Building the perfect rugby player: Scrum-half
After examining the No8 position and wrapping up the pack, our series looking at building the perfect rugby player now moves on to scrum-half and the qualities that best extol the modern nine. Arguably no position dictates how a game is managed as much as the scrum-half and that requires the players there to not only have a rounded technical skill set but also to be exemplary in the decisions that they make.
We have identified the five key attributes for the half-back position below and picked out five examples from the rugby world that best illustrate these skills in action.
Any scrum-half’s bread and butter is their passing game. The accuracy of their passing from hand, from the floor and the distance they can maintain that accuracy at, particularly when playing at tempo and potentially fatigued. The velocity they can get on a pass, too, is key, as well as an appreciation for when and when not to take some of that zip off the ball in order to help the recipient cleanly take the pass.
There aren’t many with a better breadth of passing than Ireland’s Conor Murray, with his tempo and accuracy from the ruck one of the driving factors behind the success Munster and Ireland have had with one-out runners. His ability to beat the fringe defence of teams with a flat zipped pass from the floor is exemplary.
Seemingly almost as important as passing for a modern nine, box-kicking is now critical to a team’s chances of success. Whether it’s to control territory, relieve pressure or give chasing players an opportunity to win back possession, a good box-kicking scrum-half can prove to be the difference in a tightly contested game.
Plenty of teams lean heavily on this tactic, maybe none as much as England with incumbent scrum-half Ben Youngs having excelled in this area for a number of years now. He generally has very good chemistry with his side’s chasers, to the point where it is now surprising if England don’t win back possession on multiple kicks per game through this tactic.
In order to make it from ruck to ruck, the acceleration and speed of a nine can be the difference between a win and a defeat for their side. It’s also important in terms of allowing a team to play with a higher tempo, as well as the nine’s ability to spot gaps in the defensive line and make headway as a ball-carrier, exploiting over-eager defences ready to blitz the attacking backline.
Although this side of his game was reined in at the World Cup in order to fit with Rassie Erasmus’ game plan, there are none better than South Africa’s Faf de Klerk in this area. He is the epitome of a ‘livewire’ scrum-half. In addition to his frightening turn of pace helping in all the areas highlighted previously, it also makes him a threat on defence with the Springbok having grabbed plenty of interceptions with his pace and evolved reading of the game.
Given the number of times a scrum-half has their hands on the ball and their repeated ability to influence a game, there is a necessity that they make the right decisions at the right time. This can range from whether or not to run or to pass, or to be able to spot space on the pitch and make the decision to put in a well-weighted kick to that area. They cannot afford to miss the opportunities that are presented to them.
Despite still being just 23 years of age, the decision-making of France’s Antoine Dupont is already exceptional. He ticks all the boxes you need from a nine with his passing, kicking and speed, but it’s the unerring correct judgement calls that he makes which in turn allow all of those technical and physical skills to look so impressive.
Finally, we come to support play. There are few sights as rewarding in rugby as a physical back row or centre making a gallop through the defensive line before finding a pinpoint offload or pass for a supporting scrum-half to then speed away under the sticks. Given their roles tracking the ball, any nine who can read and support linebreaks can wreak havoc on an opposition defence, especially if they boast the pace we highlighted before.
Perhaps the most potent example of this skill right now is New Zealand’s TJ Perenara, with the half-back having lit up Super Rugby and international rugby with these sorts of scores. It also leans heavily on the speed and decision-making attributes we talked about earlier, other skills that Perenara has in abundance and frequently shows how influential they can be when combined with the eagerness and work rate to support play.
Passing – Conor Murray
Box-kicking – Ben Youngs
Acceleration and speed – Faf de Klerk
Decision-making – Antoine Dupont
Support play – TJ Perenara
Comments on RugbyPass
This team does not beat the ABs sadly
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to comments