"Different class" - Retiring Sonny Bill Williams ranks his three top players

The New Zealand legend was asked by Australian website Sporting News to list the best players he watched, played alongside or came up against.

Incredibly, Williams couldn't find a place for former team-mates Dan Carter and Richie McCaw, who played a combined 260 test matches for the All Blacks.

Find out exactly who he named below.

Produced one of the individual performances of modern times when he made an eye-popping 38 tackles and scored a try in France’s 2007 World Cup win over New Zealand. World player of year in 2011.

Sonny Bill Williams said: “From my time in France I’d have to say the former France skipper, Thierry Dusautoir.

"He wasn't just an amazing player, but you can see the way he rallies his troops and how he performed in those big games.

"He’s someone I really admire.”

DID YOU KNOW? Dusautoir was the World Rugby Player of the Year in 2011, the second French player to win the award

Has one man ever done more to popularise the game of rugby than Jonah? When he burst onto the scene at the 1995 World Cup, it was like a meteor landing from outer space. 

“Williams said: "He’s someone that stood out because even when I didn’t play rugby I knew who he was. You just have to go back and watch some highlights of him to see how crazy what he did was. You don’t see players these days running through ten blokes on the way to the tryline.”

Only Dan Carter has scored more in Test rugby, with Wilkinson having garnered 1,246 during his 97 caps for England and the Lions. His finest hour, of course, came in 2003, when he slotted the drop goal that won the World Cup.

SBW said: "I’m lucky enough to say I’ve played with Jonny Wilkinson and have seen the commitment that he had.

"When I played with him, he was pretty much at the height of his powers, but the way he dedicated himself to his craft was unbelievable and I learnt a lot from him.”

DID YOU KNOW? Wilkinson's brother, Mark, was also a Newcastle player who made 16 appearances in the Premiership for the side between 2002 and 2005, predominantly as a centre