England and Harlequins fly-half Marcus Smith hasn’t been recognised as one of the three best fly-halves in world rugby by a new ranking.
He finds himself ranked below two Six Nations rivals as he continues to try and establish himself at the very top please.
Here then, is RUCK’s followers top six list of the best fly-halves in world rugby:
Honourable mentions:
Quade Cooper (Australia) – A shock recall to the Australian setup in 2021 was a stroke of genius from coach Dave Rennie. Cooper is one of the most naturally talented #10s there has been in recent years.
Dan Biggar (Wales) – Still one of the top fly-halves in rugby, the Swansea-native is undoubtedly the first choice ten for his country.
Romain Ntamack (France) – Quite possibly the best fly-half in rugby in 2022, the Toulouse stand-off is fast becoming one of the finest players in the game.
BEST FLY-HALVES:
#6. Paolo Garbisi (Italy)
- Age:22
- Cap: 20
Despite being just 21, he has shown tremendous potential in his young career. Having started with Mogliano, he would eventually land a starting spot with Benetton. Garbisi’s 129 points from 12 appearances in the green caught the eye of France’s Montpellier, where he currently plies his trade.
#5. Owen Farrell (England)
- Age:31
- Cap: 97
The Saracens man is one of the best fly-halves on the planet. Although he usually plays 12 for England, he is always a top option for the out-half position. With the emergence of Marcus Smith in the international setup, those days might be over.
Farrell Facts:
- The Saracens star went to school with England teammate George Ford.
- He became the youngest ever player to appear in English professional rugby, making his debut aged 17 and 11 days.
- It’s well known that Owen is the son of Ireland head coach Andy Farrell. However, it’s less commonly know that his uncle Sean O’Loughlin is also a rugby league legend, winning 34 caps for Great Britain between 1993 and 2009.
- Owen Farrell married his longtime girlfriend Georgina “Georgie” Farrell (née Lyon) in July 2018. Their son, Tommy Farrell, was born in March 2019.
- He was not at first registered as a Farrell, but took mum Colleen’s family name of O’Loughlin. The couple married in 1995, changing Owen’s surname to Farrell the following year.
- In 2005, the 13-year-old Farrell had a trial with Manchester United, and did enough to convince the club’s academy executives that the then goalkeeper deserved an extended spell with the club.
