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If a rugby team has a general, it is the fly-half. Wearing the number 10, the fly-half stands one pass away from the scrum-half and is the player who decides what the team does with the ball: kick, pass or run.
The playmaker
The fly-half takes the ball from the scrum-half and is the first genuine decision-maker in the backline. A great 10 reads the defence in an instant and picks the right option — a flat pass to send a runner through a gap, a cross-kick to the wing, or a kick for territory to pin the opposition deep in their own half.
The kicking game
Most fly-halves are also the team's goal-kicker, converting tries and slotting penalties off the tee. In tight Test matches those points often decide the result. They also steer territory with a varied kicking game from hand.
Why No. 10 is so important
The fly-half sets the tempo for the whole team. A calm, accurate 10 makes everyone around them look better; a rattled one can take the side down with them. It is no coincidence that the best teams in the world are usually built around a world-class fly-half, and South Africa's depth at 10 has been a major strength in recent years.