The rugby scrum-half is perhaps the most influential and important position on the field; the link between the forwards and the backs, the scrum-half removes the ball from the back of a scrum or a lineout and distributes it to the fly-half, and tells the forwards where to gather at the ruck.
Throughout time, rugby has evolved and the off-field has evolved in popularity with it. With more trusted betting platforms offering a plethora of rugby promotions like betting offers from Whichbookie.co.uk, all rugby players – not just scrum-halves – are being thrown even further into the limelight.
A number of scrum-halves have thrust themselves into the limelight. Here are five of the best.
1. Gareth Edwards CBE
A former Welsh and British and Irish Lions scrum-half, Gareth Edwards CBE is often considered to be the greatest player of all time – as a 2003 poll of international rugby players proved.
Along with appearing 53 times for Wales, Edwards made ten appearances for the Lions in the tours of 1968, 1971 and 1974 – the second is still the only victorious Lions tour to New Zealand.
In fact, Edwards is so highly regarded in Wales that a statue was unveiled of him in Cardiff in memorial of his contribution on the rugby field.
2. Joost van der Westhuizen
A national hero in his native South Africa, Joost van der Westhuizen played a key role in the Springboks' remarkable 1995 World Cup triumph.
An intelligent and creative scrum-half, van der Westhuizen was inducted into the IRB International Hall of Fame in 2007 with 38 tries in 89 Tests, captaining the side on ten of those occasions. Van der Westhuizen also became the first South African to reach 100 games for his nation in 2001.
Unfortunately, the Pretoria-born scrum-half succumbed to motor neurone disease in 2017.
3. George Gregan
No scrum-half list is complete without Australian legend George Gregan. Having represented the Wallabies 139 times and captaining them a record 59 times, Gregan was appointed as a member of the Order of Australia in 2004 for his services to the sport.
The experienced scrum-half represented Australia in four World Cups including the Wallabies' 1999 triumph as well as an astounding 12 Tri-Nations Series. And, the Zambian-born Gregan was the world's most capped international until overtaken by Brian O'Driscoll.
4. Matt Dawson
Perhaps a surprising choice, but Matt Dawson is certainly worth an inclusion with his leading role in the 2003 World Cup arguably confirming his place in history.
His trademark sniping runs and quick taps often resulted in five-pointers and Dawson was also competent enough to convert tries when called upon.
Boasting a winning Lions tour and a Heineken Cup, scrum-half Dawson was an incredibly essential cog of the England wheel, earning 77 caps including nine as captain.
5. Nick Farr-Jones
Capped 63 times for Australia between 1984 and 1993, Nick Farr-Jones was a scrum-half that was perhaps underappreciated.
He captained the Wallabies to World Cup glory in 1991 and, of David Campese's then world-record 64 international tries, Farr-Jones had a hand in 46 of them.
