England-Wales ALL-TIME COMBINED XV

Saturday, 07 February 2026 at 08:33

byHarry Tovey

If you spoke to any English or Welsh rugby supporter about their greatest XV all time, it’s almost a guarantee that the discussion will unlikely stay calm for long.

This is particularly more of a certainty as England kick off their 2026 Guinness Six Nations campaign by hosting Wales at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on Saturday (16:40).

Watch the Guinness Six Nations at your local Greene King sports pub.

Different eras will collide, and if your Welsh supporter at the moment, perhaps the memories of the past will front much of the talk around the greatest of all times.

But, in all honesty, comparing players from different generations only further complicates selecting the XV.

It is almost like a history lesson, stepping back in time, nostalgia taking over, and there really is no definitive answer, but always, there's room for debate.

That’s the whole point: more than the final selection itself, it’s like Steve Borthwick and Steve Tandy making their decisions on their nations' XVs for Saturday afternoon’s meeting.

It’s tough, and so it should be.

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England and Wales, or Wales and England, have historically delivered some phenomenal talent, but we’ve put together an Ultimate XV of the best players from both nations to mark their meeting in round one of this year’s Six Nations.

England-Wales ALL-TIME COMBINED XV

Back Three

15. J. P. R. Williams

What a player.

John Peter Rhys Williams was a true icon during Wales’ 1970 era, rocking the stylish sideburns and would play on even with blood pouring from his face. A true warrior. He was an integral part during the 70s, when Wales were so dominant, and the nation claimed three Grand Slams.

He was known for his incredible defence and loved a counterattack when given the opportunity. Incredibly confident figure with a touch of skill and pure aggression. Let’s not forget, Williams had 11 victories in 11 matches between 1969 and 1981 against England.

14. Jason Robinson

Blink, and it’s a guarantee you’ve missed him. Known for his sidestepping ability, speed, and acceleration, he was a devastating game-changer, easily capable of beating whoever was planted in front of him.

He was one of the key figures during England's 2003 Rugby World Cup heroics, when they claimed the Webb Ellis Cup. Robinson started off in rugby league, but what an incredible career it turned out to be in union for the 51-Cap international.

11. Shane Williams

One of Wales’ all-time greats. Williams was a winger with dazzling footwork, and the 5ft 7 star used his height to his advantage. An incredible try-scoring machine, a magician at times, with his work with the ball in hand.

In 2008, he was selected as World Rugby’s Player of the Year, who also played at scrum-half on the odd occasion, and is the record try-scorer for Wales.

That outstanding stat sees him sit in fourth in the rugby union’s Test rugby rankings behind the likes of Daisuke Ohata, Bryan Habana, and David Campese.

Centres

13. Jonathan Davies

The 2017 British and Irish Lions tour against New Zealand says it all, really. It came as no surprise that he claimed the Player of the Series. Combining, and it must be said, a rare mix of speed, strength, and defensive prowess, has made him one of Wales’ best.

Davies, who earned 96 Caps as an international, is one of Wales’ most capped centres. He was key in guiding his nation to two Grand Slam-winning campaigns during a sparkling 18-year professional career.

12. Will Greenwood

Greenwood had a hunger for scoring tries against Wales, particularly his hat-trick in 2001 during the Six Nations at the then-called Millennium Stadium. The greatest honour of his career was lifting the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

The explosive 12 had a great rugby IQ, was a great tactical thinker, with many sides fearing his impact on matches, particularly Wales on that day, in February 25 years ago.

Half Backs

10. Jonny Wilkinson

The former Newcastle and Toulon club player will forever be associated with one of the greatest moments in English rugby history. That extra-time drop goal in Sydney forever sealed his inclusion in these sorts of discussions for eternity.

He had great game management when needed, and made it look like a breeze in attack. Injuries hindered his career, but the resilience the outside-half showed on and off the field makes him a legend.

9. Gareth Edwards

Is there really any room for discussion, for why Edwards has been selected as this XV’s scrum half?

He is by far the greatest of all time. The scorer of the greatest try of all time 52 years ago, he is without question one of the greatest the British Isles have ever produced.

Just a pure joy to watch, and from these last few sentences, you just see how great of an individual player he was, so many unforgettable moments.

Front Row

1. Jason Leonard

Talking about resilience as a forward, Leonard has to be up there for his fierce competitiveness. “The Fun Bus” is perfectly suited as this XV’s loose-head, who also set a world record at the time he claimed 114 caps.

He was a part of four World Cups, including 2003. His work rate for a prop was something to behold, and was great value for England on both sides of the ball between 1990 and 2004.

2. Jamie George

The clock is ticking for George’s international career, as following the 2027 World Cup, he’s hanging up his boots.

It must be said, what a career he has had. England’s most capped hooker has a calmness to his game which few can match, but he still brings that level of intensity.

Interestingly, he is the only member in this XV list who is still remarkably playing in the England jersey. That speaks volumes, right there.

3. Adam Jones

Is there any other tight-head who has the same level of fame and iconicness? He had one stellar career that stretched across playing for Neath RFC, Ospreys, Cardiff Blues, and Harlequins.

One of the best scrummagers Wales has ever produced, it was no surprise he was called upon for last year’s Six Nations on a secondment from the Twickenham Stoop side, to help Wales as a scrum consultant.

Second Row

4. Alun Wyn Jones

158 caps to his name for both Wales and Lions. He’s an inspiration for many in the game, even for non-Welsh rugby players. Talk about work rate, no matter the occasion, it was almost a guarantee of what sort of outing you would get from Jones.

Is there an argument here, that putting this discussion aside, he fits into the greatest world XV of all time?

5. Martin Johnson (C)

Talking about a player who set the bar which everyone around him had to aspire to be, from that, Johnson has been selected as the England and Wales XV captain.

He would bite down on his gumshield as the towering lock would set his mark out and would always deliver. He was a must in this XV, that is, of course, due to the fact that he was the man who lifted the Webb Ellis Trophy all those years ago.

Back Row

6. Richard Hill

The perfect back-row is someone who just gets on with the job in hand. Hill is a prime example of that. Expert around the breakdown, in defence, would be incredibly instrumental in stopping sides from progressing beyond the gainline.

The World Cup winner excelled on all fronts and deservedly is included in the XV.

7. Sam Warburton

Emerging as a Lions tour captain with a Series victory and a draw takes some doing, certainly during New Zealand being at their best. Like every back row, his work rate and intelligence around the breakdown were superb.

It was a shame that he would call time on his playing career after 74 caps for his country, but he has transitioned seamlessly to the media side of things and is still highly regarded as one of the best open-side flankers to play the game.

8. Taulupe Faletau

Now, the number eight jersey was a coin toss for who was selected, but that’s the beauty of these discussions: they lead to talking points.

Lawrence Dallaglio is rightly deserving of being here. When you talk about game changers and someone who can seamlessly break through defenders, Faletau fits the mould of a modern-day great number eight.

Pace, strength, and a sort of silent assassin type actions when he takes to the field, he never looks for credit, he just gets the job done.