606 AP Team of the Year - Scrum Half

Again this is not about selecting the best players, but those who have performed over the AP season.

The pack is sorted:

Marler, Brits, Johnston
Kohn, Robson
Johnson, Easter, Robshaw

Now for Scrum-half, assuming you can accept me “playing god” with the rules (just applying the same rules the “official” bodies use). It has been a tough time for Scrum-halves what with injuries and alcoholics, but still the list should be pretty good.

The Contenders:

Quins – Danny Care, 12 starts, 3 tries, 1DG. Care bounced back from the injury that caused him to miss the WC well and started his season in fine form. Then his form started to dip and we started to learn about the troubles. His form fell away further and Quins fans here and on the offy board were demanding his head. The sight of Karl Dickson being called up to the England party seemed to be the catalyst to an improvement in Care’s form. He will hope to be on the plane to SA as first choice.

Saints – Lee Dickson, 13 starts, 2 tries. An organised scrum-half he may not have the crowd pleasing flashy skills, instead concentrating on doing the basic role of the scrum half. He drives the pack and clears the ball. He does this very well and while the contenders around him faltered he kept on doing his job until he was England starting SH. Sadly his form started to dip at that point.

Exeter – Haydn Thomas, 19 starts, 1 try. Now at the veteran stage, it is to my completer embarrassment that I have to admit I know very little about him. Having played more matches than any of his rivals would suggest that he has been a key component of Chiefs fine season. Looking for the most influential SH of the season it would be hard to look past him – I just need to know more.

Sale – Dwayne Peel, 18 starts, 4 tries. The best SH in the AP by some distance. I would argue he is the best SH in the Home Unions by some distance with only Morgan Parra challenging him as best sH in the NH. Ok I like this guy. He has a great pass, a good eye for the break and keeps the tempo high. He is the central cog around which everything is driven when Sale play well. That Sale’s form has been inconsistent is a negative point though.

Bath – Michael Claassens, 20 starts, 4 tries. OK I lied above – Mr Consistency has made most starts. He has seemed to struggle a little this season – though with that pack who wouldn’t. Yet his performances still make him a worthy contender. Does the nuts and bolts well and is the best defensive SH on the list. Shame we have not seen him in a decent team.


Not included – Tigers and Saracens have both (through Injury and WC) rotated through 4 different SHs none playing more than a handful of matches. Glaws have struggled at SH, Darren Allinson was considered but just misses out. Perry has not been good enough, Simpson was injured and Berry not good enough while Falcons have struggled here.

Haydn Thomas all the way! A gritty, in your face, fiery, sh1t of a SH. He controls the forwards well, gets quick ball, can make breaks and his box kicks have improved. His pass can be a bit wayward, but in this present age and certainly from that list tell me a SH that isn't the same?!

I haven't seen enough of Thomas to comment, Care is still too hit and miss compared to last season, Classens and Peel both have been coasting this season and seem to be dipping so i'll go for the one scrum half who I have actually seen get better as the season progresses Dickson.

LT could you post links to the old threads for easier reference?

Agree with your assessment of Peel LT, and would put him as the best 9 in the NH above Parra, who I feel gets stroppy and stops playing if things aren't going his way.

Whenever I've watched Sale & Peel play as the season progressed I always ended the game thinking just how much better would that Wales backline be with him pulling the strings. With his ability he deserves to be playing for a top European team and international rugby.