"He'll go down as one of the greats" - Dan Carter & Richie McCaw pick their ultimate rugby line-up

Saturday, 08 July 2023 at 04:53

byRugby Rucker

All Blacks legends Dan Carter and Richie McCaw have both opened up about the toughest players they respectively faced in their illustrious playing careers.

Carter and McCaw have now both hung up their boots so they can speak a little more openly than they may have during their long and successful careers.

Having both previously picked their own XV's, we take a look at the team their combined team would make.

BACK-THREE:

15. Christian Cullen (New Zealand)
14. Bryan Habana (South Africa)
11. Jonah Lomu (New Zealand)

Carter on Lomu: "He was the toughest player. I played against him once, I was 19-year-old and tried to tackle him, kinda woke up five metres back. He changed the game of rugby."

McCaw on Lomu: “When I first became an All Black he was in the team. To play alongside a guy you have watched as a young fella was pretty amazing. He made me look silly in training more than once.

"He is one of the absolute superstars of rugby. If you go to somewhere where rugby is perhaps not well known then the one guy they do know is Jonah. It's really sad that he's passed away at age 40. He was a legend of the All Blacks and a legend of rugby."

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CENTRES:

13. Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland)
12. Ma'a Nonu (New Zealand)

Carter on O'Driscoll: “Two giants of the game that have worn the green jersey were Paul O’Connell and Brian O’Driscoll. Their work rate and how they conducted themselves on and off the pitch was exemplary.”

HALFBACKS:

10. Jonny Wilkinson (England)
9. Aaron Smith (New Zealand)

Carter on Wilkinson: "Someone I really looked up to and I tried to have a similar work ethic. The 2005 Lions tour was a bit of a fanboy moment for me."

McCaw on Wilkinson: "He'll go down as one of the greats of world rugby."

FRONT-ROW:

1. Tendai Mtawarira (South Africa)
2. Dane Coles (New Zealand)
3. Olo Brown (New Zealand)

SECOND-ROW:

4. Paul O'Connell (Ireland)
5. Brodie Retallick (New Zealand)

BACK-ROW:

6. Schalk Burger (South Africa)
7. George Smith (Australia
8. Thierry Dusautoir (France)

Carter on Burger: "“A real competitor and absolute top bloke off the field as well. His mindset was a little bit different when he was out there competing. That just made him such a tough opponent to come up against.”

Carter on Dusautoir: "He had some blinding games in big moments — none more so than in the 2007 and 2011 World Cup games against the All Blacks."

McCaw on Smith: Speaking in a Q+A with World Rugby, McCaw's revealed former Wallabies flanker George Smith as the one he feared most on the field, saying Smith "was always pretty tough".

“I remember playing him when I was in the under 19s against Australia and remember then thinking just what a good player he is.”

McCaw on Burger: "You can come up against another tough team but never feel like you have had a tough match against your opposite. But with Burger you knew where they are going to be and how hard they play near the ball."

Get your tickets to the Rugby World Cup matches at viagogo, the world’s leading ticket marketplace. Find out how by clicking here.

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