With Rugby World Cup squads set to be announced in the coming days, we take a look at how head coaches will be using their 33-player quota.
The size of Rugby World Cup squads has increased since the 2019 tournament, with teams able to include an additional two players compared to the 31-man limit for Japan four years ago.
With this in mind, here is how teams will fill up their 33 while covering all their bases.
19 forwards
Unsurprisingly, the forwards will make up the majority of the squad.
A lot of that has to do with the coaches having to select at least six front-rowers.
While six will be the absolute minimum, nine is more likely.
So, in theory, it would be three loosehead props, three hookers and three tighthead props.
Once those three positions are ticked off, the remaining ten spots will go to the back five-forwards.
Depending on versatility, coaches will likely split that ten into four locks and six loose forwards.
Obviously, there are caveats to this, and the Springboks and Ireland provide brilliant examples.
A player like Pieter-Steph du Toit and Tadhg Beirne act as utility back-five forwards, providing leeway for the coaches to tinker with their combinations.
That means they could add an extra loose forward ahead of a lock or vice versa.
In another rare case, a coach could select a back-rower who can slot into the front-row. Deon Fourie looks set to fulfil this role for the Springboks if they opt for just two out-and-out hookers in Malcolm Marx and Bongi Mbonambi. While it 2019, Schalk Brits was selected as a hooker/number eight, allowing the Springboks to select an additional second-rower in their squad.
14 backs
The versatility in the backline is a more crucial than in the pack, and often coaches will take a bit more risk in this area, knowing that they can make a late call-up.
For instance, Eddie Jones only included one scrum-half in his 2019 Rugby World Cup squad. When Willi Heinz sustained an injury ahead of the final, Ben Spencer was called up to the squad in the build-up and was named on the bench.
A general rule, the coaches will be looking to select six half-backs: three scrum-halves and three fly-halves.
While three fly-halves seems excessive, ideally, a team would want one of those playmakers covering another position, like Owen Farrell (inside centre), Beauden Barrett (full-back), Damian Willemse (full-back, centre) and Santiago Carreras (full-back).
That leaves eight players remaining for the centres and outside backs.
As we mentioned already, a team would ideally have at least one of their half-backs covering an additional position, but there should still be space for at least two utility backs.
Those backs would ideally be able to start in the midfield or in the outside backs positions.
Players like Frans Steyn, Henry Slade, Elliot Daly, Joe Marchant, Rieko Ioane and Jordie Barrett are brilliant examples of the ideal utility backs.
That leaves six players, which are likely to be three centres and three outside backs.
These picks obviously differ from team to team due to the personnel available to them.
So, if you have a player like Antoine Dupont, who can double up as a fly-half, the coach could potentially open an additional centre slot by not picking a third fly-half.
Using the same concept, if a winger can cover scrum-half, the selectors could opt to select just two number nines instead of three.
Every coach will have their own ideas as to how they plan to cover their bases and their approach to it. Some may opt for a 20-13 split in favour of the forwards or even an 18-15 split.
Players like Kwagga Smith or Sekou Macalou could also be selected as loose forward but also double up as an emergency wingers, opening a place in the squad.
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