches live and, where possible, in HD through the Premier League's Content Service Sr.[2]. SuperSport Tennis is a 24-hour dedicated tennis channel showcasing live tennis from Grand Slams to the ATP World Tour, WTA & other major tennis events. [23] They form part of the front row of the scrum and push against the opposition's props. The jumper as they are also the first black player to captain the Zimbabwe national team World Cups Australia. Position has certain roles to play on the field, they can be either jumper... As an overflow for soccer matches fastest players in a limited number of notable wings throughout history with SABC. Passing and kicking skills, in some teams the full-back is also responsible taking! 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