Why is #10 called 5/8 (five eigth?) in Southern Hemisphere?

[MelbourneRebel]

Anyone know?

[hugonaut]

They call the scrum-half the halfback, and the No10 stands further behind him – 5/8 of the way back from the front line of the team. Old-fashioned nomenclature.

[Dave Cahill]

Anyone know?

Scrum half is known as a half back in NZ, outside centre and wingers are the three quarters - the inside centre and out half are in between, so five eights.

Half Back
1st 5/8
2nd 5/8
Centre 3/4
Wing 3/4 x2
Full Bakc

[MelbourneRebel]

Thanks

[Peg Leg]

Anyone know?

Scrum half is known as a half back in NZ, outside centre and wingers are the three quarters - the inside centre and out half are in between, so five eights.

Half Back
1st 5/8
2nd 5/8
Centre 3/4
Wing 3/4 x2
Full Bakc

I always thought it was the number of positional "rows" on a team:
1. Front Row
2. Second Row
3. Back Row
4. Scrum Half
5. Out Half
6. Centers
7. Wings
8. Fullback

Obviously I mentally blocked out the fact that wingers were referred to as 3/4 rather than 7/8ths!!

[blues_fan]

Anyone know?

It's been answered but this naming style is only limited to NZ and Tonga. Rest of the hemisphere uses conventional nomenclature.

As an aside, 'outhalf' is a purely Irish thing, yeah? Do they use it in Ulster too, or do they stick with the conventional 'flyhalf'?

[darkside lighteside]

Anyone know?

It's been answered but this naming style is only limited to NZ and Tonga. Rest of the hemisphere uses conventional nomenclature.

As an aside, 'outhalf' is a purely Irish thing, yeah? Do they use it in Ulster too, or do they stick with the conventional 'flyhalf'?

outhalf in Ulster too..

[icebaby]

and I'm none the wiser and I've had this explained to me by Kiwis a few times. Is it 5/8 of the distance or what? It's not the number. Really my question is 5/8ths of what ? What makes up the 8?

[Dave Cahill]

and I'm none the wiser and I've had this explained to me by Kiwis a few times. Is it 5/8 of the distance or what? It's not the number. Really my question is 5/8ths of what ? What makes up the 8?

Eigths are the lowest common denominator that would allow one to split halves and quarters.

[ellandleinster]

Anyone know?

It's been answered but this naming style is only limited to NZ and Tonga. Rest of the hemisphere uses conventional nomenclature.

As an aside, 'outhalf' is a purely Irish thing, yeah? Do they use it in Ulster too, or do they stick with the conventional 'flyhalf'?

has Ulster left us we haven't even played NZ yet.

[Dave Cahill]

People might find this and this interesting

[West Brit]

Anyone know?

It's been answered but this naming style is only limited to NZ and Tonga. Rest of the hemisphere uses conventional nomenclature.

Australia often uses the term stand-off as well, as that's what the position is called in rugby league.

[totalrandomer]

It's a grouping thing really. we group the centres together as a pairing and the halfbacks as a pairing.

The Kiwis have A halfback (our scrum half) and A centre (our 2nd centre) and consider the 5/8ths a pairing.

It's not a difficult concept really. what else can go in between halfback and the 3/4 line except 5/8ths?

I suppose they could have called them the 9/16ths and the 11/16ths? Now that would have been kinky.

[icebaby]

and I'm none the wiser and I've had this explained to me by Kiwis a few times. Is it 5/8 of the distance or what? It's not the number. Really my question is 5/8ths of what ? What makes up the 8?

Eigths are the lowest common denominator that would allow one to split halves and quarters.

Suppose I never understood why they were called quarters in the first place (oops hadto admit that......) and still don't know.... I'm very mathematical.... if there are 15 on a team.....

[totalrandomer]

and I'm none the wiser and I've had this explained to me by Kiwis a few times. Is it 5/8 of the distance or what? It's not the number. Really my question is 5/8ths of what ? What makes up the 8?

Eigths are the lowest common denominator that would allow one to split halves and quarters.

Suppose I never understood why they were called quarters in the first place (oops hadto admit that......) and still don't know.... I'm very mathematical.... if there are 15 on a team.....

OK. You've got FORWRDS.

You've got a FULL BACK.

The players in between are backs of some degree.

Just behind the FORWARDS the player(s) are called HALF BACKS.

So.... Between the HALF BACKS and the FULL BACK (ie between 0.5 and 1) you have a THREEQUARTER line. In this hemisphere these players are the 2 centres and the 2 wings. (Let's not complicate things with New Zealand ideas until you get the concept)

[blues_fan]

It's a grouping thing really. we group the centres together as a pairing and the halfbacks as a pairing.

The Kiwis have A halfback (our scrum half) and A centre (our 2nd centre) and consider the 5/8ths a pairing.

It's not a difficult concept really. what else can go in between halfback and the 3/4 line except 5/8ths?

I suppose they could have called them the 9/16ths and the 11/16ths? Now that would have been kinky.

2/3rd's?

But then it sounds a bit strange: "...into the hands of the first second third who passes it to the second second third....'

Australia often uses the term stand-off as well, as that's what the position is called in rugby league.

Stand off is more an English thing, in Australia they call it five-eighth universally. But you are right, in Union they are a bit erratic, but anything official will call the position flyhalf.

[West Brit]

But you are right, in Union they are a bit erratic, but anything official will call the position flyhalf.

Very erratic. When I played there I had a coach that once called the position five different names in the same pre-match address (fly half, out half, stand off, five eighth, pivot).

[icebaby]

[quotOK. You've got FORWRDS.

You've got a FULL BACK.

The players in between are backs of some degree.

Just behind the FORWARDS the player(s) are called HALF BACKS.

So.... Between the HALF BACKS and the FULL BACK (ie between 0.5 and 1) you have a THREEQUARTER line. In this hemisphere these players are the 2 centres and the 2 wings. (Let's not complicate things with New Zealand ideas until you get the concept)[/quote]

Now you're talking - I understand this - at last thank you

[sid]

Wow, all very interesting. Never even heard that name for an OH before.

So where did the term "flyhalf" come from?

[Mauler]

I just call 9 to 15 'The Girls', I was unaware that there were different positions.