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Best scrum-half of all time?
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<blockquote data-quote="RedruthRFC" data-source="post: 951229" data-attributes="member: 58362"><p>Much as it pains me to say it given the way his England career ended and everything since, but I can't think of anyone other than Matt Dawson. My memories of England start in 1990 and there haven't been too many incumbants in that time. Richard Hill (also a penis), was the ideal man to be behind the dominant England pack of the early 90s, but there wasn't much to recommend him outside good service and fitness. Dewi Morris was very good from time to time, but not for long enough to feature in the conversation. After Dawson, Harry Ellis was pretty meh and since him, we've had a scrum half who can't pass, bereft of the pace that made him look an exciting prospect when he broke through.</p><p></p><p>I'm not an avid rugby historian, but know a reasonable amount and there are no names from the past that stand out, so you're left with Dawson. Thinking back, he was a bloody good player. I don't remember any great weakness in his game, he was an intelligent player with a good sense of when to break (think vs SA in 1997). I suspect that if there hadn't been so many great scrum halves around during his era (Gregan, van der Westhuizen, Marshall and Howley at very least) his would be remembered more fondly. Him sticking two fingers up at England might have tainted some people's memory of him, but I'd defy anyone to name anyone better.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="RedruthRFC, post: 951229, member: 58362"] Much as it pains me to say it given the way his England career ended and everything since, but I can't think of anyone other than Matt Dawson. My memories of England start in 1990 and there haven't been too many incumbants in that time. Richard Hill (also a penis), was the ideal man to be behind the dominant England pack of the early 90s, but there wasn't much to recommend him outside good service and fitness. Dewi Morris was very good from time to time, but not for long enough to feature in the conversation. After Dawson, Harry Ellis was pretty meh and since him, we've had a scrum half who can't pass, bereft of the pace that made him look an exciting prospect when he broke through. I'm not an avid rugby historian, but know a reasonable amount and there are no names from the past that stand out, so you're left with Dawson. Thinking back, he was a bloody good player. I don't remember any great weakness in his game, he was an intelligent player with a good sense of when to break (think vs SA in 1997). I suspect that if there hadn't been so many great scrum halves around during his era (Gregan, van der Westhuizen, Marshall and Howley at very least) his would be remembered more fondly. Him sticking two fingers up at England might have tainted some people's memory of him, but I'd defy anyone to name anyone better. [/QUOTE]
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Best scrum-half of all time?
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