All Black centre Sonny Bill Williams has been talking about players he played with or against who made a lasting impression on him.
In an interview with Australian website Sporting News, the cross-code superstar listed the top 14 rugby or league players he had encountered during his playing career.
There is no room for All Black legends Richie McCaw and Dan Carter, with whom Williams won the Rugby World Cup this year.
He could also not find a spot for any Springbok players.
1. Nehe Milner-Skudder
Equal top try-scorer at RWC 2015
“What he did at the 2015 World Cup was really special, especially from where he started the year.”
2. Malakai Fekitoa (New Zealand)
“When I’m finished I’ll be sitting there with my kids saying ‘I played with that guy’.”
3. Kurtley Beale (Australia)
“He’s a player I’ve loved watching over the years and I don’t think he gets the acknowledgement he deserves. He was one the best players – if not the best player – for the Australian team in the World Cup. Just his skillset, and you can tell that he’s got his stuff together off the field as well.”
4. Jonah Lomu (New Zealand)
“He’s someone that stood out because even when I didn’t play rugby I knew who he was. You just have to go back and watch some highlights of him to see how crazy what he did was. You don’t see players these days running through ten blokes on the way to the tryline.”