When people talk about how the game has moved on over the past 20 years or so, this topic always seems to creep up.

When I was growing up, our Stand-Off was Tommy Martyn. He was your typical off the cuff Number 6 who played as a second receiver and could make things happen out wide.

Alongside him was Sean Long. Probably my favorite player growing up. Same position, and he was your typical Scrum-Half. Great kicking game, and although he had a running game, he directed the side superbly well.

That's what I would call a typical half back pairing. An organiser and a ball player. First and second receiver. As the years have gone on, the Stand-Off role has changed dramatically for me. Teams tend to play split halves these days. Imagine telling someone like Alex Murphy where they could and couldn't stand. Loose Forwards playing in the 6 shirts - that wouldn't have been the case 20 years ago. Wouldn't have been the case 10 years ago.

My question is: What do you want from a Half-Back pairing, and also, what do you want to see from the player wearing the Number 6 shirt?

Are you sure?

I recall GB/England selecting Andy Farrell and Paul Sculthorpe as half back on several occasions.

Teams tend to play with 3 half backs. 2 Oraginser/Distributers with the full back providing the off the cuff running game that the traditional 6 used to give. 6 and 7 are pretty interchangeable these days.

Sadly we don't seem to produce the type of 7 I like to see anymore. For me the perfect 7 was an Andy Gregory type. The closest we have at the moment is Briers and he was in his late 20's before he matured into the role.

I disagree about Long. For me he was the perfect 6 but moved to accommodate Martyn.

We seem to move most of our decent halves to full back. Tomkins, Lomax, Ratchford looks to be groomed as Hodgeson's replacement. I dream on someone producing a 7 with the skills of a Gregory. If we did we'd have a real of beating Australia on a consistent basis.

Long was both the perfect 6 and the perfect 7 at different stages of his career.

Over the last 6 years there has been a change for the half backs to produce a kicking game due to tighter defences and more mobile forwards.
There has also been a shift in the no 6 as a support player as far back as Sean Edwards, McQuire, Tyrer etc,
I think the problem Superleague has brought impatience into the game in developing half backs, the younger home grown players take too long to develop in a game that demands short term success. The last 5 years there has been an enormous amount of imports at 6 and 7, the teams that address the problem will probably be the successful ones for the future.

As a Hull fan I just want a settled half back pairing. Then I can worry about what they do on the field

There is no "perfect" 6. There is no "perfect" 7.

There are talented players able to complement each other's skills and execute a gameplan, irrespective of where they are named on a teamsheet.

Sinfield has few of the attributes you would say make a perfect stand off. He's not particularly quick, or elusive. He has a good long and short kicking game much more reminiscent of a scrum half of old.

Doesn't half make a decent job of the role at Leeds though, because he has other players around him whose strengths balance out his weaknesses, and vice versa.

And Phil Clarke, and Ellery Hanley.

I also think we lost many half backs because they are deemed no big enough at 16/17/18 which is crazy! The halfback position should be one of the most popular positions in junior rugby where the most talented play. Yet not many seem to be coming through the system. At Bradford out 3rd choice half back (Addy) is a loose. Although he does an ok job, you can see the difference between him and a natural half back. The speed of passing, kicking organising is on a different scale.

And as another poster said, we find a decent half back then move them to full back!!!

There isn't a 6 and 7 anymore I don't think. You have a left edge and a right edge half back with your full back acting as another pivot. It always makes me laugh when people say "we need a 7" or "we don't want 'an other', he's definitely not a 7". All half backs do the same job these days.

Nonsense.

We finally have a good settled halfback pairing at Leigh in Martin Ridyard, who is an excellent organiser, kicker & ball player and Ryan Brierley who is an excellent second receiver who is rapid quick with a good rugby brain and set of hands, it makes a huge difference to the dynamics of the team when the halfbacks compliment each other.

And that's the problem.

Yes, they work well together, though Sinfield should be wearing the No.7 jersey. I want to get rid of squad numbers. Sinfield should be wearing No.7 for Leeds.

Widdop coming off the bench for England.

It's about getting the balance of the team right, look at the Canterbury Bulldogs last year. But IMO the No.9 is the most important position on the park, passing out of acting-half is crucial. K.Cunningham was not v.good at that, I would have played him at loose-forward not No.9. He couldn't spin pass to his right.