SECOND-ROW:
4. Martin Johnson: “The World Cup-winning captain was England’s greatest leader. A giant physical presence in the scrum helped Johnson become the most feared lock in the game.”
5. Paul Ackford: “A former policeman, Ackford provided authority and presence in the engine room of the scrum. Brilliant in the line-out, too.”
BACK-ROW:
6. Lawrence Dallaglio: “Widely regarded as one of the finest back-rows of the modern game. Dallaglio had an all-round skill set as well as a talismanic presence on the field.”
7. Peter Winterbottom: “Back row was a nightmare – Richard Hill, Neil Back and Mike Teague are three pretty good players to leave out – but I’m backing my selection. As a fly-half I would imagine life might get pretty lively with Lawrence Dallaglio and Peter Winterbottom on your case all afternoon.”
8. Dean Richards: “The sock-round-ankles forward had the ability to control the pace of a game. Richard’s power helped him become a dominant force from the back of the scrum. Great rugby brain, too.”
EDITORS PICKS:
- Gallagher Premiership team of the week: Round 1
- 5 players who failed to impress on the opening weekend
- Marler gets into feisty scrap after opponent ‘insults his mother’
- Nigel Owens calls for ‘lengthy ban’ after brutal tackle
- Players you definitely forgot played for England under Jones
- Carter and McCaw combine to pick three toughest opponents