Best scrum-half of all time?

[sCriv]

Stringer? Wtf. I love him, but he isn't even the best 9 to play for Munster over the last 15/20 years. From an Irish perspective, Conor Murray is easily our best 9 ever and I wouldn't have him near this conversation.

I agree with you. These were just the most mentioned names in the original article. I was equally as dumbfounded.

 

[Nudger]

I agree with you. These were just the most mentioned names in the original article. I was equally as dumbfounded.

Syd going was my favorite

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Syd going was my favorite

Ì wish I was old enough to have watched him. No wait then I'd be old

 

[Derpus]

Excluding the amateur era for obvious reasons, i think the best fly half i have ever seen play is A. Smith.

Could just be recency bias, though.

 

[sCriv]

Excluding the amateur era for obvious reasons, i think the best fly half i have ever seen play is A. Smith.

Could just be recency bias, though.

*Scrum-half

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Excluding the amateur era for obvious reasons, i think the best fly half i have ever seen play is A. Smith.

Could just be recency bias, though.

It's a tough thing to judge, because you have some players who executed their skills perfectly with great decision making and then you have others who have great skills but Don't execute perfectly. I see smith in the latter, not that he Does anything poorly but it's easy to notice imperfections whereas it's just as easy to miss the brilliant stuff he does. He might well be best ever, I'd just like to combine him with Fourier du Preez.

 

[Derpus]

*Scrum-half

Yeah woops

 

[Bull]

Joost
FdP
Gregan
Marshall
Pichot

 

[Lancashire Nick]

You can't compare the amateur days with the professional era. Along with various rule changes, the training methods, the nutritional diets, the medical care etc etc have made it a totally different game.

However, in terms of dominating their era, I'd suggest that Gareth Edwards was supreme, and if he'd been born 40 years later, and had the benefits of being a modern day, full-time professional, then this subject wouldn't even be up for debate.

And yes, as a 55 year old bloke, I'm old enough to have seen all those mentioned.

 

[Icemn]

I cant decide between Joost and Gregan so they are my top 2 followed by Pichot...

 

[El Gilo]

Of the professional era its easily Joost. Personally always felt Howley was as good as Gregan, just Joost was a level above. Stringer & Dawson were nowhere near Howley

 

[bushytop]

Of the professional era its easily Joost. Personally always felt Howley was as good as Gregan, just Joost was a level above. Stringer & Dawson were nowhere near Howley

I didn't want to bring Howley up as I'm sure it would've come across as being biased... but yeah he was definitely the second best scrum half around at the time of Joost.

 

[Staphylococcus Aureus]

Every poll ever, Rugby World, Ruck.co.uk, Scrum.com, BBC, RPA, Rugbypass etc etc etc etc ALL go for Edwards as Best Ever Rugby Player, so I'll feel no regret in seconding their opinions.
If it wasn't for the anti-Welsh bias on this and most other rugby fora, you'd agree too, without hesitation. But you can't/won't because he is Welsh.

 

[Which Tyler]

Every poll ever, Rugby World, Ruck.co.uk, Scrum.com, BBC, RPA, Rugbypass etc etc etc etc ALL go for Edwards as Best Ever Rugby Player, so I'll feel no regret in seconding their opinions.
If it wasn't for the anti-Welsh bias on this and most other rugby fora, you'd agree too, without hesitation. But you can't/won't because he is Welsh.

Careful with that preciousness - Edwards has been mentioned repeatedly in this thread, by people of all nationalities. Pretty much everyone who hasn't, have only commented on professional era, players they've seen, or have stuck to their own nationality.


ETA: Of people who've actually named an individual, Edwards has been mentioned by literally everyone who went further back than 1995.
Only 2 people kept it modern and didn't specify that they were keeping it modern.
Even with that exception of so many people keeping it to the modern era; Gareth comes 3rd, with 9 votes, behind Joost (12) and Gregan (10). Next best is FDP with 4.

Do you ever think that maybe, just maybe, you've been believing what WalesOnline has been telling you, without actually checking?

 

[General Melchett]

Has to be Greig Laidlaw. Watching him in real time pretty much negates the need for any slow motion replays.

 

[bushytop]

Careful with that preciousness - Edwards has been mentioned repeatedly in this thread, by people of all nationalities. Pretty much everyone who hasn't, have only commented on professional era, players they've seen, or have stuck to their own nationality.


ETA: Of people who've actually named an individual, Edwards has been mentioned by literally everyone who went further back than 1995.
Only 2 people kept it modern and didn't specify that they were keeping it modern.
Even with that exception of so many people keeping it to the modern era; Gareth comes 3rd, with 9 votes, behind Joost (12) and Gregan (10). Next best is FDP with 4.

Do you ever think that maybe, just maybe, you've been believing what WalesOnline has been telling you, without actually checking?

Edwards to a Welshman is like Pele to a Brazilian, or Wayne Gretzky to a Canadian (or even Smeagol to the River-folk )... he holds a very rare place within his nations esteem. You can forgive a little 'preciousness'.

 

[Jockstap]

You're all out of you minds.

Ed Fairhust is far and away they greatest scrum half that has ever lived.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Has anyone mentioned Mauro Bergamasco?

 

[bushytop]

Has anyone mentioned Mauro Bergamasco?

It's about damn time!

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

You're all out of you minds.

Ed Fairhust is far and away they greatest scrum half that has ever lived.

OG right here!