Best Passing Young Halfback
-
2 votes.
-
Roe looks very exciting to me, a nose for the try line and just puts pressure around the ruck defenders. I hope he gets a shot at super level next year. I haven't seen enough of the other players to have a strong opinion. I think Drummond is 26 so not that old.
-
As a pure passer Fakatava for me.
-
Whilst we go on about accurate passing etc the 9 has a lot of involvement in game management which we don't give players enough credit for. I have no idea how they measure decision making but it must be pretty important.
Also, out of interest is A Smith intending to go to the next world cup? Is 34 too old for HB? I guess if one of the young guys steps up then he may not need to play for 60-80. -
Well anyone who has read my posts on Nock over the past few years knows I have been very critical of him, so isn't a bias call.
He has always had a great pass, but was often too hesitant and almost looked scared that he rarely showed it, but this year he has along with other aspects of his game as his confidence has grown.
I also like Fakatava, good pass, seems bloody strong, a real prospect, my gripe with him is I have never been a fan of the schoolboy selections (Sivi, Fekitoa, Taumanivalu et al)
-
@chimoaus said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
Roe looks very exciting to me, a nose for the try line and just puts pressure around the ruck defenders. I hope he gets a shot at super level next year. I haven't seen enough of the other players to have a strong opinion. I think Drummond is 26 so not that old.
No mention of passing.
This is not a crack at you, @chimoaus, but more an example of how the NZ rugby public tends to look at their halfback options - how's his running game? Does he score many tries? It's no wonder we breed halfbacks who can't pass!
-
@chimoaus said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
Whilst we go on about accurate passing etc the 9 has a lot of involvement in game management which we don't give players enough credit for. I have no idea how they measure decision making but it must be pretty important.
Also, out of interest is A Smith intending to go to the next world cup? Is 34 too old for HB? I guess if one of the young guys steps up then he may not need to play for 60-80.Good point, but not relevant to this discussion, IMO. As I said elsewhere, A Smith came in as pretty much a passer and nothing else. Over the course of 94 tests, he's build a solid running game, good kicking game and (most of the time) excellent game management. These are all things you can build around an excellent passing game. And, in any event, if we have the dual play makers already on the field, an extra decision maker might just confuse things a little bit.
-
A general comment. It's no good having a quick and lengthy pass if it is erratic, and you take forever to get to each ruck.
Box kicking is also very important. TJP can only use his left foot, which is a limitation in certain parts of the field.
-
@junior said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
@chimoaus said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
Roe looks very exciting to me, a nose for the try line and just puts pressure around the ruck defenders. I hope he gets a shot at super level next year. I haven't seen enough of the other players to have a strong opinion. I think Drummond is 26 so not that old.
No mention of passing.
This is not a crack at you, @chimoaus, but more an example of how the NZ rugby public tends to look at their halfback options - how's his running game? Does he score many tries? It's no wonder we breed halfbacks who can't pass!
Agreed, his short passing game on the weekend was very good leading to tries, I didn't see any major issues with his passing. Maybe someone that has followed him through age group etc has a better opinion on his passing game.
-
I went for Folau and Finlay (even though he's a full blown ginga).
I know Roe is getting the hype at the moment, but I have visions of Leonard when I think of him. I'd like to see him play some Super rugby and have teams work him out before I hop on the hype train.
-
@chimoaus I'm sure I've seen Roe play live more than anyone else on here.
I don't think his pass is as quick or long as some of the other halfbacks in this poll (Fakatava, TTT). He's more in the Bachop mould than a Smith clone.
-
@Bovidae said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
@chimoaus I'm sure I've seen Roe play live more than anyone else on here.
I don't think his pass is as quick or long as some of the other halfbacks in this poll (Fakatava, TTT). He's more in the Bachop mould than a Smith clone.
Bachop was the prototype for Smith passing wise IMHO.
-
@Nepia said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
@Bovidae said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
@chimoaus I'm sure I've seen Roe play live more than anyone else on here.
I don't think his pass is as quick or long as some of the other halfbacks in this poll (Fakatava, TTT). He's more in the Bachop mould than a Smith clone.
Bachop was the prototype for Smith passing wise IMHO.
I see them as being slightly different passers. I'd argue Laidlaw was probably the original AB passing halfback.
-
@Bovidae yeah I dont recall Bachop being rapid and accurate like SMith, I thought he was more of an all round 9 with a good pass, good running, good kicking
-
@Bovidae said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
@Nepia said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
@Bovidae said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
@chimoaus I'm sure I've seen Roe play live more than anyone else on here.
I don't think his pass is as quick or long as some of the other halfbacks in this poll (Fakatava, TTT). He's more in the Bachop mould than a Smith clone.
Bachop was the prototype for Smith passing wise IMHO.
I see them as being slightly different passers. I'd argue Laidlaw was probably the original AB passing halfback.
In that case I'd argue Jimmy Mill was probably the original passing halfback.
Smith has been the only NZ halfback since Bachop who reminds me of Bachop due to them both having awesome passes.
-
@Nepia Kelleher and Tonu'u both had great passes too. We can question the accuracy and reliability of their passing though.
-
@Bovidae Tonu'u probably had one of the longest passes of any 9 I've seen.
-
Bring back the dive pass.
-
-
@chimoaus Who the hell is the AB there? Is my early on-set dementia hitting and I can't remember recent ABs now?
-
@Nepia looks like Marshall and McCaw?
-
@taniwharugby said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
@Nepia looks like Marshall and McCaw?
I know I favour MJ as our best 7 ever but I at least thought I'd be able to pick the GOAT in a pic.
-
Went with TTT and Nock.
TTT has a sweet pass. Hardly ever throws floaters, it’s swift and he doesn’t do the two step back motion.
Nock is a different type of halfback, but I think his passing in motion is one of the best in NZ.
-
@ACT-Crusader said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
Went with TTT and Nock.
TTT has a sweet pass. Hardly ever throws floaters, it’s swift and he doesn’t do the two step back motion.
Nock is a different type of halfback, but I think his passing in motion is one of the best in NZ.
Hmm, for some reason I missed seeing TTT on the poll, I might have chosen him over the ginga then.
-
@taniwharugby said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
@Nepia looks like Marshall and McCaw?
2003 RWC QF.
-
@Nepia did take me a 2nd look to work out it was Richie
-
Fakatava. Might not be the longest, but the value you get from being at every ruck, and whipping it in one movement off the ground is far more valuable far more often.
Aaron Smith does that, better, and has the long pass too. I reckon anyone who played 10 watches him and gets the urge to put the boots back on.
But fakatava is just a kid. Very promising, and seems to have lost his hungus now too. -
Could anyone be so kind as to list if those HB's have super contracts and with which franchise in 2021?
-
-
@Tim said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
Thanks for that, great resource. It appears only TTT, Enari, Christie, Booth and Taumateine have 2021 contracts already. Those in brackets were signed to those clubs in 2020.
Taufa Funaki
Folau Fakatava - (Highlanders)
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi - Chiefs
Sam Nock - (Blues)
Xavier Roe
Ere Enari - Crusaders
Jonathan Taumateine - Hurricanes
Finlay Christie - Blues
Jamie Booth - Hurricanes -
I think Ratima and the chiefs back up half from this year are worth keeping an eye on too.
-
I don't know that I can limit it to just passing but Fakatava and Roe seem to be the two best emerging talents. That doesn't include triple T who has already emerged.
-
@chimoaus said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
@Tim said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
Thanks for that, great resource. It appears only TTT, Enari and Christie have 2021 contracts already. Those in brackets were signed to those clubs in 2020.
Taufa Funaki
Folau Fakatava - (Highlanders)
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi - Chiefs
Sam Nock - (Blues)
Xavier Roe
Ere Enari - Crusaders
Jonathan Taumateine
Finlay Christie - Blues
Jamie BoothIsn’t JT signed with the Canes? And Booth
-
@Crucial Most likely, I was just going off the wiki article which may not be updated. I must have missed them, I updated the post.
-
Milo-Harris, that's the guy. Fallen out of favour? His pass looked pretty slick for a young fella early on in super rugby.
-
@Crucial said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
@chimoaus said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
@Tim said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
Thanks for that, great resource. It appears only TTT, Enari and Christie have 2021 contracts already. Those in brackets were signed to those clubs in 2020.
Taufa Funaki
Folau Fakatava - (Highlanders)
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi - Chiefs
Sam Nock - (Blues)
Xavier Roe
Ere Enari - Crusaders
Jonathan Taumateine
Finlay Christie - Blues
Jamie BoothIsn’t JT signed with the Canes? And Booth
Yep
both JT and Booth are signed with the Canes. -
@Bones said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
Milo-Harris, that's the guy. Fallen out of favour? His pass looked pretty slick for a young fella early on in super rugby.
Hasn't had the best Mitre 10 Cup for Taranaki. I think he's a bit limited personally - good in spurts but not really a starter imo.
-
@Nepia said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
@Bovidae said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
@Nepia said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
@Bovidae said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
@chimoaus I'm sure I've seen Roe play live more than anyone else on here.
I don't think his pass is as quick or long as some of the other halfbacks in this poll (Fakatava, TTT). He's more in the Bachop mould than a Smith clone.
Bachop was the prototype for Smith passing wise IMHO.
I see them as being slightly different passers. I'd argue Laidlaw was probably the original AB passing halfback.
In that case I'd argue Jimmy Mill was probably the original passing halfback.
Smith has been the only NZ halfback since Bachop who reminds me of Bachop due to them both having awesome passes.
I concur with Nepia's interpretation of history.
-
@Bovidae said in Best Passing Young Halfback:
A general comment. It's no good having a quick and lengthy pass if it is erratic, and you take forever to get to each ruck.
Box kicking is also very important. TJP can only use his left foot, which is a limitation in certain parts of the field.
Again, not entirely relevant to this discussion.
We're talking about identifying a young, technically excellent passing halfback who can become the next A Smith / G Bachop. It's easier to learn how to box kick than how to pass.
-
Is this a list for potential ABs? If so, isnt Taumateine Samoa capped?
Or just discussion of young HBs on NZ domestic scene?
List of 2020–21 Super Rugby Aotearoa transfers - Wikipedia
