More rugby stars than you think almost had a career in football, including the current England Captain Owen Farrell. Check out who else makes our stunning XI.
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GOALKEEPER:
Owen Farrell (Manchester United): The England captain trained with the Manchester United youth team as a goalkeeper. Modestly, he insists he would never have made the grade and that his passion was always rugby league. But Farrell’s trial was cut short when his family moved south – and he left both sports behind for rugby union.
CENTRE-BACKS:
Ben & Tom Curry (Manchester City): It is true that they had a trial at Manchester City, who the twins support, but that was scuppered by Tom scoring an own goal. Probably for the best in the end.
Toby Flood (Newcastle United): After two years at the club he was released by academy director John Carver in the 90s. They were reunited almost 15 years later when Flood was playing at St James park with the Falcons and Carver was manager of the toon army.
WING-BACKS:
Alex Lewington (Notts County): The speedster started his sporting life as a footballer in Notts County’s academy – he was a frustrated forward playing as a defender and was soon to be disenfranchised with the game.
Wesley Fofana (Paris): Before the France debuted with Claremont, however, he trained with CFF Paris’ youth team. It wasn’t until Fofana was a teenager that he decided to leave his dreams of being a top-class footballer behind and went head first into playing rugby.
CENTRE-MIDFIELD:
Alex Goode (Ipswich Town): A box-to-box hardworking player, he’d bring balance to this midfield.
Alex Lozowski (Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ham): He played in a number of football academies before making the decision to pursue rugby. We think he’d bring creativity to the centre of the park. Lozowski even played with England captain Harry Kane at ARSENAL,
Aaron Wainwright (Cardiff City): He looked destined for a career in football having been on the books of Cardiff City and Newport County during his teenage years. He then took up rugby after being released age 16.
STRIKERS:
Danny Care (Sheffield Wednesday): The England scrum-half, who used to play in the same youth side as Jamie Vardy, will look to get in behind for this XI.
Danny Cipriani (QPR): The centre forward played for Queens Park Rangers juniors and nearly joined Readings’ youth academy before deciding on rugby as his sport of choice.
Nigel Owens ranks the best captains he has refereed, Richie McCaw third
The popular referee selected his picks for Wales Online, but set out at the start that he wouldn’t be picking any Welshman in his selection.
“I am not going to include any Welsh players on my list because I haven’t refereed them in international matches.
“Anyway, these are my top Test skippers ranked, Welshmen aside.”
NIGEL OWENS: MY TOP 5 CAPTAINS
#5. Chris Robshaw (England)
The flanker is a former English rugby union player who captained the national team from 2012 to 2015.
Known for his exceptional work rate and leadership skills, Robshaw was a dynamic flanker who made a significant impact on the field. He enjoyed a successful club career with Harlequins, where he played for over a decade. Robshaw’s dedication and commitment to the sport earned him numerous accolades and the respect of his peers.
Off the field, he is admired for his philanthropic efforts, using his platform to support various charitable causes.
Owens said: “Some people will be surprised at this one to start off. His misfortune was perhaps to be leading England during a difficult time, but he always gave everything for the cause, encouraging others to follow suit, and he was a nice guy off the pitch.”
#4. Jean de Villiers (South Africa)
He is a retired South African rugby union player who made a lasting impact on the international stage.
As a versatile back, he showcased his skills and leadership abilities as the captain of the Springboks from 2012 to 2015.
De Villiers’ playing career spanned over a decade, during which he exhibited exceptional athleticism and a powerful presence on the field.
He was widely respected for his tactical knowledge, unwavering commitment, and ability to inspire his teammates.
De Villiers remains an influential figure in the rugby world and continues to contribute to the sport through coaching and commentary.
Owens said: “He was not only a great rugby player but also a great leader and a great man. Whenever I came across him on the field, he impressed me.”