From unforgettable Rugby World Cup triumphs to dominance across the European club stage, the men’s game is awash with countless icons that have defined the past two and a half decades.
So, we have taken on the tall order of picking out the world’s greatest men’s players, that have taken the sport of rugby union to new heights, since the 21st Century began on January 1st 2001.
They say you can’t please all of the people, all of the time, and that is certainly going to be the case with this list. Throughout the past 25 years of professional rugby, there has been an abundance of players that rightfully deserve the recognition of being ‘all-time greats’ of the game.
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It was an arduous process of elimination, and we can assure you that some of your favourites have not made the list (because some of ours didn’t, either). We’ll dive straight in with a short-list of honourable mentions that just failed to make the grade, before counting down the 21 best men’s players from the 21st Century so far…
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
FINN RUSSELL / STUART HOGG / DAVID POCOCK / MICHAEL HOOPER / MA’A NONU / SAM WHITELOCK / BRODIE RETALLICK / AARON SMITH / KEITH WOOD / CIAN HEALY / RONAN O’GARA / LAWRENCE DALLAGLIO / LEWIS MOODY/ SHANE WILLIAMS / JUSTIN TIPURIC / SERGIO PARRISE / JOHN SMIT / FOURIE DU PREEZ / MALCOLM MARX / VICTOR MATFIELD
THE 21 GREATEST PLAYERS OF THE 21ST CENTURY (SO FAR…)
21. THIERRY DUSATOIR (FRANCE)
ACCOLADES
CLUB: 5x Top 14 (2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012) / 1x Champions Cup (2011)
COUNTRY: 80 Caps – 2010 Six Nations Grand Slam / 2011 Rugby World Cup Runner-Up
INDIVIDUAL: 2011 World Rugby Player of the Year
Considered by many to be the greatest French player this side of the new millennium before a certain magical scrum half stole the spotlight. Thierry Dusatoir was the heart-beat of Les Bleus for more than a decade, and boasts a decorated club resume across Biarritz and Toulon, bolstering his collection of winners medals. Dusatoir was at his peak for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, as he captained France to the final, in a gut-wrenching defeat to the All Blacks. Dusatoir’s efforts earned him the World Player of the Year award, and cememnted his legacy as one of the all-time French greats.
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20. SAM WARBURTON (WALES)
ACCOLADES
CLUB: 2010 Challenge Cup
COUNTRY: 74 Caps – 2x Six Nations Winner (2012, 2013) / 2012 Six Nations Grand Slam / 2013 & 2017 Lions Tours
INDIVIDUAL: MBE (2018)
One of the longest serving stalwarts to the fabled red of Wales, Sam Warburton was a hall-mark name in the land across the river Severn soon after making his Test debut in 2009. A baby-faced back row, the Cardiff centurion was fast-tracked from the Wales development path-way and into the national team at just 19-years-old, as he steadily nailed his name to the first choice back row.
Warburton captained Wales throughout the 2011 Rugby World Cup, before lifting back-to-back Six Nations titles as skipper. The flanker holds the Wales record for the most caps as captain with 49, and his Lions record is equally as celebrated. A two-time captain upon the triumphant tour of Australia and the drawn series against the All Blacks, Warburton hung up the boots in 2017 once back from New Zealand.
19. GEORGE GREGAN (AUSTRALIA)
ACCOLADES:
CLUB: 2x Super Rugby (2001, 2004), France Pro D2 (2008), Japan Top League (2011)
COUNTRY: 1999 Rugby World Cup, 2x Tri Nations (2000 & 2001), 6x Bledisloe Cup (1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)
INDIVIDUAL: Order of Australia 2004, Sport Australia Hall of Fame 2009, World Rugby Hall of Fame 2013
Next up is the man considered by many across the land down under as the finest Wallaby of the 21st Century. George Gregan entered the new Millennium firmly established as the first choice scrum half, having lifted the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Super Rugby glory quickly followed with the Brumbies, either side of leading Australia to the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final and the extra-time defeat to England. Gregan embodied a golden era of Australian success across the Southern Hemisphere, whilst also plying his trade with club success with Toulon and Suntory Sungoliath.
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18. CHESLIN KOLBE (SOUTH AFRICA)
ACCOLADES
CLUB: 1x Currie Cup (2014), 1x Champions Cup (2021), 2x Top 14 (2019 & 2021) 1x Challenge Cup (2023)
COUNTRY: 2x Rugby World Cup (2019 & 2023), 3x Rugby Championship (2019, 2024 & 2025), SA Sevens Olympic Bronze Medal (2016)
INDIVIDUAL: 2019 World Rugby Player of the Year Nominee, South Africa Men’s Player of the Year (2024)
Our next entrant is the first of many South Africans on this list, as the explosive Springboks wing Cheslin Kolbe comes in at number 18. We hand an honourable mention to Wales and Lions great Shane Williams, yet Kolbe’s back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles and recent Rugby Championship dominance gets the green and gold light. The wing has been a destructive force upon the touchlines since his Currie Cup debut with Western Province in 2009, and has gone on to collect a string of winners medals across Europe as part of an incredible Toulouse side.
17. ARDIE SAVEA (NEW ZEALAND)
ACCOLADES
CLUB: 2016 Super Rugby Winner
COUNTRY: 2023 Rugby World Cup Runner-Up, 7x Rugby Championship (2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
INDIVIDUAL: 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year, 2019 Nominee, World Rugby Dream Team (2021, 2023), Super Rugby Player of the Year (2025), Japan Rugby League One Player of the Year (2024)
Another first entrant in what will by no means be the final All Black on this list, Ardie Savea takes the spot at number 17 having marshalled New Zealand through a challenging, transitional period. Stepping up to star alongside the likes of Beauden Barrett, following the plethora of retirees following the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Savea has collected seven Rugby Championship winners medals and led New Zealand to the 2023 Rugby World Cup Final.
He was short-listed for the World Rugby Player of the Year award in 2019, before taking the coveted prize in 2023. Savea has coupled his storied All Blacks career with club campaigns across the Hurricanes, sabbaticals in Japan and captained the ultimate underdogs Moana Pasifika.
