Levrier wrote:
I look forward to seeing these two get some game time. I am interested to know how you would define a "proper" half back in today's game as I grew up in the days when the prime requirement of a scrum half was to be just this side of psychotic and the stand off needed the good set of hands. Has the role changed so much because this time last year, and especially when he made his debut, Woods was being unfairly slagged off ,by some, for being too slow. Having seen him a few times now he certainly knows how to control a game, which is something the first team were lacking for most of last season.
I’d probably class English halfs in to categories at the minute. I’d class a ‘proper’ half as somebody who can direct play, good passer, get you round the field and has a good long and short kicking game whereas you’ve also got more ‘off the cuff’ half’s like Williams, who plays what’s in front of him, has a great running game and try’s things that bring a bit of excitement.
It’s probably a sign of how poor we as a country have been at developing top class halfbacks that there isn’t a third category I’d place any English 6 or 7 in at the minute. That would be one that can do it all! The last one we probably had who could mix his game up to suit a situation would’ve been Sean Long but since then it’s been a long line of lads who have a glaring weakness or two.
