4. Lawrence Dallaglio – Wasps
Lawrence Dallaglio became one of the most decorated and successful English players of all time.
Emerging as a raw talent in the back row during England’s victory at the 1993 Sevens World Cup at Murrayfield, Dallaglio went on to secure 85 England caps and cement his place as a hero of English rugby.
Dallaglio was a one-club man, playing every first-class game of his career for Wasps. He took the reins as club captain in 1995 when Rob Andrew departed for Newcastle and made his England Test debut in November that year against South Africa.
5. Richie McCaw – Crusaders
Richie McCaw is a great of the modern game having led the All Blacks to Rugby World Cup glory in 2011 and 2015 as well as claiming the International Rugby Board’s Player of the Year award on a record three occasions.
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He has carved out a formidable reputation as arguably the best openside flanker in the world since emerging onto the international stage at only 20 years of age, but unlike a lot of other All Blacks never left New Zealand shores, choosing to stick with the Crusaders his whole career.
6. Ben Kay – Leicester Tigers
A towering second-row forward, Ben Kay won 62 caps for England between 2001 and 2009 before retiring at the end of the 2009-10 season after 11 years with Leicester Tigers.
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Kay was a member of Tigers’ Heineken Cup winning sides in 2001 and 2002 as his international career blossomed under the guidance of team-mate and captain Martin Johnson.