5 top scrumhalves of the year

1. Smith2. Genia3. Philips4. du Preez5. Murray

1 a smith

2 m phillips

3 c murray

4 b youngs

5 k fotu alii

Du Preez completely outclassed everyone, simple as that. What Dan Carter is as a flyhalf, Du Preez is as a scrumhalf. Phillips comes second, and then there is merely 'the rest'. Genia, when tested, was another who wilted. Folau, Cooper, Genia... mere reputations, nothing more.

 Du PreezSmithMurray PhilipsYoung

Aaron Smith is only a link player. He performs the core function of a scrum half well with a quick service but does not offer much in terms of running and his kicking game seems non existent. He looked very average in the Northern Hemisphere and was completely schooled by the Master FDP.

du preez was better then aaron smith???

on the one test they played against each other im going to assume that u saffa boys have still only watched the game once.

IMO ive watched the ellsi park test more times then everyone on this thread combined and its laughable how one eyed u can be to even suggest that du preez was better then aaron smith.
both were adequate in the ellis park test, but neither aarons smith or du preez did enough to warrant one getting bragging rights over the other.

completely schooled sharkbok???
yeah thats right up there with ur other brilliant comment about Boks scoring more trys then the All Blacks in the RC/4nats, lolz.

Boks had 12 tests in 2013 and du preez played in 5 of them (one from the bench) which is not even 50%, too much tardiness for my liking and why he dosent make my toip 5 and if anyone was being reasonably objective, he wouldnt make their list either.

 Aaron Smith played a team at Ellis Park that completely abandoned their defensive system. Yet Smith was just okay, not saying much for someone who is supposed to be extraordinary. Lets face the facts, New Zealand haven't had a test quality scrumhalf since Justin Marshall. Aaron Smith falls impecably short of Du Preez in all areas of scrum half play. But a one-eyed New Zealander - of which there are as many as total New Zealanders - would never admit such a thing. Just as they would never dare conceed they have only won one World Cup. A farcical response from a farcical rugby nation.

@suntzu,

first u say,,,
"Du Preez completely outclassed everyone, simple as that."

then in response to my comment saying how lauhgable it is to say du preez played better then smith u respond with this,,,
"Aaron Smith played a team at Ellis Park that completely abandoned their defensive system. Yet Smith was just okay,"

i will now insert a smirk, LMAO, :oD

"Lets face the facts, New Zealand haven't had a test quality scrumhalf since Justin Marshall."
if u dont know what a fact is, stop pretending that u do as it just makes it uncomfortably awkward for everyone else who are trying their best to not laugh in ur face.

that comment is not a fact, it is an opinion.
IMO u know nothing about NZ rugby. its also my opinion that weepu and cowan in their prime was better then marshall ever was.

a smith who already has the best pass in the game still has room for about 50% improvement, its stupid to say he dosent have a running game, u need only look at last years dunedin test vs Boks to see his rubbing game carve up the slow Boks.
but like i said, still plenty of room for improvement, impressive considering connor murray was the only halfback in 2013 tom get the better of aaron smith.

but heres a fact for u, aaron smith played in 13 tests in 2013, 1 more then the Boks did in all of 2012 and 8 more then du preez.

"Aaron Smith falls impecably short of Du Preez in all areas of scrum half play."
aaron smith is a better ball deliverer and a better runner, lolz, only a saffa would would say du preez is a great runner with the ball.

SA has three halfbacks who are all better with ball in hand, hougaard, van zyl and reinach.
all three could teach du preez a thing or two in this area.

the one area where du preez has it in spades over aaron smith is surprise surprise with his kicking game.

i rated du preez as the best half back in the game back in 2009 and a contender for best halfback ever, but its been 4 long years since then, and while hes still got some gas left, his current skill set is a year or two behind like meyers tactics and selection policies, it wont be bothering the All blacks one bit, just like it didnt bother the All Blacks in ellis park during the 2013 RC/4nats.

tell u what though, were both on the same page regarding him getting selected for the Boks vs All Blacks and thats always a good thing, especially if ur a kiwi.

"Just as they would never dare conceed they have only won one World Cup. A farcical response from a farcical rugby nation."
if it wasnt for bloggers like oimatey, rooy, mikey and saffex, i would swear that SA dosent even have an education system.

heres another lesson for u regarding fact and opinions,,,

fact, All Blacks have won the RWC twice, once in 1987 and the last one in 2011.

hope these lessons arent wasted on u, but im not holding my breath,

Speak not of education Sasuke, lest you embarrass yourself further! Nothing but hot air and nonsense, you couldn't even make light entertainment; sowing into the wind.

1. Smith2. Du Preez3. Genia4. Philips5. Japanese half back (sorry forgot his name)

 Taranaka I think his name is Hakwa, the one who played for the Highlanders right?
Du Preez passing is certainly better than Aaron Smith, but not his running game. Du Preez is a technical mastermind whereas Aaron Smith has flair to share (Rhyme not intended) . 

 Thanks Shezza, Taranaka is his name. He is small but more than makes up for it with his bravery and wiliness.