According to Warren Gatland, the group of players he has coached is capable of competing with any rugby team from any era.
The Wales head coach, who is 59 years old, selects only the players he genuinely respects when reflecting on his coaching experience. Below is the list of his dream team consisting of such players.
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 Williams: “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. Johnny Sexton (Ireland)
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
