RANKED | The 5 best rugby captains of all-time – according to The Rugby Paper

It’s fair to say, there are one or two surprising picks.

We’ll have our own look through his top five, but to read the full article head over and subscribe to the UK’s best-selling rugby publication, on-sale every Sunday.

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He was an Irish-born New Zealand rugby union footballer best remembered as the captain of the "Original All Blacks"—the 1905–06 New Zealand national team, the first representative New Zealand side to tour the British Isles. Under Gallaher's leadership the Originals won 34 out of 35 matches over the course of tour

The centre was England’s youngest rugby union captain and most successful until Martin Johnson won the 2003 World Cup. The Harlequins centre chalked up 54 points for his country, and earned a reputation as a top player and professional.

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A true Australian sporting legend, Eales won two World Cups and played 84 times for his country, 55 times as captain, from the second row, with a further two caps earned at No.8, contributing to a total of 86 international appearances.

The flanker is one of the greats of the modern game having led the All Blacks to Rugby World Cup glory in 2011 and 2015. He also claimed the International Rugby Board's Player of the Year award on a record three occasions.

Johnson is widely regarded as one of the greatest locks to have ever played the game. As a player he famously led England to glory at the 2003 Rugby World Cup and also captained the British & Irish Lions in 1997 and 2001.