Although the inside and outside centres roles are very similar there are a number of fundamental differences that mean players generally specialise in one of the two positions, although generally a player should feel comfortable playing at 12 or 13.  The inside centre is generally the larger of the pair.  He usually has a larger build as they are a key defensive lynchpin in the teams midfield so must be capable of tackling even the largest of opponents.  They should possess many of the skills of a fly half and therefore be comfortable acting as a first receiver should the fly half be unable to claim the ball.  The inside centre should then feel comfortable either distributing the ball out to their team or kicking out of hand to gain a tactical advantage.

 

A good inside centre should have good leadership skills, able to help their fly half organise the team around them in both attack and defence. They should also be a good decision maker as they are likely to play the second receiver role in the team so must feel comfortable deciding whether to run the ball, kick it or distribute it out to the outside centre.  They should constantly be assessing the play in front of them ready to exploit any weaknesses in the oppositions defence. Should the inside centre look to run the ball they will generally look for contact (unless a gap opens up) and then look to offload the ball to any willing runners before they are taken down to the ground.

 

The inside centre has a number of essential functions to perform when in defence.  They form a defensive lynchpin in the midfield often helping bridge the gap between forwards and backs.  A good inside centre should make the opposition afraid of attacking their channel for fear of being hit by monstrous hits.  The inside centre will often be closest to the action and should never be afraid to put their body on the line to keep the opposition out.  In defence the inside centre will act almost as an additional loose forward putting in big hits whilst also attempting to win turnovers. They should be constantly looking for opportunities to win the ball back or slow the ball down at rucks whilst being fit enough to get straight back to their feet to compete for the ball after they make a tackle.

 

Every rugby fan has his own idea of what greatness is and more often than not the list will feature an inordinate number of his contemporaries because those are the players he knows best; I make no apology for doing likewise.  So without further adieu, here is one man’s opinion of who occupies Rugby Union's Mount Olympus.  Here are my top 5 Inside Centres in the history of the sport.  Let the arguing begin.