Sir Ian McGeechan has named his greatest XV rugby union team of all time, although Paul O’Connell, David Campese, Lawrence Dallaglio, and Jonny Wilkinson are not included.
Six New Zealanders are among the 56-year-choices, old’s which also includes three Englishmen, two Welshmen, and one player from each of France, Scotland, and Ireland.
BACK-THREE
Fullback: JPR Williams (Wales)
Sir Ian McGeechan’s Comment:
“Not a staggeringly original choice, I’ll admit. But to my mind the only one. If I’m going to be picking a dream XV over the next few days then I want JPR at the back. No question.”
Left-wing: Jonah Lomu (New Zealand)
Sir Ian McGeechan’s Comment:
“Illness and injury ultimately slowed him down. But his performances at the 1995 World Cup, just as the game was turning professional, will never be forgotten. The game needed a superstar, and it got one in Lomu. He was brilliant for rugby.”
Right-wing: John Kirwan (New Zealand)
Sir Ian McGeechan’s Comment:
“He had an all round game; he could carry the ball through heavy traffic, he could offload, he was like an extra back-rower at times. Plus, he had natural effortless pace. He ended up scoring 35 tries for the All Blacks and was instrumental as they went through their unbeaten spell of games between 1987 and 1990.”
CENTRES
Outside-centre: Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)
Sir Ian McGeechan’s Comment:
“His ability to get back on his feet after tackling to compete for the ball was extraordinary, and ensured he always had an impact on the game, whatever type of game it was. He was such a natural talent.”
Inside-centre: Philippe Sella (France)
Sir Ian McGeechan’s Comment:
“Sella and O’Driscoll were powerful men. They could stop a forward in his tracks. I think as a pair they would dominate any midfield and I like the thought of them together.”
HALFBACKS
Fly-half: Dan Carter (New Zealand)
Sir Ian McGeechan’s Comment:
“really was the complete 10. His defence was immaculate, he could break himself, he could bring others in to play, his kicking from hand and from tee was incredibly accurate. He also changed the way the game was played with his kicking from his own 22m and his kicking to compete. The greatest of the modern era in my opinion.”
Scrum-half: Gareth Edwards (Wales)
Sir Ian McGeechan’s Comment:
My favourite scrum-half of all time happens to be my favourite player of all time. Gareth Edwards was and always will be the master. The Greatest.’’
FRONT-ROW
Loosehead-prop: Tom Smith (Scotland)
Sir Ian McGeechan’s Comment:
“I just don’t think he gets anywhere near the credit he deserves. Six consecutive Lions Tests in 1997 and 2001, a talismanic figure in Scotland’s 1999 Five Nations win, a major reason Scotland were competitive at the 2003 World Cup.”
Hooker: Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand)
Sir Ian McGeechan’s Comment:
“He was outstanding, not just as a player but as a captain, and as a man. His consistency was unbelievable in an international career that spanned 12 years: 92 Test appearances, including a world record 63 consecutive Test matches and 51 as captain.“
Tighthead-prop:Jason Leonard (England)
Sir Ian McGeechan’s Comment:
” He played both sides of the scrum but he was more of a tighthead. Completely unflappable, Jason was never in any trouble. Technically, he was superb and temperamentally he was sound, a huge character on and off the pitch.”
SECOND-ROW
Lock: Martin Johnson (England)
Sir Ian McGeechan’s Comment:
‘I think he defined an era, both for forward play and for the performances of the teams he represented.”
Lock: John Eales (Australia)
“A two-time Rugby World Cup-winner with the Wallabies in 1991 and 1999, captaining his side to victory over France in the second of those finals. A lot of the ‘number fives’ that have followed him play the way they do because of the type of game Eales set.”
BACK-ROW
Blindside-flanker: Richard Hill (England)
“One of the easier selections, if I’m honest. Hill seemed to know almost instinctively where to be and when.”
Openside-flanker: Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
“Having picked Richard Hill at blindside, the thought of pairing him with Richie McCaw at openside genuinely excites me. Can you imagine those two together? The opposition would not stand a chance.”
Number 8: Zinzan Brooke (New Zealand)
“One of the toughest choices of the lot. Maybe the toughest. His ability to bring others into the game, his ability to stay connected in the game himself, popping up repeatedly through different phases; all exemplary. And he dropped goals of course. A true original.”
