The 5 Greatest Rugby Players Of All-Time Have Been Ranked Based On Stats

Putting personal bias aside, the original article was written and compiled by Ben Nurse for The Match Report using statistics from Wikipedia and ESPN.

Every player was ranked on each individual statistic and this ranking will correspond to a value of points, e.g. 1st gets 10 points and and 10th gets 1 points. The statistics they were ranked on are: total international wins, international win percentage, tries scored, domestic trophies* and international Trophies**

A player who led by example and the kind of man you would always want alongside you in the trenches when the chips are down. Would never ask someone to do something he wouldn’t do himself.  As well as being an inspirational leader, the Leicester lock was also a formidable player in his own right. A rock like presence in the tight, whose rugby motto was if in doubt, go forward.

Did you know? Johnson briefly played American football for the Leicester Panthers as a tight end or defensive end

Capped by Australia on more than 100 occasions and scorer of 64 international tries, the speedster was once the world’s top scorer, but now has to settle for the honour of second place. To summarise, if there was even the slightest bit of daylight between the try-line and his opposite man, Campese was as good as over.

Did you know? Campese was named player of the tournament as the Wallabies that won the 1991 Rugby World Cup

One of the most feared players in the game, O’Driscoll was also one of the most consistent. His 141 Test caps, including eight for the Lions.
Holds the Six Nations record for most tries with 26 and was chosen Player of the Tournament in the 2006, 2007 and 2009, leading Ireland to one Grand Slam and three Triple Crowns. Europe’s finest.

Did you know? His father, Frank, played two games for Ireland and a cousin of his father, Barry, won four caps

Complementing his natural prowess over the ball, McCaw worked and worked at his game, adding handling skills and dynamic running to turn himself into the complete openside. Unflinchingly brave, he has remained a quite outstanding exponent at the breakdown throughout the career, while also possessing the athleticism and footballing ability to serve as the classic link man and the ball carrying dynamism to consistently break the line. He had the lot.

Did you know? McCaw's great-great-grandfather immigrated to New Zealand from Scotland in 1893, and settled in the Hakataramea Valley, Waimate District, South Canterbury

Dan the man. The greatest back of the professional era, his record speaks for itself. Way out in front as the leading points scorer in international rugby history, with 1,598 points from his 112 caps. Throw in a further 1,708 points for the Crusaders and the fly-half’s impact on the game cannot be emphasised enough.

His great uncle was Canterbury and New Zealand half back , a member of the 1924–25  and later a Canterbury rugby administrator