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vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Modern_numbering"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Modern numbering</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Modern_numbering-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Numbering_in_rugby_sevens" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Numbering_in_rugby_sevens"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Numbering in rugby sevens</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Numbering_in_rugby_sevens-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Exceptional_systems" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Exceptional_systems"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Exceptional systems</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Exceptional_systems-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Historical_and_traditional_schemes" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Historical_and_traditional_schemes"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Historical and traditional schemes</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Historical_and_traditional_schemes-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet 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<div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Ireland_vs_Georgia,_Rugby_World_Cup_2007_line_up.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/Ireland_vs_Georgia%2C_Rugby_World_Cup_2007_line_up.jpg/220px-Ireland_vs_Georgia%2C_Rugby_World_Cup_2007_line_up.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="147" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/Ireland_vs_Georgia%2C_Rugby_World_Cup_2007_line_up.jpg/330px-Ireland_vs_Georgia%2C_Rugby_World_Cup_2007_line_up.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/Ireland_vs_Georgia%2C_Rugby_World_Cup_2007_line_up.jpg/440px-Ireland_vs_Georgia%2C_Rugby_World_Cup_2007_line_up.jpg 2x" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="535" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Ireland_national_rugby_union_team" title="Ireland national rugby union team">Ireland</a> and <a href="/wiki/Georgia_national_rugby_union_team" title="Georgia national rugby union team">Georgia</a> contesting a line-out in the <a href="/wiki/2007_Rugby_World_Cup" title="2007 Rugby World Cup">2007 Rugby World Cup</a> – several numbers on the Irish forwards can be clearly seen.</figcaption></figure> <p>The standard modern <b>rugby union numbering schemes</b> have the starting players <a href="/wiki/Number_(sports)" title="Number (sports)">numbered</a> from 1 to 15, and the replacements numbered 16 onwards. <a href="/wiki/Rugby_union" title="Rugby union">Rugby union</a> players have not always been identified by individual labels, nor have the systems used always been the same. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History_of_the_use_of_numbers_on_shirts">History of the use of numbers on shirts</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Rugby_union_numbering_schemes&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: History of the use of numbers on shirts"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The first use of numbered shirts was the match between <a href="/wiki/New_Zealand_rugby_union_team" class="mw-redirect" title="New Zealand rugby union team">New Zealand</a> and <a href="/wiki/Queensland_Rugby_Union" title="Queensland Rugby Union">Queensland</a> at <a href="/wiki/Brisbane" title="Brisbane">Brisbane</a>, <a href="/wiki/Queensland" title="Queensland">Queensland</a> in 1897<sup id="cite_ref-rugbyfootballhistory.com_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rugbyfootballhistory.com-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> to allow the spectators to identify the players. In that match, New Zealand wore the numbers 1 to 15, starting at fullback, while the hosts wore the numbers 16 to 30. </p><p>The practice was adopted for various major internationals, but no definitive system was adopted. The matter was brought before the <a href="/wiki/International_Rugby_Board" class="mw-redirect" title="International Rugby Board">International Rugby Board</a> by the <a href="/wiki/Rugby_Football_Union" title="Rugby Football Union">English</a> and <a href="/wiki/Welsh_Rugby_Union" title="Welsh Rugby Union">Welsh Rugby Unions</a> 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 players packing down with their shoulders driving the second row (rather than with the flankers driving the props directly as is usual 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). </p><p><a href="/wiki/Scotland_national_rugby_union_team" title="Scotland national rugby union team">Scotland</a> first adopted a numbering system in 1928 for the match against <a href="/wiki/France_national_rugby_union_team" title="France national rugby union team">France</a>, but dropped it again immediately. Thus when Scotland played <a href="/wiki/England_national_rugby_union_team" title="England national rugby union team">England</a> that year, King <a href="/wiki/George_V" title="George V">George V</a> who attended the game asked why the Scottish players were not numbered, the former president of the <a href="/wiki/Scottish_Rugby_Union" title="Scottish Rugby Union">Scottish Football Union</a> (as it was then) <a href="/wiki/James_Aikman_Smith" title="James Aikman Smith">James Aikman Smith</a> answered, "This, Sir, is a rugby match, not a cattle sale." </p><p>By the 1950s, the <a href="/wiki/Rugby_Football_Union" title="Rugby Football Union">Rugby Football Union</a> had produced a booklet called <i>Know the Game</i>, 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). <a href="/wiki/Rugby_league" title="Rugby league">Rugby league</a> still uses this "correct" numbering system. </p><p>A number of different systems are used to publish team lists in newspapers, match programmes and online. In most of the world, players are listed in numerical order, either 1-15 or 15-1. Another common system is to list the backs 15–9, followed by the forwards 1–8, although traditionalists prefer 15–9, 1–5, 6,8,7, i.e. the forwards in scrum order. </p><p>By 1950, all the home nations used numbers; England, Scotland and Wales used the system described above, while France and Ireland did the reverse, using what would now be described as the modern system. By the 1960–61 season, however, they had all agreed to use the France/Ireland system, with 1 being loosehead prop and 15 being the fullback. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Modern_numbering">Modern numbering</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Rugby_union_numbering_schemes&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Modern numbering"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Charlie_Beech_and_Micky_Young.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/Charlie_Beech_and_Micky_Young.jpg/220px-Charlie_Beech_and_Micky_Young.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="165" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/Charlie_Beech_and_Micky_Young.jpg/330px-Charlie_Beech_and_Micky_Young.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/Charlie_Beech_and_Micky_Young.jpg/440px-Charlie_Beech_and_Micky_Young.jpg 2x" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="599" /></a><figcaption>Leicester (green, white and red); the traditional letters denoting their positions can be seen on the front of their shirts above the club badge.</figcaption></figure> <p>There is nothing in the <i>Laws of Rugby Union</i> that determines if or how players should be individually identified by marking their clothing. However, since 1967, player numbering has been standardised by <a href="/wiki/World_Rugby" title="World Rugby">World Rugby</a> for international matches (1–15, with 1 being loosehead prop and 15 being the fullback; the replacements are then numbered from 16 onwards, with the forwards first from the front row to the number eight, followed by the backs from scrum-half to full-back).<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/English_Premiership_(rugby_union)" class="mw-redirect" title="English Premiership (rugby union)">English Premiership</a> sides have also adopted this standard numbering system to better aid the understanding of spectators new to the sport, necessitating that Leicester abandon their traditional lettering system, though they have attempted to keep the tradition alive by printing a small letter appropriate to the player's position next to the club badge on the left breast.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In South Africa, the blindside flanker wears 7 and openside flanker wears 6.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Numbering_in_rugby_sevens">Numbering in rugby sevens</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Rugby_union_numbering_schemes&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Numbering in rugby sevens"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In <a href="/wiki/Rugby_sevens" title="Rugby sevens">rugby sevens</a>, although World Rugby requires that players wear numbers, it does not dictate a specific scheme tied to the player's position. Accordingly, most teams use permanent squad numbering, although numbering generally starts with the forwards.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Exceptional_systems">Exceptional systems</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Rugby_union_numbering_schemes&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Exceptional systems"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Starting-An-Attack-.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Starting-An-Attack-.jpg/220px-Starting-An-Attack-.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="130" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Starting-An-Attack-.jpg/330px-Starting-An-Attack-.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Starting-An-Attack-.jpg/440px-Starting-An-Attack-.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1261" data-file-height="745" /></a><figcaption>A painting of the <a href="/wiki/England_national_rugby_union_team" title="England national rugby union team">England</a> versus <a href="/wiki/Wales_national_rugby_union_team" title="Wales national rugby union team">Wales</a> rugby match in 1931. Note letters, which are not used any more.</figcaption></figure> <p>Traditionally, some clubs (notably <a href="/wiki/Leicester_Tigers" title="Leicester Tigers">Leicester Tigers</a> and <a href="/wiki/Bristol_Rugby" class="mw-redirect" title="Bristol Rugby">Bristol</a>) have used alternative schemes consisting of letters, <a href="/wiki/Bath_Rugby" title="Bath Rugby">Bath</a> and <a href="/wiki/Richmond_F.C." title="Richmond F.C.">Richmond</a> have used a scheme without a number 13. Other common variations in the numbering are the interchange of 6 and 7 (particularly in South Africa and Argentina) or of 11 and 14. </p><p>Other exceptions include: </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/West_Hartlepool_RFC" class="mw-redirect" title="West Hartlepool RFC">West Hartlepool RFC</a> hung up their No. 5 jersey in memory of their lock John How who died of a heart condition in a 1994 league match.</li> <li>Waitete Rugby Club (affiliated to the <a href="/wiki/King_Country_Rugby_Football_Union" title="King Country Rugby Football Union">King Country Rugby Football Union</a> in New Zealand) retired the number 5 jersey and replaced it with 55, in honour of legendary club and national rugby hero <a href="/wiki/All_Black" class="mw-redirect" title="All Black">All Black</a> <a href="/wiki/Colin_Meads" title="Colin Meads">Colin Meads</a>.</li> <li>The rugby team of the <a href="/wiki/School_of_Oriental_and_African_Studies" class="mw-redirect" title="School of Oriental and African Studies">School of Oriental and African Studies</a>, <a href="/wiki/University_of_London" title="University of London">University of London</a>, which used to use a system of ancient Thai numbers,<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (June 2010)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> making identification by opposing teams virtually impossible.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Will_Greenwood" title="Will Greenwood">Will Greenwood</a>, who normally played at inside centre, preferred to wear the number 13 shirt rather than the usual number 12 assigned to this position for superstitious reasons. During the <a href="/wiki/2003_Rugby_World_Cup_Final" class="mw-redirect" title="2003 Rugby World Cup Final">2003 Rugby World Cup Final</a> he played inside centre wearing number 13 and <a href="/wiki/Mike_Tindall" title="Mike Tindall">Mike Tindall</a> played outside him in the number 12 shirt.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Diocesan_College" title="Diocesan College">Diocesan College</a>, the first school to play rugby in South Africa, has always played without numbers to emphasise that team aspect of the sport. Other South African schools such as Pietermartizburg College in Kwa Zulu Natal province adopted the same approach until recent years when they decided to use player identification numbers likely due to television coverage of matches and referees and officials needing to cite players by number.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Historical_and_traditional_schemes">Historical and traditional schemes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Rugby_union_numbering_schemes&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Historical and traditional schemes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <table class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"> <tbody><tr> <th>Position </th> <th>1950s <br /> British <br /> custom<sup id="cite_ref-rugbyfootballhistory.com_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rugbyfootballhistory.com-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </th> <th>Standard <br /> modern <br /> numbering </th> <th>Without the <br /> number 13 </th> <th>Letters – <br /> Leicester-style </th> <th>Letters – <br /> Bristol-style </th></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:left">Full back</td> <td>1</td> <td>15</td> <td>16</td> <td>O</td> <td>A </td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:left">Right wing</td> <td>2</td> <td>14</td> <td>15</td> <td>N</td> <td>B </td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:left">Outside centre</td> <td>3</td> <td>13</td> <td>14</td> <td>M</td> <td>C </td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:left">Inside centre</td> <td>4</td> <td>12</td> <td>12</td> <td>L</td> <td>D </td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:left">Left wing</td> <td>5</td> <td>11</td> <td>11</td> <td>K</td> <td>E </td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:left">Fly-half</td> <td>6</td> <td>10</td> <td>10</td> <td>J</td> <td>F </td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:left">Scrum-half</td> <td>7</td> <td>9</td> <td>9</td> <td>I</td> <td>G </td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:left">Loosehead prop</td> <td>8</td> <td>1</td> <td>1</td> <td>A</td> <td>H </td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:left">Hooker</td> <td>9</td> <td>2</td> <td>2</td> <td>B</td> <td>I </td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:left">Tighthead prop</td> <td>10</td> <td>3</td> <td>3</td> <td>C</td> <td>J </td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:left">Lock</td> <td>11</td> <td>4</td> <td>4</td> <td>D</td> <td>K </td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:left">Lock</td> <td>12</td> <td>5</td> <td>5</td> <td>E</td> <td>L </td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:left">Blindside flanker</td> <td>13</td> <td>6</td> <td>6</td> <td>F</td> <td>M </td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:left">Openside flanker</td> <td>14</td> <td>7</td> <td>7</td> <td>H</td> <td>N </td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:left">Number eight</td> <td>15</td> <td>8</td> <td>8</td> <td>G</td> <td>O </td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:left">Replacements</td> <td>None until 1968</td> <td>16 onwards</td> <td>17 onwards</td> <td>P onwards</td> <td>P onwards </td></tr></tbody></table> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Rugby_union_numbering_schemes&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Rugby_shirt" title="Rugby shirt">Rugby shirt</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rugby_union_positions" title="Rugby union positions">Rugby union positions</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Rugby_union_numbering_schemes&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-rugbyfootballhistory.com-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-rugbyfootballhistory.com_1-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-rugbyfootballhistory.com_1-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.rugbyfootballhistory.com/player_num.htm">http://www.rugbyfootballhistory.com/player_num.htm</a> Rugby Football History; Player Numbering</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.world.rugby/handbook/regulations/reg-15">"Regulation 15 : INTERNATIONAL MATCHES"</a>. <i>world.rugby</i>. World Rugby. 21 April 2016<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">22 November</span> 2019</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=world.rugby&rft.atitle=Regulation+15+%3A+INTERNATIONAL+MATCHES&rft.date=2016-04-21&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.world.rugby%2Fhandbook%2Fregulations%2Freg-15&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARugby+union+numbering+schemes" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/may2011/6/2/alesana-tuilagi-pic-getty-749200069.jpg">http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/may2011/6/2/alesana-tuilagi-pic-getty-749200069.jpg</a> <sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Bare_URLs" title="Wikipedia:Bare URLs"><span title="A full citation of this image file is required to prevent link rot. (March 2022)">bare URL image file</span></a></i>]</sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140421082639/http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/ABC-Club-action-Leicester-Tigers-clash-Aussies/story-12082324-detail/story.html">"Leicester Tigers wearing letters instead of numbers on their shirts when they take on Australia | Leicester Mercury"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/ABC-Club-action-Leicester-Tigers-clash-Aussies/story-12082324-detail/story.html">the original</a> on 21 April 2014<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">22 April</span> 2017</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Leicester+Tigers+wearing+letters+instead+of+numbers+on+their+shirts+when+they+take+on+Australia+%26%23124%3B+Leicester+Mercury&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.leicestermercury.co.uk%2FABC-Club-action-Leicester-Tigers-clash-Aussies%2Fstory-12082324-detail%2Fstory.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARugby+union+numbering+schemes" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/features/34130/verdict-siya-kolisi-brings-fresh-hope-to-a-troubled-land/">"Verdict: Siya Kolisi brings fresh hope to a troubled land"</a>. <i>The Rugby Paper</i>. 6 November 2019<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">23 November</span> 2019</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Rugby+Paper&rft.atitle=Verdict%3A+Siya+Kolisi+brings+fresh+hope+to+a+troubled+land&rft.date=2019-11-06&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.therugbypaper.co.uk%2Ffeatures%2F34130%2Fverdict-siya-kolisi-brings-fresh-hope-to-a-troubled-land%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARugby+union+numbering+schemes" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBrownGuthrieGrowden2009" class="citation book cs1">Brown, Mathew; Guthrie, Patrick; Growden, Greg (26 August 2009). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=WWyQtV8fCAUC&q=openside+flanker+number+in+South+Africa&pg=PA50"><i>Rugby for Dummies</i></a>. John Wiley & Sons. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780470677087" title="Special:BookSources/9780470677087"><bdi>9780470677087</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Rugby+for+Dummies&rft.pub=John+Wiley+%26+Sons&rft.date=2009-08-26&rft.isbn=9780470677087&rft.aulast=Brown&rft.aufirst=Mathew&rft.au=Guthrie%2C+Patrick&rft.au=Growden%2C+Greg&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DWWyQtV8fCAUC%26q%3Dopenside%2Bflanker%2Bnumber%2Bin%2BSouth%2BAfrica%26pg%3DPA50&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARugby+union+numbering+schemes" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFGriffiths2012" class="citation web cs1">Griffiths, John (6 June 2012). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/story/165305.html">"Ask John - Eight month tours and Aberavon"</a>. <i>ESPN Scrum</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">6 June</span> 2012</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=ESPN+Scrum&rft.atitle=Ask+John+-+Eight+month+tours+and+Aberavon&rft.date=2012-06-06&rft.aulast=Griffiths&rft.aufirst=John&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.espnscrum.com%2Fscrum%2Frugby%2Fstory%2F165305.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARugby+union+numbering+schemes" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl 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