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It looks almost certain that Nic White will be included in Eddie Jones’ Test squad. He has been ever present since 2019 and was once again included in Jones’ first squad. There is nothing to suggest he will be unseated in the run up to the 2023 World Cup.
However, modern scrum halves rarely make it beyond the hour mark in matches. That leaves at least a quarter of the match in the hands of someone else. Who that person will be is far less certain. These are the standout options for the the other scrum half in the 23, and they have different characteristics.
White is the best of the regular starters in Super Rugby by the number of turnovers conceded. He has allowed just three turnovers all season. That is a spectacular level of consistency for any scrum-half, a position which sees a huge amount touches per game. However, if we assume White is already safe, then the next most consistent performer is Issak Fines-Leleiwasa. The Western Force scrum-half has been thrust into the starting role this season after a three season period of being the back-up.
He has conceded seven turnovers, which still puts him near the top of the most consistent players. However, he hasn’t conceded a single penalty, something only Samoan Ere Enari achieved among nines in this year’s Six Nations. Fines-Leleiwasa hasn’t put a foot wrong with his kicking either. None of his 22 kicks have ended in an error. His 75% tackle success rate is the second best in the league.
Issak Fines-Leleiwasa of the Force (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
Fines-Leleiwasa has experience with White. He played alongside White back in 2021 but didn’t deputise for him. Instead, Fines-Leleiwasa played on the wing with Ryan Lonergan stepping in for White. It is particularly impressive that Fines-Leleiwasa has such control when you consider he has only been a fulltime scrum-half since 2022. He probably won’t get a look-in with Australia, but he should at least be part of the conversation.
Tate McDermott has had plenty of Australian chances before now. His Australia debut came in 2020 and he has consistently been involved since then, although he has started just once in the past two seasons. He is the most exciting carrying scrum-half Australia have to call on. He has five line breaks, 33 defenders beaten, and 15 offloads, all of those stats are either the best or second best among scrum-halves. The issue is one as old as time though. Unless you’re Antoine Dupont, you can’t carry a huge amount and launch high-risk offloads without conceding a huge amount of turnovers.
McDermott would, and has, acted as a good foil for White. He would benefit from White controlling the game for the first hour before he comes in and finishes the job against a tiring defence when his running game comes into its own. That’s the dream of course. The problem is can McDermott deliver when control is needed? His performances this year suggest he could. When the Reds beat the Chiefs in New Zealand, he played the entire game. He has played at least 70 minutes in five of his 13 starts this season. Will Eddie Jones trust him to bring that form into the international arena?
Eddie Jones selected Carter Gordon and Ben Donaldson as his only two fly-halves in his recent squad – although, of course he had Quade Cooper and Bernard Foley on Zoom from France. Gordon has kicked at goal successfully just ten times in the last three seasons. Ben Donaldson kicks far more regularly but he has been replaced as kicker by various team members throughout the last few seasons. It therefore becomes crucial that there is a confident kicker somewhere else in the team. Jones could do worse than selecting Ryan Lonergan for this job. The Brumbies’ nine has kicked at goal 27 times this year, 21 times successfully.
Lonergan isn’t just a goal kicker though. He has turned into a very strong defender. His three breakdown steals are third best among scrum-halves and his 97 attempted tackles are also third best. He has also had fewer inaccurate passes than White. The challenge is a fairly obvious one; if Lonergan is your kicker then he has to start. Based on his stats this season, he probably hasn’t done enough to warrant that. The Brumbies have thought the same thing. They started Lonergan over White in the first two rounds but since then he has been on the subs bench and only starting when White isn’t in the 23.
Ryan Lonergan (Photo by Getty Images)
Jake Gordon’s five tries are the second most among scrum-halves and the most for an Australian. He started the amazing come from behind victory against Wales, but it was his second start of the season and the second time he received a sin bin. It’s worth mentioning that the comeback against Wales really began when Gordon departed, and McDermott came on.
Gordon is a threat in broken field. He is a huge danger if your defence is tiring. The above clip is another example of the threat he poses if given half a chance. However, as evidenced by his two sin bins for the national team, he has a significant discipline problem. He has conceded a frankly extraordinary 10 penalties. That’s the most by a scrum-half.
The Waratahs trust him though, he has started every single match and played 70 minutes or more in nine of those matches. He has made the most passes in Super Rugby but has just 22 incomplete passes, that’s fewer than some nines who have made significantly fewer passes. His 70 kicks from hand are also league leading for his position but he has yet to make any kick errors. He has holes in his game but this year he is the most experienced nine in the competition. He deserves to have another crack, even if his discipline is the weak spot.
This isn’t a complete list of every scrum-half who might be considered, but these are the names that Jones should definitely consider. Now it’s up to you to decide in which direction you go.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.