2. Mauro Bergamasco (Italy)
The then 36-year-old became just the second player to feature in five separate World Cup campaigns in 2015. The flanker, who has won 106 caps for the Azzurri over a 17 year period, retired from professional rugby after Italy’s final game of the tournament.
He predominantly played as an open-side flanker, although his versatility means that he had also played a number of international games on the wing, and started at scrum-half in an infamously error-prone performance. He was considered to be one of Italy’s best players in his preferred position.
DID YOU KNOW: He featured on the cover of the Italian version of the EA Sports game Rugby 08.