Best scrum-half of all time?

[Staphylococcus Aureus]

1st - Gareth Edwards
2nd - Chico Hopkins
3rd - Terry Holmes
4th - Rob Howley
5th - Dai Bishop

No bias, just FACT.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

There aren't enough Welsh players on that list tbh

 

[big ginger 8]

Where the **** is Mike Philips?

 

[Which Tyler]

Rupert Moon?

 

[bushytop]

Where the **** is Mike Philips?

Probably looking for his other 'L' .

 

[bushytop]

Rupert Moon?

Nah he's English... doesn't qualify! Now Dewi Morris on the other hand, a fine Welsh 9.

 

[bushytop]

5th - Dai Bishop...

Any player who can just 'run-off' a broken neck should be higher than 5th on any list.

Also random (maybe) fact, don't know if my mate in work was winding me up this week but he reckons that Dai Bishop and Wesley Snipes are best buds ... so random it might be true!

 

[FrenchFan]

Antoine Dupont

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

The French 9 > The Welsh 9. Don't @ me

 

[bushytop]

The French 9 > The Welsh 9. Don't @ me

Trouble with all French 9's is, none of them are actually 9's.

 

[FrenchFan]

They must be props in disguise

 

[bushytop]

They must be props in disguise

If you're talking fitness stats, you're probably not too far from the truth there .

 

[FrenchFan]

Antoine don't listen to the naysayers, moi je t'aime

 

[bushytop]

Antoine don't listen to the naysayers, moi je t'aime

Quite quick for a tight head to be fair.

 

[Hulk Hogan]

Nick Phipps is it even a competition.

 

[Staphylococcus Aureus]

Also random (maybe) fact, don't know if my mate in work was winding me up this week but he reckons that Dai Bishop and Wesley Snipes are best buds ... so random it might be true!

WTF



Dai's also the worlds 2nd best backstop, behind me.

 

[Scotty]

How many english scrum halfs are close? And what would the top English scrum halfs be?

If anyone says ben youngs then can an admin banish them from the forum fir ever please.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Matt Dawson is up there, but I don't think we really have a horse in the "best ever 9" race

 

[bushytop]

Matt Dawson is up there, but I don't think we really have a horse in the "best ever 9" race

Yeah I'd say Daws as far as England goes.

 

[RedruthRFC]

How many english scrum halfs are close? And what would the top English scrum halfs be?

If anyone says ben youngs then can an admin banish them from the forum fir ever please.

Much as it pains me to say it given the way his England career ended and everything since, but I can't think of anyone other than Matt Dawson. My memories of England start in 1990 and there haven't been too many incumbants in that time. Richard Hill (also a penis), was the ideal man to be behind the dominant England pack of the early 90s, but there wasn't much to recommend him outside good service and fitness. Dewi Morris was very good from time to time, but not for long enough to feature in the conversation. After Dawson, Harry Ellis was pretty meh and since him, we've had a scrum half who can't pass, bereft of the pace that made him look an exciting prospect when he broke through.

I'm not an avid rugby historian, but know a reasonable amount and there are no names from the past that stand out, so you're left with Dawson. Thinking back, he was a bloody good player. I don't remember any great weakness in his game, he was an intelligent player with a good sense of when to break (think vs SA in 1997). I suspect that if there hadn't been so many great scrum halves around during his era (Gregan, van der Westhuizen, Marshall and Howley at very least) his would be remembered more fondly. Him sticking two fingers up at England might have tainted some people's memory of him, but I'd defy anyone to name anyone better.