2 Danny Cipriani
Brilliant flashes were never in short supply when Danny Cipriani had the ball. His passing range, kicking ability and natural attacking instincts marked him out as one of England’s most gifted players, and for years he was tipped to become the defining fly-half of his generation.
The problem was that the hype was rarely matched by sustained international success. Across spells with Wasps, Melbourne Rebels, Sale Sharks, Gloucester and Bath, Cipriani produced plenty of memorable performances, but inconsistency remained a recurring criticism.
He won just 16 England caps, with errors and off-field distractions often becoming part of the conversation. For many, the enormous expectation surrounding him ultimately became greater than what he achieved.
1 Sébastien Chabal
The image was almost as famous as the player himself. With his long hair, huge beard and aggressive style, Sebastien Chabal became one of rugby’s biggest personalities and earned the nickname l’Homme des Cavernes, or the Caveman.
He enjoyed a lengthy professional career, won the English title with Sale and helped France claim the 2007 Six Nations, while also featuring in their run to the World Cup semi-finals that year.
Chabal won 62 caps for France and was capable of producing spectacular moments, particularly with his physicality.
Yet his enormous popularity often appeared to outweigh his consistency as a rugby player, with critics arguing that his intimidating image and media profile made him seem more influential than he was over the course of his career.
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