Physical fitness of elite women's rugby union players over a ...

1.8 TERMINOLOGY
Forwards:
Classified as players numbered 1 to 8 and referred to as
“ball winners” (Duthie et al., 2003). Within the
forwards, players 1 to 3 are referred to as the “front
row”, while 1 to 5 are commonly known as the “tight 5”.
The “second row” is formed by the locks (players 4 and
5). The “loose forwards” are players 6 to 8, and also
referred as the “back row”.
Backs:
Classified as players numbered 9 to 15 and referred to as
“ball carriers” (Duthie et al., 2003). Within the backs,
“half backs” players 9 to 10, while 9 to 13 are commonly
known as the “inside backs”. The “midfield backs”
(centers) are 12 and 13, and “outside backs” are 11, 14
and 15.
Physical fitness:
Defined in this study as a combination of anthropometric
and physical performance characteristics.
Anthropometric characteristics:
Defined as the measurement of the dimensions of the
human body (Maud & Foster, 2006) and for this study,
measurements of stature, weight and skinfolds to
determine body composition.
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