Retiring Jamie Roberts ranks his THREE toughest opponents

Friday, 15 July 2022 at 07:54

byRugby Rucker

Wales centre Jamie Roberts announced his retirement earlier this week at the age of 35.

During a glittering career, Roberts won 94 Wales caps and played three Tests for the British and Irish Lions and finished his career with Waratahs in Australia.

"The time feels right," said Roberts.

"As I reach the end of my professional playing career, I'm retiring with an immense sense of gratitude for what the sport has provided me."

Roberts announced his intention to hang up his boots on social media before ranking his three toughest opponents for the Mail Online.

JAMIE ROBERTS: TOUGHEST OPPONENTS

#3. Shane Williams (Wales)

Position: Wing
Caps: 91
Tries: 60

Named world player of the year in 2008, he ended up with 60 Test tries, leaving him fourth on the all-time list behind behind Daisuke Ohata, David Campese and Bryan Habana. He was The Great Entertainer.

Jamie Roberts wrote: "Fortunately we were on the same team more often than not! The best player I’ve been on a pitch with. Those little’uns were tough to catch!"

DID YOU KNOW? Williams started his junior career as a scrum-half at Amman United before he joined Neath as a second-choice scrum-half. However, it became apparent to Lyn Jones, Neath's then-coach, that Williams simply could not be left out of the side, and placed him on the right wing. The rest is history.

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#2. Jean de Villiers (South Africa)

Position: Centre
Caps: 109
Tries: 27

Roberts said: "My first Wales game at 12 was against Jean. Loftus in 2008. We played in a similar way and were a similar build. He was a real stalwart who I looked up to."

DID YOU KNOW? The only nation who boasts a 100% winning record against the Springbok centre is Japan following their famous 2015 World Cup triumph in Brighton

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#1. Ma'a Nonu (New Zealand)

Position: Centre
Caps: 103
Tries: 31

Known initially more for his braided hair and eyeliner, he added passing and kicking to his raw line-breaking power to become one of the great centres, capping his Test career with that superb World Cup final try against the Wallabies in 2015.

Roberts said: "He had this low centre of gravity that allowed him to change his point of contact so late. You think you’d have a shot but, bang, he was gone."

Nonu became a vegetarian while playing in France for Toulon, citing his son Michael as his motivation:

"Michael, my second one, he's seven years old. When he was growing up, I was trying to feed him meat – chicken – and he never liked it. I thought 'let's try something new'. I said 'I'm not going to eat meat because I feel sorry for him enough, he'll (feel) stink. If we're going out and I'm ordering a T-bone steak and he's eating his carrots and cucumber … so I said look for the love of my son I won't eat meat because I'll try to be the same as him".