England and Harlequins loosehead-prop Joe Marler has named ‘five of the best’ players he’s played with or faced.
It’s fair to say, it’s a sensational selection from the prop.
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#1. CARL HAYMAN
- Major teams Barbarians, Highlanders, Newcastle Falcons, Toulon, New Zealand, New Zealand Maori
- Position Prop
- Caps 45
MARLER SAID: “I played against him when he was at Newcastle and he basically Would knock **ing s**t outta ya for 80 minutes. It was like play against a prop with the fitness levels of a flanker.”
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#2. RORY BEST
- Major teams Barbarians, British and Irish Lions, Ireland A, Munster, Ulster, Ireland
- Position Hooker
- Caps 124
Marler said: “Best is hard as nails and a great thrower at the line plus great in the loose. He was pretty underrated in my opinion.”
![](https://www.ruck.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2148669-1.jpg)
DID YOU KNOW? Best followed his elder brother Simon into rugby, playing alongside him for both province and country
#3. TADHG FURLONG
- Major teams Leinster, British and Irish Lions, Ireland
- Position tighthead-prop
- Caps 55
#4. TONY WOODCOCK
- Major teams Blues, Highlanders, North Harbour, New Zealand
- Position Prop
- Caps 118
MARLER SAID: “I think he was a farmer. He epitomised those earthy, no-nonsense values on the rugby field, getting on with the job. The player I looked up to most early in my career.”
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#5. DAN COLE
- Major teams Leicester, England, Lions
- Position Prop
- Caps 98
MARLER SAID: “He looks like a polar bear, an animal renowned for being miserable. A really good friend of mine, but always a tough opponent.”
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#1. Dave Attwood
Dave Attwood facts:
- He made 157 appearances in Blue, Black and White over an eight-year period during his first spell at Bath before returning in 2022
- His debut came against Newcastle Falcons at the beginning of the 2011/12 season after arriving from Gloucester, scoring four tries in his first campaign
- The lock quickly established himself as a key player in the Bath pack and excelled at international level too, with 22 of his 24 England caps coming whilst at the Re
- The former England international has also played for Bristol (twice), Gloucester and Toulon during his established career