Former Wallabies scrum-half Will Genia believes that Jamison Gibson-Park is ‘easily the best halfback in the world’ and rates him ahead of France captain Antoine Dupont.
37-year-old Genia explains that he prefers the British and Irish Lions call-up’s style of play, which he likened to former Springboks number nine Fourie du Preez.
Gibson-Park has been tipped by most to be Andy Farrell’s first-choice halfback for the Test matches Down Under against the Wallabies, with England’s Alex Mitchell and Wales’ Tomos Williams also included in the squad, having been a driving force in Leinster and Ireland’s success in recent years.
“Easily the best halfback in the world”
Genia sang the 33-year-old’s praises when discussing the upcoming tour to Australia with ex-England scrum-half Ben Youngs on the For the Love of Rugby Podcast.
Youngs believes that the starting British and Irish Lions jersey for the Test matches is Gibson-Park’s to lose, but when asked for his view, Genia was forthright in his response.
“I think he’s easily the best halfback in the world,” the former Wallaby confidently stated.
Youngs was initially shocked by the statement, asking, “Really, ahead of Dupont?”
But Genia stuck to his guns.
“Yeah, I do [think so],” he said.
“Dupont is an athletic freak. There has never been anyone like him, and he’s incredibly skilful, but my favourite halfbacks coming through the game, were guys like yourself, Aaron Smith, Fourie du Preez, guys with a real sense of skill and finesse and ability to act as a playmaker as a halfback.
“I’m not saying Dupont doesn’t do that, not at all, but when I watch Gibson-Park, he reminds me of guys like yourself, he’s real smooth with the way he plays the game, he’s real decisive, he’s got great vision, excellent skills.
“For me, he’s definitely the best halfback in the world. It’d be him or Dupont, but he is one of the big reasons why Ireland are so successful; he gives them tempo and direction.
“Touching on what we were speaking about before, at Test level it’s about minimising errors, he rarely makes mistakes. He performs at an eight or nine out of 10 every week.
He added: “He’d be up there for try assists too. So many times he is playing down the short side, throwing long balls over the top to put guys like James Lowe in space, crossfield kicks off the back of rucks, mate, he’s world-class – I don’t think it’s even a debate who the halfback is for the Lions.”
Gibson-Park’s strengths
Youngs agreed that ‘there is no debate’ for the Lions starting number nine with Gibson-Park being nailed on.
“He is definitely the guy that Australia will have to shut down,” he said.
“The other thing which he gives himself, and great nines do, is time on the ball – time on the ball at the back of a ruck that’s chaotically competitive, that guys are trying to hound you from both sides of the ruck, to give yourself time and space to still make great decisions, distribute short or long passes, his short kicking game and everything like that.”
Genia added: “You’ve nailed it, he certainly looks like he always has time on the ball, he’d be sat at to the back of a ruck and he’s almost got his hands on the ball and he’s assessing in one or two seconds what decision he’s going to make.
“The one thing he does that really reminds me a lot of Fourie du Preez, I remember watching du Preez and that bloke would make the right decision nine times out of 10, and when I watch someone like Gibson-Park, he has that same ability that he’s always making the right decisions.
“He is not overplaying his hand, he’s almost two or three moments in front of everybody else. I can’t speak highly enough of him.”
Genia was wary not to downplay or “disrespect” Dupont and his ability, but further explained that he prefers Gibson-Park’s approach and again stated that he is the best of the best.
“Again, Dupont is an absolute freak and and it’s probably a case of where you know we are seeing all these things and he is so good that he’s doing it consistently that it’s like ‘Okay, let’s look at someone else’ but I’m a big, big fan of Gibson-Park,” he said.
“I’m probably biased because he is my type of player as opposed to someone like Dupont, who is an all-time great. I’m not going to sit here and disrespect him in that way, but I think that Gibson-Park is the best halfback in the world.”
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/british-and-irish-lions-will-genia-likens-easily-the-best-halfback-in-the-world-jamison-gibson-park-to-springboks-great
