eighthman

English

Alternative forms

• eighth-man
• eighth man

Etymology

eighth +‎ man, from the fact that this position is the rearmost of the eight forward positions.

Noun

eighthman (plural eighthmen)

1. (South Africa, rugby) The position of one of the forwards at the rear of a scrum formation who controls the ball at the back of the scrum and links to the back line; number eight.
   • 1974, Frederick Willem Jacobus Labuschagne, Good-bye Newlands, farewell Eden Park, page 94:

     Border's captain Basil Kenyon, at eighthman, again impressed with his intelligent positional play, and general leadership - as he had done in the shock win earlier in the tour.

   • 1987, South African Medical Journal - Volume 71, page 311:

     Table VI I A, which is read horizontally, shows that concussion and ligament injuries are commonest among eighthmen and fullbacks; that muscle injuries and fractures are fairly evenly distributed across all playing positions; that internal injuries are most frequent among scrum-halves, but are also common in fly-halves and full-backs; and that bone bruises are most frequent among fly-halves, centres and wings, whereas dislocations are commonest among hookers and prop-forwards.

   • 2003, Andy Colquhoun, Paul Dobson, The Chosen: The 50 Greatest Springboks of All Time, page 136:

     Du Plessis was shifted from eighthman to flank for the second test and then was dropped altogether, although he fared better than most.

   • 2004, Pat Stevens, Politics Is the Greatest Game: A Johannesburg Liberal Lampoon, →ISBN:

     The ball moved to the eighthman; he waited for it to come out. SOTS scrum-half Jood pounced and began his pass, but swift as he was, Thorn Thompson was swifter. Shouldering his own leaden-footed scrum-half aside, Thorn dived atop quicksilver Jood with a bone crunching tackle. Thorn's heart pounded in his breast, he'd finally bested his hated boyhood rival. Then the whistle went. Thorn stared stupidly at the ball, still at the eighthman's feet.