The 5 Best Scrum-Halves Of All Time, Ranked

Wednesday, 03 August 2022 at 21:49

byRugby Rucker

Here we pick our top five best scrum-halves of all time. We’ve used a number of stats to quantify our rankings, as well as a player’s overall contribution to the game. So who makes it into our top five?

All stats come from ESPN.com and are correct as of the publish date.

5 Best Scrum-Halves Of All Time

#5 Matt Dawson (England)

Sometimes England legend Matt Dawson does not get the recognition he probably deserves as his resume stacks up against any other scrum-half to have played the game.

His greatest achievement would be his leading role in England’s World Cup triumph in 2003, but he also boasts a winning Lions tour and Heineken Cup victory. A natural leader on the field he made 77 caps and impressed everyone with his slick all-around game.

Did you know? He finished second to Mark Ramprakash in Strictly Come Dancing in 2006.

#4 Aaron Smith (New Zealand)

Speed and Accuracy of delivering the ball from the breakdown is his main asset. He's a great all-round scrum half for the All Blacks, but his insane passing ability is out of this world.

Did you know? Smith became the most-capped scrum-half in New Zealand's history in the 2018 season

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Aaron Smith of the New Zealand All Blacks poses with the Webb Ellis Cup after the 2015 Rugby World Cup Final match between New Zealand and Australia at Twickenham Stadium on October 31, 2015 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Richard Heathcote - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

#3 George Gregan (Australia)

Australia legend George Gregan was the most capped international player of all time until Ireland’s Brian O’Driscoll overtook him.

He represented Australia 139 times and captained the side in a record 59 matches. The diminutive scrum-half took part in four World Cup campaigns including the 1999 triumph as well as the side that came heartbreakingly close in 2003.

He also represented the Wallabies in an incredible 12 Tri-Nations series. For 13 years, Gregan was the heartbeat of Wallabies rugby, and he is truly one of the legends of the game.

Did you know? He was appointed as a member of the Order of Australia in June 2004 for his services to the sport

#2 Gareth Edwards CBE (Wales)

The former Wales and British and Irish Lions scrum-half is simply the greatest player in his position in history. Gareth Edwards is also considered by many to be one of the greatest rugby players of all time.

He was notorious for his pace but also had an unexpected strength for a leaner player. He made 53 caps for Wales as well as making ten appearances for the British & Irish Lions, featuring on tours in 1968, 1971 and 1974.

The second tour, to New Zealand, is still the only victorious Lions tour to the Land of the Long White Cloud. During the third, to South Africa in 1974, was the greatest ever Lions jaunt, in which the tourists played 22 matches and remained unbeaten.

Did you know? In 2004 a statue of Gareth Edwards was erected in the St David’s Shopping Centre in Cardiff, as a memorial to his magnificent play for the country.

#1 Joost van der Westhuizen (South Africa)

Springbok icon Joost van der Westhuizen was a national hero, always giving full commitment and always guaranteeing supreme physicality in every game he played in.

England v South Africa, Twickenham, London 2/12/2000.

Off the back of the scrum/ scrum-Half (SA)Joost VAN DER WESTHUIZEN passes the ball out as (E) Matt DAWSON tries to close down the oppisition

The intelligent tactician played a key role in the Springboks' 1995 World Cup triumph in South Africa. He scored a fantastic 38 tries in 89 Tests, but post-Rugby Van der Westhuizen faced his biggest challenge yet after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2011. We lost the legend in early February 2017.

He is not only one of the greatest scrum-halves of all time but probably one of the top 10 players in the history of the game.

Did you know? The scrum-half was inducted into the IRB International Rugby Hall of Fame in 2007.