"An English captain" - Warren Gatland's dream team a bit of a surprise

Friday, 12 November 2021 at 19:32

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byRugby Rucker

Warren Gatland's dream team of players he’s coached could compete with any team from any generation of rugby.

Looking back through the archives, the 58-year-old saves his praise for only the players he truly admires. Below, find his dream team of the players he coached.

BACK-THREE:

15. Leigh Halfpenny (Wales)
14. Shane Williams (Wales)
11. Sitiveni Sivivatu (New Zealand)

Gatland on Sivivatu: “Probably the best player I’ve ever coached, [who] played for the All Blacks, Waikato and Clermont, was Sitiveni Sivivatu,”

Gatland on Halfpenny: “Probably pound-for-pound, Shane Williams. He had some incredible brilliant attacking attributes. But sometimes Shane could score three tries and let in two. But pound for pound he was unbelievable when he was at his best.”

CENTRES:

13. Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland)
12. Jamie Roberts (Wales)

Gatland on O'Driscoll: "In his prime, he was absolutely outstanding in terms of his rugby knowledge and leadership. He was always able to make players around him look better than they were."

HALFBACKS:

10. Dan Biggar (Wales)
9. Conor Murray (Ireland)

FRONT-ROW:

1. Gethin Jenkins (Wales)
2. Ken Owens (Wales)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)

SECOND-ROW:

4. Maro Itoje (England)/Paul O'Connell (Ireland)
5. Alun Wyn Jones (Wales)

Gatland on Jones: "I think he's got a fantastic balance between rugby, training and home and he's matured incredibly well, is unbelievably respected by the players - the example that he sets at training, the high expectations that he has on himself."

Maro Itoje of England during the Autumn Nations Match between England and Tonga at Twickenham Stoop on 6 November 2021. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK

BACK-ROW:

6. Sam Warburton (Wales)
7. Justin Tipuric (Wales)
8. Lawrence Dallaglio (England)

Gatland on Warburton: "His leadership, attitude and demeanour, along with his performances, have placed Sam up there as one of the best and most respected players in the world. He finished with a record that he should be extremely proud of and should look back on his career with huge pride.”

Gatland on Dallaglio: "“The best captain that I’ve ever been involved with was Lawrence Dallaglio. He had that unbelievable ability to motivate players in a way that I’ve never seen anyone else able to do. Particularly in the changing rooms. He’d talk the talk and then walk the walk. I’ve so much admiration for his leadership and honesty in that role.”

DID YOU KNOW? Warburton was born in Wales to a Welsh mother and an English father and he considers himself Welsh and British