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6 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

I hear this term used regularly by Aussie commentators as a term for the half backs. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it in the northern hemisphere. 

Where did the phrase come from and why does it refer to a half?

As CrushersForever says, not the half backs (i.e. both) it is a term for what we call the stand off half.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

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They use it down under in rugby union too to refer to the Fly Half. In New Zealand they go even more nerdy calling the inside centre (number 12) the...

wait for it...

Second Five-Eighth! Or Second Five for short!

Wtf??

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55 minutes ago, CrushersForever said:

The five-eight is the player between the halfback and the centre three-quarters.

I don’t understand, how is that a position? You have 2 half backs and then the 3/4s and then the full back. 

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3 hours ago, ghost crayfish said:

In the traditional formation, the 5/8 plays second receiver - getting the ball from the halfback and before the three quarters.

So i understand that it refers to the stand off, but there are 2 halves - the scrum half and the stand off.

And what does it even stand for? 5/8 makes no sense

At least with the others - forwards, half back, three quarters and full back they actually represent standard positions on the field. 5/8 is just a confusing and meaningless term..........not sure it does the game any good to keep using such a term

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9 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

It's not really meaningless, between half back and three quarters. More than half (4/8) less than three quarter (6/8)

Seems pretty simple and makes as much sense as half back and full back.

But the 5/8 or stand off is a half back. 

 

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41 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

So i understand that it refers to the stand off, but there are 2 halves - the scrum half and the stand off.

And what does it even stand for? 5/8 makes no sense

At least with the others - forwards, half back, three quarters and full back they actually represent standard positions on the field. 5/8 is just a confusing and meaningless term..........not sure it does the game any good to keep using such a term

In Oz they have a 1/2 back (scrum half to us) and 3/4 backs. If you recall your school maths lessons 5/8 is half way between 1/2 and 3/4.

Sport, amongst other things, is a dream-world offering escape from harsh reality and the disturbing prospect of change.

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8 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

To all intents and purposes these days people see stand off and scrum half as pretty much the same position. But they were and are different. 

The 5/8 traditionally is 2nd receiver, so the positions go forwards, then half back at first receiver, 5/8 slightly further back, then 3/4 line, and full back behind that. 

 

 

7 minutes ago, Blind side johnny said:

In Oz they have a 1/2 back (scrum half to us) and 3/4 backs. If you recall your school maths lessons 5/8 is half way between 1/2 and 3/4.

Well aware of all that, but there are 2 halves............and 5/8 is not a half if you recall your school maths lessons johnny

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4 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

 

Well aware of all that, but there are 2 halves............and 5/8 is not a half if you recall your school maths lessons johnny

The way they look at it is that there is 1 half back and 1 player standing off, ie, 5/8.

The legacy of union is a much easier way of identifying this where the half back and 5/8(fly half, stand off etc) are more distinct than the left and right side pivots we now have in league.

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7 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

 

Well aware of all that, but there are 2 halves............and 5/8 is not a half if you recall your school maths lessons johnny

Read the posts DD, the Aussies only recognise one half, the scrum half, that's why they call our stand off a 5/8. It's quite simple.

Sport, amongst other things, is a dream-world offering escape from harsh reality and the disturbing prospect of change.

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1 minute ago, Blind side johnny said:

Read the posts DD, the Aussies only recognise one half, the scrum half, that's why they call our stand off a 5/8. It's quite simple.

They don't though, they regularly refer to 'in the halves'

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11 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

They use it down under in rugby union too to refer to the Fly Half. In New Zealand they go even more nerdy calling the inside centre (number 12) the...

wait for it...

Second Five-Eighth! Or Second Five for short!

Wtf??

Yes - why not eleven sixteenth ?

"We'll sell you a seat .... but you'll only need the edge of it!"

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Personally I always refer to the stand off as the Sixth Thirteenth. Just makes things easier.

"The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby.

"If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris

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12 hours ago, DoubleD said:

I hear this term used regularly by Aussie commentators as a term for the half backs. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it in the northern hemisphere. 

Where did the phrase come from and why does it refer to a half?

I will hazard a guess using Imperial measurements, specifically 1" and measuring from either end of the backline. 

A 'half' is half way along or in the back line - and close to the scrum (SH) using the scrum as a central datum . To one side is 5/8 and either side 3/4 (both, either way you look at it).

Another guess is for Fullback.  He is deemed 'Full' as he covers the full width of that Inch.

 

 

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1 hour ago, scotchy1 said:

It's not really meaningless, between half back and three quarters. More than half (4/8) less than three quarter (6/8)

Seems pretty simple and makes as much sense as half back and full back.

Not really pretty simple . I’ve asked the same question before 

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1 hour ago, DoubleD said:

 

Well aware of all that, but there are 2 halves............and 5/8 is not a half if you recall your school maths lessons johnny

Its based on how they would stand from the scrum base mate.

                             Forwards

                        ---------------------------

                              half back (Scrum half)

                                                                       5/8th back (stand off half)

                                                                                                 3/4                    3/4

                                                                        {-------------centre three quarters----------}

         wing                                                                                                                                              wing

                                                                                full back (fully back)

 

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I think we’ll stick with stand off . Who wants to think about maths and fractions when you’re watching rugby ? Especially when like me you’re rubbish at maths and have to take your socks off to count past 10

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1 hour ago, scotchy1 said:

To all intents and purposes these days people see stand off and scrum half as pretty much the same position. But they were and are different. 

The 5/8 traditionally is 2nd receiver, so the positions go forwards, then half back at first receiver, 5/8 slightly further back, then 3/4 line, and full back behind that. 

 

That was in the proper days Scotchy, Today from the play the ball the first reciever inna set of 6 is prop, then prop, then second row, then prop, then second row, then nominated Kicker?

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1 hour ago, DoubleD said:

But the 5/8 or stand off is a half back. 

 

I think it's evolved so that 6 and 7 are called "half backs" when half back used to just mean the 7.

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