Rugby Trivia

From the Tregenza Times of 1st May 1997.  Also to be found on the University of Idaho Physics Department website at: http://www.uidaho.edu/clubs/womens_rugby/RugbyRoot/rugby/FAQ/faq.shtml#T2

Player positions?

The names of the positions vary quite a bit between the various rugby playing nations.
The numbering scheme for player's jerseys currently laid down by the I.R.F.B. for International Matches is commonly, though not universally, adopted by other teams. (Common variations are the interchange of 6 and 7, the interchange of 11 and 14 or a renumbering of the backline so that the wingers are 13 and 14. The English club Bath omit the no. 13 jersey because one of their players was once killed wearing it. Some English clubs even use letters instead. Further, an interesting story is told about a Scotland vs England match at Twickenham in 1926. King George asked the president of the S.R.U. about the lack of numbers on the Scots players' backs and was informed, "This is a rugby match, not a cattle sale".

A partial list of variations to the individual position names is:
(loosehead) prop, loosehead
hooker
(tighthead) prop, tighthead
(left) lock, 2nd row
(right) lock, 2nd row
(blindside) flanker, breakaway, (weak/closed side) wing forward, wing break
(openside) flanker, breakaway, (strong/open side) wing forward, wing break
number 8, eightman, last man, breakaway
scrumhalf, halfback, inside half
flyhalf, standoff, first-five (eight), outside half, outhalf
(left) wing (three quarter), winger, wingman
inside centre, second-five (eight)
outside centre, centre (three quarter)
(right) wing (three quarter), winger, wingman
fullback

As can be seen there is quite a bit of variation. The IRB has considered standardizing the names but has not moved forward with this proposal. It is worth noting though that the Laws of the Game already define the terms prop and hooker. One problem with standardizing the names is that the positions themselves are not completely standard. For example, many teams play left and right centre rather than inside and outside centre and a few teams even play left and right flankers.

Of more concern than the variation (which could be considered healthy cultural diversity) are some ambiguities and conflicts. In particular the use of "wing forward" for a flanker is not recommended (it's also an archaic term for an obsolete position associated with the old 2-3-2 scrum, popular in NZ in the 1920s) nor is "breakaway" for the no. 8 (some recognising the term as applying only to the flankers). Similarly the use of "halfback" requires caution (it being recognised as applying only to the no. 9 position in some countries whereas others consider both the no. 9 and no. 10 to be halfbacks). One should especially avoid calling the no. 10 just plain halfback, without a qualifier such as "outside". Possibly the worst abuse is the occasional use of "lock" in Australia to refer to the no. 8.


Trivial Pursuit:

Is it true that the U.S.A. won a gold medal at rugby in the Olympics?
Yes, it's true; the US (current rugby small fry) did win the Olympic gold medal for rugby last time it was competed for and so is the current Olympic champion! In fact the US has won the last two rugby gold medals at the Olympics. Here are the details.

Is it true that President Clinton plays rugby?
Yes; well he has played it anyway. He was introduced to the game while a refug... I mean Rhode's scholar at Oxford. His talents have been reputedly described as "He was by no means athletic, in fact a bit lumpy, but made an excellent second row forward." The Little Rock Rugby club in his home state of Arkansas is trying to make lots of money out of Bill's association with them. They're selling T-shirts with the advertising "We've had Bill on our backs, now you can have him on yours."

Is rugby a holy game?
It must be! Pope John Paul II is a rugby player. In fact he represented Poland at rugby.

Who is the most capped International player?
Phillipe Sella of France played 111 tests for France until his retirement from international rugby in Dec 1995. He made his debut against Romania in 1982 and played his last game for France at the 1995 World Cup in the 3rd place playoff against England. In second place is Serge Blanco (also of France but now retired) who played (I think) 93 tests. Next closest is David Campese with 91 (still playing but out of favour with the Australian selectors).

Who has scored the most tries in test rugby?
David Campese of Australia: 63 (as of 5 May '95). In second place is Rory Underwood (England) with 47(more now?), then Serge Blanco (France) with 38. Phillipe Sella, the most capped player, has scored 36. John Kirwan (New Zealand) scored 35.

What was the first international rugby game?
The first international was played in 1871 between England and Scotland. It took place in Scotland at Raeburn Place, Stockbridge, Edinburgh (the site also of the 1994 Women's World Cup final).

Who has scored the most points in a test match?
In the Asian qualifier tournament for the 1995 World Cup, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, October 22-29 1994, Hong Kong fullback Ashley Billington scored 10 tries for a total of 50 points! The unlucky victims were Singapore who suffered a world record defeat to the tune of 164-13 in the same game.
In a World Cup game in South Africa in 1995, Simon Culhane scored 45 points (1 try, 20 conversions) for New Zealand in a record smashing 145-17 victory over Japan. This edged out the World Cup record established only a week previously by Gavin Hastings of Scotland. Hastings scored 44 points against Ivory Coast in a then record breaking 89-0 victory. Hastings' tally included 4 tries, 2 penalties and 9 conversions.

The previous record was held by Didier Camberabero of France who scored 30 points for France against Zimbabwe in the 1987 World Cup. This feat was equalled by Rob Andrew for England against Canada in a test on Dec 10 1994. (Andrew scored 6 conversions and 6 penalty goals.) These two therefore tie for fourth place.


What is the oldest rugby club in the world?
Claimed to be D.U.F.C. ......Otherwise known as Trinity College Rugby Club, of the University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.....Est. 1834. Official sources though say that was 1854 and that Cambridge University club has a claim from 1839. The first official club was Guy's Hospital Rugby Club (London, England), formed in 1843.

What is the largest rugby club in the world?
This distinction is claimed by Stellenbosch University in South Africa who boast several thousand players. It should be noted though that membership is compulsory for all resident students! Nevertheless they field at least 45 teams in an intra-club, residence-based, league, as well as the regular club teams.

Who is has the highest career total points in test matches?
Michael Lynagh of Australia: 911 when he retired from international rugby after the 1995 World Cup at the age of 31 and with 76 caps. His points total comprises 17 tries, 140 conversions, 177 pen. goals, 9 field goals.
The statistics for other players as of 1993 were:

Name Country Years Points Matches Average
M.Lynagh Aus 1984-93 760 60 12.67
G.J.Fox NZ 1985-92 573 41 13.98
H.Porta Arg 530
S.Bettarello It 483
A.G.Hastings Scot 1986-93 424 45 9.42
D.Camberabero Fr 1982-93 354 36 9.83
H.E.Botha SA 1980-92 312 28 11.14
M.J.Kiernan Ire 1982-91 308 43 7.16
P.Thorburn W 1985-91 304 37 8.22
J.M.Webb Eng 1987-93 296 33 8.97

The records for various "landmarks" were all held by Grant Fox:
Points Games
100 6
200 13
300 18
400 26

He also has the highest success rate (see above) making him arguably the greatest place kicker the game has ever seen.
However, Andrew Mehrtens of New Zealand has now beaten Fox's record for the fastest 100 points in test rugby, scoring 100 points in just 5 tests.


Who has refereed the most internationals?
Derek Bevan of Wales, with 29 internationals under his belt (June 95). Bevan controlled the opening game of the 1995 World Cup in his 27th international.

What is the highest number of points scored in a test debut and who holds this record?
Simon Culhane (of Southland), playing at first-five, scored 45 points in his test debut for New Zealand, on June 4, in a 145-17 drubbing of Japan at the 1995 World Cup. He scored one try, which he converted and converted 19 other tries (making 20 conversions altogether, another record). He only missed one shot at goal all day --- a minor miss of the one remaining try in the All Black's tally. Interestingly, New Zealand had no penalty goal attempts in the entire match. Culhane's total was also a record individual score for a World Cup final series game and is the second highest individual score ever in an international match. (The same game also saw Marc Ellis, playing at centre, score a record 6 tries in a test for New Zealand.) Not all of Culhane's kicks were easy. Several tries were out wide, and even into the sun, and towards the end of the match a couple of try scorers made little or no attempt to run their tries in behind the posts!
This record on debut eclipsed the previous record set only a month earlier by Andrew Mehrtens. Mehrtens (of Canterbury), also playing at first-five, scored 28 points in his test debut for New Zealand against Canada in Auckland, April 22, 1995. His tally included a try (5), three penalty goals (9) and seven conversions (14) and was only two points short of the then third place (and once) world record test score. New Zealand won the game 73-7 in what was Canada's heaviest defeat in an international. The game was a build-up for both sides prior to the 1995 World Cup. (Mehrtens was rested for the above World Cup pool game with Japan.)

Prior to these two feats the previous record on debut had been 23 by Matthew Cooper, also of New Zealand.

Ben's Rugby Trivia Quizz
pbickers@phys.uidaho.edu
With thanks to Benjamin Clegg, now at
BENC@OREGON.UOREGON.EDU
for many items.