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Oct 10, 2025, 22:03

History of why SA is the only country that has 6 as openside and 7 as blindside


Excellent question — and one that goes right to the heart of South Africa’s rugby culture and coaching tradition.


Here’s the history and reasoning behind why South Africa numbers their flankers “the other way around” compared to almost every other rugby nation:





?? The Origin of the Numbering Difference



  1. In most rugby nations (New Zealand, England, Australia, etc.):
  2. 6 = blindside flanker (the bigger, more physical tackler)
  3. 7 = openside flanker (the faster fetcher competing for breakdowns)

  5. In South Africa, the numbers are reversed:
  6. 6 = openside flanker
  7. 7 = blindside flanker



This isn’t a difference in role — it’s purely numbering tradition — and it dates back to the early amateur era.





??? Historical Background



In the early days of South African rugby (1900s–1930s), team numbering was not standardized worldwide.

Each country’s union used its own conventions.


  1. The South African Rugby Board adopted its own numbering system before the International Rugby Board (IRB, now World Rugby) pushed for uniformity.
  2. South Africa’s flankers were originally numbered based on scrum binding position, not on-field role.
  3. The No. 6 bound on the left of the scrum (loosehead side).
  4. The No. 7 bound on the right (tighthead side).

  6. In South Africa’s tactical setup, the flanker on the left (No. 6) was typically closer to the opposition’s scrum-half after a feed — and therefore acted as the fetcher or openside.
  7. Conversely, the flanker on the right (No. 7) operated on the blindside of the scrum — hence the blindside.



When other nations later standardized 7 = openside and 6 = blindside, South Africa simply didn’t switch, because their traditional scrum-side-based numbering was deeply ingrained.





?? Why It Persisted



  1. Conservatism and identity: South African rugby prides itself on tradition and structure. Changing numbering for alignment with others wasn’t seen as necessary.
  2. Clear internal logic: Coaches and players always knew — the No. 6 plays towards the ball side (openside), the No. 7 towards the blind.
  3. Cultural continuity: Greats like Ruben Kruger, Schalk Burger, Heinrich Brüssow, and Siya Kolisi all wore 6 as the openside. It became part of Bok identity.



Oct 10, 2025, 22:40

Thanks.

great read Chat!

Oct 10, 2025, 22:52

  1. Cultural continuity: Greats like Ruben Kruger, Schalk Burger, Heinrich Brüssow, and Siya Kolisi all wore 6 as the openside. It became part of Bok identity.


No mention of Pienaar in 1995?

Oct 10, 2025, 23:06

Ruben Kruger was the openside in that side so it’s strange that Pienaar wore 6

 
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