Starburst wrote:I couldn't believe it on Saturday when someone claimed that Harry was now better than Gareth Edwards.
I know harry has a good pass, can tackle and is a fantastic linebreaker but for me Edwards just shades it. Of course Edwards is pushing 60 now.
The 'claim' was actually by some chap called Shaun Edwards. Yes, him; got the welsh boys on Gwlad very hot under the collar. What Shaun E actually said was ....
There is something of Edwards in Ellis when he takes contact and I'm not the first to say it. This time last year the great man was singing the Leicester scrum-half's praises after some exciting club performances. A year earlier it was the same when Ellis was first selected. He'd caught the eye playing in Europe, and it's the same now. Now he has to translate that club form to the international stage because after a slow start to the season, caused by injury, he is back to something close to his best.
Two weeks ago, when Leicester went to Limerick and became the first team to win there in the Heineken Cup, Ellis played Ireland's Peter Stringer off the park and, that day, probably reclaimed the England shirt from Shaun Perry and Peter Richards. If he takes care of it and looks after himself, he could be England's No9 through the World Cup and way beyond that. He's 24 and nowhere near his prime. I reckon I wasn't anywhere near my best until I was at least 25. Until then I'd just been learning. Gregan will be 34 when he plays in the World Cup and Kelleher 30.
Since Matt Dawson retired none of the scrum-halves in England's queue has put his hand up for the most influential position on the field ..... simply because the scrum-half touches the ball more than anyone else. Ellis has the speed, the strength, the aggression and loads of years ahead of him.
The above was said before the Scotland match.
