eighthman

plural eighthmen · alternative eighth-man · alternative eighth man

1. South Africaball gamesOne 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.

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

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

   3 more examples

   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.

   1974, Frederick Willem Jacobus Labuschagne, Good-bye Newlands, farewell Eden Park, page 94

   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.

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

   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.

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

   Synonyms: number eight