SCRUM SHALVES - Greatest XV Ever - voted by 606v2

Same thing again for 9s. Tell me if I've missed someone. If I have it's not a WUM. If you think a player shouldn't be on the list, say by all means but you do not have to vote for them! There will a mix of classic and modern players. For players currently playing assume I mean at their best

I've said Pichot because not only was he a great Scrum Half in a team that wasn't full of superstars but he was a great leader on the field too

Gareth was voted the best player of all time, by all the worlds coaches and players, so I will take their word for it, though Gareth Edwards points to Sid Going as the most talented player he ever played against, so in my eyes it's between those two.

2 of the best scrum halves in my opinion is Joost vander westusan and George Greegan.

Ive gone for Gareth Edwards, but I do think David Bishop deserves an honourable mention despite only getting a single cap he was the best scrum half in the world in the late 80s 90s. If only he hadnt have been such a nutjob and Robert jones hadnt been married to the president of teh WRU daughter things would have been different.

I am not a Joost fan, but to me the most dangerous scrum half to have played the game.

His 38 test tries in 80 odd tests is unrivaled anywhere.

He was most dangerous around the fringes of the ruck, similar build and strength to Phillips, but was lightning quick and had good vision.

biltongbek wrote:I am not a Joost fan, but to me the most dangerous scrum half to have played the game.

His 38 test tries in 80 odd tests is unrivaled anywhere.

He was most dangerous around the fringes of the ruck, similar build and strength to Phillips, but was lightning quick and had good vision.

His hits on Lomu were fantastic

biltongbek wrote:I am not a Joost fan, but to me the most dangerous scrum half to have played the game.

His 38 test tries in 80 odd tests is unrivaled anywhere.

He was most dangerous around the fringes of the ruck, similar build and strength to Phillips, but was lightning quick and had good vision.

Totaly agree with that.

majesticimperialman wrote:2 of the best scrum halves in my opinion is Joost vander westusan and George Greegan.

I think you mean Joost and Gareth Edwards?

He is before my time, but I have selected the one of the obvious choices in Gareth Edwards, who is regarded as one of the best players to have best game not just the best scrum half.

And nice to see a sensible poster take over the Greatest Ever vote, (HERSH hope you read this).

biltongbek wrote:I am not a Joost fan, but to me the most dangerous scrum half to have played the game.

His 38 test tries in 80 odd tests is unrivaled anywhere.

He was most dangerous around the fringes of the ruck, similar build and strength to Phillips, but was lightning quick and had good vision.

Gareth Edwards 88 points in 53 games. I think there are two drop goals in there. Thats 20 tries.

I probably would have included Kelleher over Marshall on the list.

I thought about Kelleher but decided that for me Marshall was better. Could ask to add him

ChequeredJersey wrote:

biltongbek wrote:I am not a Joost fan, but to me the most dangerous scrum half to have played the game.

His 38 test tries in 80 odd tests is unrivaled anywhere.

He was most dangerous around the fringes of the ruck, similar build and strength to Phillips, but was lightning quick and had good vision.

His hits on Lomu were fantastic

Whilst Im not knocking Joost as he was a great player, his strike rate of about 1 in 2 games is rivalled by Edwards with I think 23 tries in about 50 caps.

majesticimperialman wrote:2 of the best scrum halves in my opinion is Joost vander westusan and George Greegan.

why do you choose them two madge? what made them great in your eyes? what stand out games did you see with them in?

Watching Dai Bish beat up the Swansea Back Row on his own whilst totally outplaying Jones who would have been lions scrum half at the time I think nade him great in my eyes view.

Edwards is the obvious answer, before my time but what footage i have seem he sure is the Business.

I really rate weepu and Pienaar but i always thought an on form Dwayne Peel was some player.

Got to be Gareth.I was not a fan coz he ousted my boy Allan Lewis from the Welsh side.He simply was immense.All that have come onto the scene since cannot hope to compete.Joost has come closest but nowhere near.

I'm disgusted not to see Rupert Moon on this list

Would happily swap both parra and yachvili for someone like Elissalde and his trademark pass

mckay1402 wrote:I'm disgusted not to see Rupert Moon on this list

Or Andy Nicol ha ha ha..!

I picked Joost. He scored more tries per game than any other scrum half including Edwards. And he was also playing against better professional defences, and against better southern hemisphere opposition.

Feckless.

Thanks mate, I am a lone ranger against a whole host of nostalgic Welsh supporters who weren't even born (well most of them) when Gareth Edwards played.

Sorry Biltong, got to be Edwards and I am old enough to have seen him play. Joost would get my second vote with an honourable mention for Terry Holmes. Gregan was special too.

biltongbek wrote:Feckless.

Thanks mate, I am a lone ranger against a whole host of nostalgic Welsh supporters who weren't even born (well most of them) when Gareth Edwards played.

Mind you they might not have been born but us oldies have spent most of their lives re running endless clips and documentaries on just how brilliant we once were, and Gareth Edwards was a massive part of that.

A young Welshman knows a lot about the greatest of the all, even if he wasn't lucky enough to have watched him play.

I recall last year when talking about Edwards that the Cape Times (thats Cape Town SA) introduced him as the greatest player of all time, full stop.

Thats quite a introduction from a South African newspaper.. especially for a foreign rugby player.

In terms of pure scrumhalves.. Joost was right up there, easily the best of the professional era. Edwards would have had 120 caps though if he was playing during the the professional era and from testimonies and watching his videos its difficult to go outside of Edwards.

Gregan... great player but not a great scrumhalf... I saw him get torn to pieces on a number of occasions.. Kieran Bracken always had his number... always. Every home scrum was a nightmare for Gregan when Bracken was in town.

No Bergamasco????? Certainly the most memorable scrumhalf performance of recent memory (for non italians that is).

Put Roy Laidlaw in there, and I'll vote.

Until then, you're getting nada.

maestegmafia wrote:

biltongbek wrote:Feckless.

Thanks mate, I am a lone ranger against a whole host of nostalgic Welsh supporters who weren't even born (well most of them) when Gareth Edwards played.

Mind you they might not have been born but us oldies have spent most of their lives re running endless clips and documentaries on just how brilliant we once were, and Gareth Edwards was a massive part of that.

A young Welshman knows a lot about the greatest of the all, even if he wasn't lucky enough to have watched him play.

You see, that is why I said nostalgia.

fa0019 wrote:I recall last year when talking about Edwards that the Cape Times (thats Cape Town SA) introduced him as the greatest player of all time, full stop.

That is SA for you mate, we aren't afraid to compliment the others.

Rob Howley deserves a mention, he, Gregan and Marshall were the only real rivals to Joost in the 90s

I genuinely thought I'd put Howley on there

Can a mod please add Howley and Moon and Laidlaw and Élissalde?

Joost, Gregan or Edwards for me. Joost's physicality and gritty determination took it for me.

Stowing away sycophancy, I'd have to go with Joost and Gregan, infuriatingly good and could both single handedly pull off a moment of brilliance to change momentum to win a game (eh Jeff Wilson). To be fair, both had handy support from their respective teams. You don't often see losing halfbacks shine, but perhaps that's why I voted for these guys, they never admitted defeat and could convert a close game into a win, measure of a true champion. Gosh they used to urine me off as an AB supporter. Unfortunately havnt seen any Edwards but have heard of the legend that he undoubtedly was. Fair dues if Edwards was the best, he must have been immensely good.

Apart when the French targeted Lomu in one game and gave him a torrid time.

Joost Van.d w. is the only player I can remember taking on Lomu and coming off better!

Joost - easy really

Edwards wouldn't cut it today, sure he'd still be a good player as he was a good athlete, but he wouldn't have been a great.

Welcome back Hersh. I trust you are doing positively well?

No not really, I find it rather offensive that I was banned for not selecting Scott Gibbs in a list!

But at least as an Englishman I now know where the line is on this site, always include a Welshman in a list or you will be banned for receiving a load of abuse!

Forgiveness hersh, is the way to sanctity.


or something like that.

Excellent list Chequered - I think only Jacques Fouroux of France could possibly be the only name missing from a list of greats.

I've tried to choose someone other than Gareth, but I can't.

And what's the point on these boards? It would be like telling the tide that it can't come in.

True.

But Scott Gibbs wasn't that good even in his prime.

HERSH wrote:True.

But Scott Gibbs wasn't that good even in his prime.

Careful, that's the kind of talk that got this all started HERSH

Went for Gareth Edwards (as stated previously, he was voted as the best player ever). However, I think Edwards said that Ken Catchpole (Australia) was the best, the reason he wasn't regarded as such was because there was no world wide TV coverage back then

WALL OF FAME

WIKI

ChequeredJersey wrote:

HERSH wrote:True.

But Scott Gibbs wasn't that good even in his prime.

Careful, that's the kind of talk that got this all started HERSH

SssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssH!

HERSH wrote:Joost - easy really

Edwards wouldn't cut it today, sure he'd still be a good player as he was a good athlete, but he wouldn't have been a great.

And what about that Mother Theresa or Nelson Mandela, eh Hersh?

Biltong, any chance of Élissalde for whocares? Thanks, I presume it was you who changed my list?

No sorry mate, it wasn't me, I'll add Ellissalde

No Jerome Gallion??

His star shone very brightly for 3 or 4 years I seem to remember

Where is Andy Gomarsall MBE?

HERSH wrote:Joost - easy really

Edwards wouldn't cut it today, sure he'd still be a good player as he was a good athlete, but he wouldn't have been a great.

Oh dear....Perhaps more than any other player of the amateur era we can say with certainty that Edwards would have been great today.

HERSH wrote:Where is Andy Gomarsall MBE?

He's training with Dings Crusaders - How's the Rangey