England's legendary fly-half Jonny Wilkinson has been discussing his top 10 rugby union players of all-time.
He didn't include any English players, instead naming his toughest opponents.
#10. Bakkies Botha (South Africa)
Wilkinson said: “Someone incredibly fierce but very very down to earth and at times he’s exactly what a team needs,”
#9. Francois Pienaar (South Africa)
Wilkinson said: "Approaching a World Cup in our own country I think people can understand the pressure on the home team and to think about the pressure on the home captain - think about what this guy must have been going through in South Africa at that time. To see how he dealt with it I think is a lesson to all of us”.
#8. Michael Lynagh (Australia)
#7. John Eales (Australia)
Wilkinson said: "Intelligent, another massive leader, gets himself around the park and brings another angle of goal kicking”.
#6. Tim Horan (Australia)
Wilkinson said: "A guy that knew how to win, knew how to play the game. His body language suggested he didn’t really know how to fail or what mistakes were, what under performance was.”
#5. Christophe Dominic (France)
Wilkinson said: “His opportunism, his flair, his game reading, his sheer explosivity to really change a game is something that sticks in my memory”
#4. Jonah Lomu (New Zealand)
Wilkinson said: "“The guy is quite a remarkable rugby legend and deserves to be so. No Rugby World cup team would be complete without him.”
#3. Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland)
Wilkinson said: "The ability to change the game in a second, a heartbeat, with his movement, with his skill, his game reading but also his leadership.”
#2. Dan Carter (New Zealand)
The double World Cup-winner has established himself as one of the greatest players in history, being near faultless in every department: he can attack, break the line and kick accurately tactically or at goal. He was named the World Player of the Year in 2005, 2012 and 2015 and has won three Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders, and nine Tri-Nations and Rugby Championships with the All Blacks.
#1. Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
Wilkinson said: "A guy that stood the test of time and has remained at the best, the highest level of the game for that time”"
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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