Scrum halves - who is most annoying?

It would appear that being an irritating git is a part of the job description of a scrum half. Burt who is the most irritating stroppy git of them all?

Mike Phillips - it would appear to be his natural character. Certainly gets up a lot of folks noses.
Danny care? what a wind up merchant
Sam Hidalgo-Clyne - matinee idol looks, fine line in windups

Personally I think the highest exponent of the art is Cris Cussitor. He is a nice gentle guy off the park but on it he brings a whole scientific approach to winding up the opposition. At a scrum on the opponents put in he will stand on the oppo SHs toes, trip him, pull his shirt etc. If a scottish scrum collapse he will offer the ball to the opposition then when they go to take it hide it behind his back, throw it away etc etc. He did have a great ally in Big Jim Hamilton 'cos once Cus had wound someone up till they were ready to punch him he would then run and hide behind big Jim

So who else has made being an irritating git into an at form? who is the best practitioner of this art in todays game?

again chaps - only a piece of fun. Don't take it too seriously

Austin Healey was a bit of a Jack of all trades including scrum half but he was/ still is a gobby little ***** and annoys the hell out of me more than anyone.

Genia annoys me but im not sure why, maybe its because i associate him with Quade. Justin Marshall and Byron Kelleher also were particularly annoying ! albeit rather talented. On the other side of the coin two of my favorite players ever were real heart on sleeve terrier type scrum halves, Gus Pichot and Alessandro Troncon.

I'm not sure whether he's the most irritating, but that's certainly the most colourful spelling of 'Chris Cusiter' I've ever seen!

It's definitely a short man thing (not that it explains Mike Phillips...).

There's certainly been a few, short, niggly sh!tebags in recent times that just irritate the hell out of you (including your own team!):

Austin Healey (although he took it to a whole new level!)
Matt Dawson
Peter Stringer
Rory Lawson
Chris Cusiter
Danny Care
Ben Youngs (although he's just really, really stupid)

Conversely there have been some real rugby gentlemen too - Rob Howley, Mike Blair etc.

So for me it has to be Austin Healey - I know he wasn't just a scrum half, but given he's probably the most irritating player in human existence is surely has to be him!

Ah but Healey is retired now. I agree when he was playing he held the mantle but who of the current crop holds it now?

How was Mike Blair so good without being a irritating git?

TJ wrote:Ah but Healey is retired now.  I agree when he was playing he held the mantle but who of the current crop holds it now?

How was Mike Blair so good without being a irritating git?

He probably was irritating, but not as obvious as some players. His game was based around skill, speed and a real rugby brain - he wasn't a direct, aggressive 9 in the terrier mould like Cusiter and Stringer

Peter Stringer for me every time, he even looks annoying.

How could I forget Laidlaw! He's a proper nippy wee bastard.

What I like about him though is he's constantly nipping at the ref yet managing to keep the ref from getting irritated at him- that's a real art form.

Nothing against him in particular but Rhys Webb really get on my nerves, to a lesser extent Ruan Pienaar too.

The worst for me though is Morgan Parra!

TJ wrote:It would appear that being an irritating git is a part of the job description of a scrum half.  Burt who is the most irritating stroppy git of them all?

As in the chopsiest gobshite on the pitch, then yes. Big part of their job though is to boss the bigger players from the rear of rucks and mauls and point out opposition infringements (cheating) to the ref, so I spose to be good they need to be chatty Cathy. Should've heard Mike Phillips trying to put off the oppo hooker at lineout time when he played for Cardiff. Hilarious.

Richie Rees seems pretty annoying. Glad he plays for my team now, rather than against!

Tobias Botes is another on i can't really stand. Nigel too it seems:

RDW_Scotland wrote:
Danny Care
Ben Youngs (although he's just really, really stupid)

Both are two of the nicest people I have ever met. Both extremely kind to my daughter as she was convalescing after nearly being killed, so far beyond what would could ever be expected. Youngs is also a long way from being stupid - but each to their own.

VinceWLB wrote:Nothing against him in particular but Rhys Webb really get on my nerves, to a lesser extent Ruan Pienaar too.

The worst for me though is Morgan Parra!

Parra has the disadvantage of being a French scrum half who when on form kicks bloody everything through the middle of the posts. That is enough to put him at the top of this Englishman's list, along with Dimitri Yachvili

Interesting that a lot of people rate Conor Murray as a scrum half but it doesn't appear in peoples list here.





Maybe he has something to improve on there.

LondonTiger wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:
Danny Care
Ben Youngs (although he's just really, really stupid)

Both are two of the nicest people I have ever met. Both extremely kind to my daughter as she was convalescing after nearly being killed, so far beyond what would could ever be expected. Youngs is also a long way from being stupid - but each to their own.

good to hear that being an annoying git does not extend off the field.

Matt Dawson used to be THE one for me. I used to hate him with a passion. Not sure why. Just because. Because he was good. Because he was english. Because they used to beat us all of the time.

But actually, now that I've got to know the 'real' him (sort of) on programmes such as a question of sport, masterchef, etc. (I have not had the pleasure of him on BT Sport) I actually quite like him now!

Dawson was a prime exponent of winding up the opposition players. He only didn't get to wear the crown as most annoying 'cos Healey was around ;-)

TJ wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:
Danny Care
Ben Youngs (although he's just really, really stupid)

Both are two of the nicest people I have ever met. Both extremely kind to my daughter as she was convalescing after nearly being killed, so far beyond what would could ever be expected. Youngs is also a long way from being stupid - but each to their own.

good to hear that being an annoying git does not extend off the field.

I've heard Ben is a really nice guy off the pitch. Goes and watches his local team with his brother when back home in Norfolk and always has time for fans. He has apparently come out with some humorous quotes that have led to the reputation for him being a bit slow. The Twitter feed that dropped him in it was set up by his brother and Flood.

Ruan Pienaar is a sod on the pitch. A very talented one but I don't know how he doesn't get a clip round the ear more often.

all of them.

Griff wrote:Matt Dawson used to be THE one for me. I used to hate him with a passion. Not sure why. Just because. Because he was good. Because he was english. Because they used to beat us all of the time.

But actually, now that I've got to know the 'real' him (sort of) on programmes such as a question of sport, masterchef, etc. (I have not had the pleasure of him on BT Sport) I actually quite like him now!

I have met Matt Dawson and he is one of the most nicest and professional people you would ever like to meet. I have told this story on here a few times, but I will tell it again. I do not know if any of you are familiar with the place, but in London there is like a sort of tunnel that you walk through to get from one place to another, I was going to the Victoria and Albert museum, I was walking along with my family when coming towards me I saw Matt Dawson speaking on his phone, I said to my wife and daughters, "Look, there is the England WC cup winner there" and they all looked at me stupid, and then I said "The one off a question of sport, and that cooking programme" and instantly they recognised him. Anyway, he must have heard what I said as he promptly told who ever he was speaking to that he had to leave as something important had just come up, and he stopped and introduced himself, we had a about a ten minute chat, he told us of some of his antics on the 1997 Lions tour, we had photo's and he just came across as a very decent person. Things like that last a lifetime for me, and just goes to show, that you should not judge a player by the way he is on the rugby pitch.

As per pretty much everyone else it has to be Austin Healey, he's the model for others to follow and will never be bettered.

 Good throw by Murphy.

Bergamasco was annoying (for Italian fans).

Gotta be Parra, great player, but as niggly as they comw

Cyril wrote:Bergamasco was annoying (for Italian fans).

And they say we should have taken Mallett over Bomber

Healey's rivalry with Dawson was legendary, what with Daws being ex Saints. When Dawson was at Wasps Healey scored a try at Adams Park, got up, looked for Dawson and promptly threw the ball at the back of his head.

A good shot and bang on target. Dawson just looked round, saw Healey grinning away, and just laughed. They were good pals off the park, but on it I've never seen two players niggle each other so much.

Isn't it in the job description of a No9 to be an annoying little ****. Dawson was excellent at it but he was also a fantastic player.

Dawson and Austin still bug me on BT Sport.

Annoyingly good - Westhuizen
Annoyling bad - Phillips
Annoyingly forgotten early - Peel
Annoyingly wearing the wrong shirt - Bergamasco
Just plain annoying - Healey

TightHEAD wrote:Dawson and Austin still bug me on BT Sport.

Austin i can put up with, Dawson sometimes annoys me when he tries to be overly funny

nathan wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:Dawson and Austin still bug me on BT Sport.

Austin i can put up with, Dawson sometimes annoys me when he tries to be overly funny

I agree. Ben Kay can be annoying on Rugby Tonight but is OK commentating. Healey is insufferable on Rugby Tonight and very mixed when commentating. His analysis can be good but he does try too hard to be funny. Dawson is hopeless on both.

Exiledinborders wrote:

nathan wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:Dawson and Austin still bug me on BT Sport.

Austin i can put up with, Dawson sometimes annoys me when he tries to be overly funny

I agree. Ben Kay can be annoying on Rugby Tonight but is OK commentating.  Healey is insufferable on Rugby Tonight and very mixed when commentating. His analysis can be good but he does try too hard to be funny.  Dawson is hopeless on both.

I thought Kay was the best of the bunch and quite like his commentating. He says what he thinks and then gives a clear explanation of why he thinks that. Unlike Barnes who just over sensationalises everything.

LondonTiger wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:
Danny Care
Ben Youngs (although he's just really, really stupid)

Both are two of the nicest people I have ever met. Both extremely kind to my daughter as she was convalescing after nearly being killed, so far beyond what would could ever be expected. Youngs is also a long way from being stupid - but each to their own.

Never met Care, but have to agree about Youngs. Met him a number of times, and I find him both bright and polite.

And about Mr. Healey. I attended his last Leicester match, I think it was against Worcester in one of those LV= or EDF matches, and I still remember the admiration from the Leicester supporters at the end. I think he should have been in that 2003 England squad as he played just about every back line position very well. Shame his knees went. Was he annoying on the pitch? Well, that IS the job of a scrum half, is it not?

Hold everything!
Did I just write something nice about TWO Leicester players?  
S**T.
If anyone at Saints sees this I will be thrown out of the Shire.