The scrum-half traditionally wears jersey number seven in rugby league.
The scrum-half is one of the team’s chief organisers. Typically positioned near the ruck, this player helps direct attacking shapes, passes from dummy-half or play-the-ball situations and chooses when to kick, run or move the ball wider. The role is often associated with game management and tactical decision-making.
The number-six jersey traditionally belongs to the stand-off or five-eighth, who commonly operates farther out from the ruck. Number eight and number nine usually identify a prop forward and hooker respectively. Modern teams can use different numbering systems, especially in competitions that assign squad numbers, but the classic positional numbering remains widely recognised.
Names for the role vary by country and era. “Halfback” is especially common in Australia, while “scrum-half” is familiar internationally. Despite the historical name, modern rugby league scrums rarely determine possession in the same way as rugby union scrums.