#5. Henry Tuilagi (Samoa)
Born on February 13, 1974, in Fogapoa, Samoa, Tuilagi’s career spanned over a decade, during which he left an indelible mark on the sport. Playing primarily as a powerful center or winger, he possessed exceptional strength and agility, often bulldozing through opposition defenses with ease.
Tuilagi represented the Samoan national team, showcasing his talents in various international tournaments. His intimidating presence on the field, coupled with his scoring ability and defensive prowess, made him a valuable asset to any team he played for, earning him admiration from fans and peers alike.
Haskell said: “There’s no-one that’s ever scared me because, I think, then you wouldn’t play the game… but there was one player that I was super wary of and always wondered where he was. That was Henry Tuilagi.
“The problem with Henry is, for a start, he was about 135kgs. He used to stand in the back-field and people used to kick him the ball, and he would catch it and hold it in one hand. His hand was so big that it looked like a miniature rugby ball.
“And he would run… and just the f***ing hate in his face. He was just like whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop, and he would run so f***ing hard.
“Obviously the first person would be like, ‘I’ll do it [tackle him]!’ and they’d just bounce off him… dust!
“Then I’d be like, ‘I love you mum!’, and dive into the spokes! It was horrific.”