The standard modern rugby union numbering schemes have the starting players numbered from 1 to 15, and the replacements numbered 16 onwards. But rugby union players have not always been identified by individual labels, nor have the systems used always been the same.
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".
David Shillington is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who last played for the Gold Coast Titans in the National Rugby League. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative prop forward, he previously played for the Sydney Roosters and Canberra Raiders. Shillington also works as a columnist for The Canberra Times.
Michael Alan Burton is a former English rugby union footballer, who won a reputation as an uncompromising prop forward for Gloucester, England and the British and Irish Lions.
David Hodges is an American businessman and former professional rugby union player and coach. His current role within rugby is uncertain following his last employer, the Austin Gilgronis, being expelled from the MLR. He was an American rugby union coach of the United States national rugby union team, the Eagles. Hodges is a former professional rugby union player, professional, collegiate American football player, and collegiate American football coach. Hodges was captain of the U.S. national rugby team for 28 matches, a U.S. record that stood until 2013. Since retiring from the international game, Dave has had a long run of bad fortune in the business of rugby. He was let go from Rhino Rugby as the Vice President of Sales, let go from USA Rugby after a woeful 2019 Rugby World Cup as the Men's National Team General Manager, and more recently has found himself out of work after his most recent employer, the Austin Gilgronis, we're expelled from the MLR.
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league tournament contested by the top national men's representative teams. The tournament is administered by the International Rugby League and was first held in France in 1954, which was the first World Cup held for any form of rugby football.
Kathleen Flores was an American rugby union player who was the head coach of the U.S. women's national team until January 2011 and the head coach of the Brown women's rugby team. Past coaching tenures include Bay Area Touring Side (BATS) Rugby Club, the SF FOG men and the Berkeley All Blues. She played rugby from 1978 to 1998 for Florida State University, the Berkeley All Blues Women's Rugby Club and U.S. women's national team. She started coaching for the Berkeley All Blues 1998 and had been head coach and administrator for the U.S. women's national team since 2003. She began coaching the women's rugby team at Brown University in the fall of 2013, following the retirement of Kerri Heffernan. During her time in Rhode Island, she also coached the Providence Women’s Rugby team. She was able to bring them to several division 2 championships.
Christiaan Petrus 'Tiaan' Strauss, is a former rugby union and rugby league footballer who represented both South Africa and Australia at international level in rugby union and also played top-level domestic rugby league in Australia. He won the 1999 Rugby World Cup with Australia and the Currie Cup with Western Province.
Scott Higginbotham is a retired Australian rugby union player. Capped 32 times for Australia's national team, the Wallabies, Higginbotham's usual positions are blindside flanker and number eight.
Rugby union in Poland is a moderately popular sport and currently, the Polish men`s national team are ranked 30th in the world as of 20th November 2022. The Poland women's rugby sevens team won the silver medal at the 2023 European Games behind Great Britain, progressing to the final 2024 Summer Olympic qualification tournament.
Rugby union in Tunisia is a significant sport. They are currently ranked 39th in the world, with 15830 registered players, and 72 clubs.
Rugby union in Senegal is a moderately popular sport. The Senegal national team is currently ranked 54th by World Rugby.
Rugby union in Algeria is a moderately popular sport. After many years of work, in 2015, Algeria finally created a federation enabling them to apply for member status of Rugby Africa. Algeria has experienced success at the international level causing an increase in overall popularity.
Rugby union was first introduced into Lebanon both by the mandated French forces, and subsequently by the Lebanese returning from the diaspora. Introduced into other parts of the Middle East, by the British military in the mid 20th Century, rugby has begun to develop across the Arabian peninsula with the establishment of many national rugby federations and the development of the Dubai Sevens.
John van der Giessen is an American former rugby union player. He played lock for the USA Eagle XV side. John earned a captaincy role for the USA and represented the side in the 2007 and 2011 Rugby World Cup. Van der Giessen played professional rugby in the English Premiership and French Top 14. John has since retired.
The Atlantic Coast Rugby League was an annual college rugby competition played every spring among eight universities—seven from the Atlantic Coast Conference, plus Navy. The league was disestablished in 2016.
Brian Gerard Vizard is an American former rugby union player who was captain of the U.S. national rugby team and made 22 appearances for the United States national team.
Aaron James Wainwright is a Welsh professional rugby union player who plays as a number eight for United Rugby Championship club Dragons and the Wales national team.
The 2022–23 European Rugby Champions Cup was the ninth season of the European Rugby Champions Cup, the annual club rugby union competition run by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) for teams from the top five nations in European rugby and South Africa. It was the 28th season of pan-European professional club rugby competition.