The 10 greatest scrum-halves of the professional era – ranked

Tuesday, 08 September 2026 at 19:19

byRugby Rucker

Scrum-half might just be the most demanding position on a rugby pitch.

The very best No.9s have to dictate tempo, organise forwards, provide lightning-quick service and make huge decisions while some of the biggest players on the field are trying to smash them.

Join RUCK’s Instagram broadcast channel and get the latest rugby news straight to your phone.

Since rugby officially went professional in 1995, we have seen some extraordinary players redefine the position.

From the power of Joost van der Westhuizen to the tactical genius of Fourie du Preez and the outrageous skillset of Antoine Dupont, narrowing the list down to ten is no easy task.

Taking into account peak ability, longevity, influence, achievements and performances on the biggest stage, here are RUCK's 10 greatest scrum-halves of the professional era – ranked.

10. Matt Dawson – England

Dawson might not have possessed the natural gifts of some names higher on this list, but few scrum-halves were better at finding a way to win.

The England No.9 earned 77 caps and was a central figure during the most successful period in the country's history.

His famous dummy against New Zealand on the 1997 British & Irish Lions tour remains one of the great Lions moments, while six years later he started the 2003 Rugby World Cup final.

Dawson's break during extra-time also helped create the field position from which Jonny Wilkinson eventually kicked England to glory.

A Grand Slam winner, World Cup winner and three-time Lion, his CV speaks for itself.

9. Agustín Pichot – Argentina

Long before Argentina became established members of the southern hemisphere's premier international competition, Pichot was driving Los Pumas forward.

Small, aggressive and fiercely competitive, he became the heartbeat of one of Argentina's greatest sides.

His defining achievement arrived at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, captaining Argentina to third place after famous victories over France and Ireland.

Pichot's influence also extended far beyond his playing career, but purely as a scrum-half he remains one of Argentina's finest ever players.

8. Faf de Klerk – South Africa

Few scrum-halves have embodied the Springboks' modern identity quite like Faf de Klerk.

Relentless in defence and excellent with his tactical kicking, De Klerk became a crucial part of Rassie Erasmus' all-conquering South Africa side.

He started the 2019 Rugby World Cup final victory over England and played another important role as the Springboks successfully defended their title four years later.

A two-time World Cup winner and key figure in the 2021 British & Irish Lions series triumph, De Klerk's place among the great modern No.9s is secure.

7. Will Genia – Australia

At his peak, there were few more exciting scrum-halves in world rugby.

Genia combined an excellent passing game with devastating acceleration around the breakdown, making him one of Australia's biggest attacking threats.

His partnership with Quade Cooper at the Reds was particularly devastating, helping Queensland win the 2011 Super Rugby title.

Genia went on to collect 110 Wallabies caps and featured at three World Cups, including Australia's run to the 2015 final.

On pure peak ability, he could arguably sit even higher.

6. Conor Murray – Ireland

For the best part of a decade, Murray was the benchmark for northern hemisphere scrum-halves.

The Munster man combined physicality with an outstanding tactical kicking game and became a crucial figure for both Ireland and the British & Irish Lions.

Murray toured with the Lions three times and was particularly influential during the drawn 2017 series against New Zealand.

His remarkable international career eventually brought 125 Ireland caps, with the IRFU paying tribute to one of the country's most decorated players when he announced his Test retirement.

He might not have possessed Dupont's explosiveness or Smith's passing speed, but very few No.9s controlled territory better.

5. George Gregan – Australia

“Four more years, boys.”

Those words alone secured Gregan a place in rugby folklore, but there was considerably more to the Wallabies legend than his ability to irritate opponents.

Gregan won 139 caps for Australia, captaining his country 59 times and playing a major role in their 1999 World Cup triumph.

He also helped the Brumbies win two Super Rugby titles.

His longevity was remarkable, but so was his competitiveness.

Gregan constantly demanded standards from the players around him and possessed the game management required to control Test matches at the very highest level.

One of Australia's greatest players.

4. Fourie du Preez – South Africa

There is a very strong argument that Fourie du Preez was the most complete scrum-half of the professional era.

His passing was excellent, his kicking was exceptional and his ability to read what was happening several phases before everyone else made him almost impossible to defend against.

Du Preez was pivotal as South Africa won the 2007 Rugby World Cup and later helped the Springboks defeat the British & Irish Lions in 2009.

His domestic record was equally impressive, winning three Super Rugby titles with the Bulls.

He finished with 76 Springbok caps, with the Springboks' official profile of Du Preez documenting a Test career that stretched from 2004 until his final appearance at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

He remains the blueprint for the modern tactical scrum-half.

3. Joost van der Westhuizen – South Africa

Before giant scrum-halves became commonplace, there was Joost.

At around 6ft 2in, Van der Westhuizen looked unlike almost any other No.9 of his generation and played differently too.

He attacked gaps like a back-row forward, defended ferociously and possessed genuine try-scoring instincts.

His contribution to South Africa's historic 1995 Rugby World Cup triumph cemented his legendary status, with his defensive work against Jonah Lomu in the final becoming part of Springbok folklore.

Van der Westhuizen eventually scored an extraordinary 38 tries in 89 Tests, captaining South Africa on ten occasions.

His impact on the position was later recognised with induction into the World Rugby Hall of Fame, which credits him with redefining scrum-half play through his combination of pace, power and technical ability.

A genuine icon of the sport.

2. Aaron Smith – New Zealand

Nobody has ever passed a rugby ball quite like Aaron Smith.

His speed and accuracy from the base transformed the way New Zealand attacked, allowing the All Blacks to play at a tempo opponents simply couldn't handle.

Smith became the heartbeat of arguably the greatest international side rugby has seen, starting the 2015 Rugby World Cup final as New Zealand retained the Webb Ellis Cup.

But what separated Smith was his consistency.

For more than a decade, opposition teams knew exactly what he wanted to do and still struggled to stop him.

His ability to arrive at the breakdown and release the ball almost instantly changed expectations of modern scrum-half play.

Smith eventually finished his All Blacks career with 125 Test appearances, making him the most-capped back in New Zealand history when he signed off after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

For years, he had a legitimate claim to being the greatest No.9 of the professional era.

Then Antoine Dupont happened.

1. Antoine Dupont – France

The most complete rugby player of his generation.

Dupont doesn't simply excel at the traditional responsibilities of a scrum-half. He does things that players in his position aren't really supposed to be capable of doing.

His passing is elite. His kicking is elite. His support lines are exceptional.

Then add freakish strength, breakdown ability, acceleration and a defensive game that would embarrass players considerably bigger than him.

Dupont was named World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year in 2021 before temporarily switching disciplines and helping France win Olympic sevens gold on home soil at Paris 2024.

He subsequently made history by becoming the first male player to win World Rugby's 15s and Sevens Player of the Year awards, adding the sevens honour in 2024.

His club career with Toulouse has been similarly remarkable, stacking domestic and European titles while repeatedly producing his best rugby on the biggest occasions.

The one argument critics continue to make is obvious: unlike Smith, Du Preez, Van der Westhuizen and Gregan, Dupont has not won the Rugby World Cup.

But greatness isn't decided by one trophy.

Judged purely on the level he has reached as an individual rugby player, we've seen enough.

Antoine Dupont is RUCK's greatest scrum-half of the professional era.

RUCK's top 10

1. Antoine Dupont – France
2. Aaron Smith – New Zealand
3. Joost van der Westhuizen – South Africa
4. Fourie du Preez – South Africa
5. George Gregan – Australia
6. Conor Murray – Ireland
7. Will Genia – Australia
8. TJ Perenara – New Zealand
9. Agustín Pichot – Argentina
10. Matt Dawson – England