13 Rugby players who were farmers: Sean O'Brien, the Youngs & more

So today we're celebrating the great farmers of the sport.

13 of them in fact. Let us know of anyone else who deserves a mention:

Let's get the obvious one out of the way. The Leinster, Ireland and Lions Flanker is a keen farmer in his hometown of Carlow and often posts updates of his farm on his Instagram.

Vere and his wife raised their five children on a sheep farm near Te Kuiti. Meads credits the farming lifestyle for his strong physique and high level of fitness during his days as an All Black. The legend passed away in 2017, aged 81.

Ex-England international Nic is now a farmer in Norfolk. His sons Tom, a centre turned hooker, (born 1987) and Ben (born 1989), a scrum-half, have both made appearances for Leicester, England and the British & Irish Lions.

100 miles south of Dublin to the village of Campile in the county of Wexford, you will find the Furlong farm, a modest holding of around 60 acres and 50 cows. Furlong told the Telegraph earlier this year “Even now you won’t be long home and father will have a shovel in your hand.”

Another Irish rugby player with a background in farming, the Ulsterman got seriously involved in his family's beef farm back in 2009 when he injured his neck. He told Newstalk during an interview:

"Farming is a nice release. When I come home for training I can go out and look around at the cattle, do bits and pieces and takes my mind off rugby for a bit which has kept me mentally fresher when I'm playing."

Two for the price of one. When Rob and Dave aren't busy playing rugby or being devilishly handsome, they're working at home on their family's dairy farm. Just when you thought they couldn't be any more perfect.

The South African-born Ireland back-rower hails from a 500-acre dairy farm in the Western Cape.

The third son of dairy farmer Trevor and teacher Morfydd, Phillips was born and raised on the family farm between Bancyfelin and St Clears.

Hore was raised on Stonehenge Farm, a sheep station near Patearoa in the Maniototo region of central Otago which has been owned by his family since 1910 and returned to the farm to live and work full-time after he retired from international rugby.

Hore turned down several potentially lucrative overseas moves in order to stay close to his extended family, and put all of his money from rugby into the farm.

He grew up on his parents' farm along with his sister Joanna.