Second
five-eighth? For the non-aficionados out there, it is the term applied to a 12 who is viewed not as a banging gain-line merchant, but rather a secondary playmaker.
London, who welcome back the league's top tackler, Steele Retchless, ought to fancy their chances of causing an upset, although they will definitely need Karle Hammond to have a stormer at
five-eighth because of their long injury list.
Rice is reportedly dating Wallabies
five-eighth Quade Cooper.(ANI)
Second
five-eighth? For the non-afficionados, it is the term applied to a 12 who is viewed not as a banging gain-line merchant, but rather a secondary playmaker.
For years New Zealand played with a first
five-eighth and a second
five-eighth at No 10 and No 12, two playmakers to be precise, and the No 13 was known as just 'centre' and in more creative days a lot of others used to do the same.
Robinson has long been looking for a playmaking inside centre, as illustrated by the debacle over Steven Shingler, with Horne and Edinburgh's Matt Scott among the options to play as "second
five-eighth", as the All Blacks call it.
"At
five-eighth you get it a lot more when you want it, so he's looking forward to that opportunity.
"We still need to find him a
five-eighth partner so we have plenty of work to do before we can get the best out of Danny.
"There's not a lot of international experience at second
five-eighth (inside centre), so I guess they are the two major holes." Since the World Cup, the All Blacks have lost locks Chris Jack and the retired Keith Robinson, while centres Luke McAlister and Aaron Mauger have also gone abroad.
"Potentially he could be a full-back or a
five-eighth and at the moment he's doing a good job on the wing.
There has been a positional switch for Sonny Bill Williams, who will play inside Smith at second
five-eighth.