Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union or more often just rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in England in the first half of the 19th century. Rugby is based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is played between two teams of 15 players each, using an oval-shaped ball on a rectangular field called a pitch. The field has H-shaped goalposts at both ends.
Rugby league football, commonly known as rugby league in English-speaking countries and rugby XIII in non-Anglophone Europe and South America, and referred to colloquially as football, footy, rugby, or league in its heartlands, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 m (74 yd) wide and 112–122 m (122–133 yd) long with H-shaped posts at both ends. It is one of the two major codes of rugby football, the other being rugby union. It originated in 1895 in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England, as the result of a split from the Rugby Football Union (RFU) over the issue of payments to players. The rules of the game governed by the new Northern Rugby Football Union progressively changed from those of the RFU with the specific aim of producing a faster and more entertaining game to appeal to spectators, on whose income the new organisation and its members depended.
In the game of rugby union, there are 15 players on each team, comprising eight forwards and seven backs. In addition, there may be up to eight replacement players "on the bench", numbered 16–23. Players are not restricted to a single position, although they generally specialise in just one or two that suit their skills and body types. Players that play multiple positions are called "utility players".
In certain sports, such as football, field hockey, ice hockey, handball, rugby union, lacrosse and rugby league, winger is a position. It refers to positions on the extreme left and right sides of the pitch, or playing field. In American football and Canadian football, the analogous position is the wide receiver. Wingers often try to use pace to exploit extra space available on the flanks that can be made available by their teammates dominating the centre ground. They must be wary however of not crossing the touchline, or sidelines, and going out of play. In sports where the main method of scoring involves attacking a small goal in the centre of the field, a common tactic is to cross the ball to a central teammate.
Patrick Richard Lam is a rugby union coach and former player. He is currently Director of Rugby at Bristol Bears in England's Premiership Rugby.
Wiehahn Jovan Herbst is a South African rugby union player for the Tel Aviv Heat in Rugby Europe Super Cup. His regular playing position is prop and he previously played for the Sharks in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup, and for Irish side Ulster.
Abraham Jurgen Steyn is a South African-born rugby union player who plays for the Italy national rugby union team. His usual position is as a flanker, and he currently plays for Benetton.
Albertus Paul de Wet is a South African rugby union player for the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship and Western Province in the Currie Cup and in the Rugby Challenge. His regular position is scrum-half.
Johannes Adriaan Retief is a Namibian rugby union player for the Namibian national team and for the Leopards in the Currie Cup and the Rugby Challenge. His regular position is lock or flank.
Christopher William Smith is a South African rugby union player for the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship and the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup. His regular position is fly-half.
Peter-John Steenkamp is a South African rugby union player for the Lions in Super Rugby, the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup and the Golden Lions XV in the Rugby Challenge. Currently he belongs to Toshiba Brave Lupus in Japan Rugby League One from 2023-24 Season. His regular position is lock or flank.
Khuthazani Kingdom Mchunu is a South African rugby union player for the Sharks in Super Rugby and in the Currie Cup and the Sharks XV in the Rugby Challenge. His regular position is prop.
Morné van den Berg is a South African rugby union player for the Lions in the United Rugby Championship and the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup. His regular position is scrum-half.
Reinhard Paul Nothnagel is a South African rugby union player for the Lions in Super Rugby, the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup and the Golden Lions XV in the Rugby Challenge. His regular position is lock.
Ilunga Mukendi is a Zaire-born South African rugby union player for the Sharks in the Currie Cup and the Sharks XV in the Rugby Challenge. His regular position is on the wing.
Morgan Naudé is a South African rugby union player for the Pumas in the Currie Cup and the Rugby Challenge. His regular position is prop.
