Comments on: The true value of a good rugby scrum-half

By: formeropenside

formeropenside — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 06:29:21 +0000

I miss the old days of watching a halfback pull out a dummy dive pass from a scrum or ruck to win an offside penalty. Now it is an penalty offence to dummy pass from a scrum or ruck: a truly stupid rule that has led to much more lurking with intent, secure in the knowledge that you can close down attack that much more easily.

Thats the second change I would make to the laws, after bringing back proper rucking.

By: Bay35Pablo

Bay35Pablo — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 07:01:29 +0000

The importance can be seen from Burgess for the Tahs and Wallabies in the last couple of years. When he played well, they tended to play well, and when not ….

Also, Genia comes on the scene and plays well …

By: Fragglerocker

Fragglerocker — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 01:45:28 +0000

I agree to a point. The scrumhalf is the second or third most important player in the squad. The Wallabies just highlighted the importance of a good scrumhalf when Australia suffered from a lack of replacements for Gregan. And for the criticism levelled at Gregan when he was still in a Wallabies jersey in those last years when his game seemed to be slipping (which happens to every player), after George departed we didn’t have a tri-nations standard scrumhalf for a long time – and it really showed. If Chris Whittaker’s career had of started four years ago, he’d be a four year Wallaby veteran as first choice. Now we have at least two choices for world class scrumhalf in Australia.

I still think the most important player on the field is the flyhalf. Don’t we all miss Larkham at the top of his game?

Or as John Mitchell said when he was being asked about how he was going to put together a super rugby team from scratch.
To the question what position will be your top priority – Loose-head prop
To the question what position will be your next priority – Reserve loose-head prop

By: The way it is!

The way it is! — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 23:32:09 +0000

As a scrum half I agree 100% if you don’t have a number nine which can be an effective link between backs & forwards the team will struggle.