4. CONRAD SMITH – NEW ZEALAND
Conrad Smith was positional perfection. Known as “The Professor” because of his intelligence and analytical approach, Smith was one of the most technically accomplished outside centres rugby has ever seen.
He won 94 Test caps for New Zealand and was a central figure in the All Blacks teams that won consecutive Rugby World Cups in 2011 and 2015. Smith’s partnership with Ma’a Nonu became one of the greatest midfield combinations in international rugby. The pair started together 61 times and won 54 of those matches, combining Nonu’s power with Smith’s vision, distribution and defensive awareness.
Smith also finished his World Cup career with a perfect record, winning all 15 matches he played across the 2011 and 2015 tournaments. He was rarely the loudest player on the field, but his influence was enormous. Smith understood defensive systems, anticipated attacking patterns and consistently made the correct decision under pressure.
DID YOU KNOW? Smith scored a try with his first touch in an All Blacks jersey after making his Test debut against Italy in 2004.
3. TIM HORAN – AUSTRALIA
Tim Horan was the complete centre. The Wallabies legend won 80 Test caps and scored 30 tries during an 11-year international career that included two Rugby World Cup victories. Horan lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in 1991 and 1999, becoming one of only a select group of players to win the tournament twice.
His first World Cup triumph came at just 21 years old, while his performances during Australia’s 1999 campaign confirmed his status as one of the finest midfielders in the world. Quick, powerful and exceptionally difficult to tackle, Horan combined a low centre of gravity with excellent footwork. He could create opportunities as a playmaker, finish tries himself and defend with relentless intensity.
His partnership with fellow Wallabies great Jason Little remains one of the strongest centre combinations the game has ever seen.
DID YOU KNOW? Horan was named World Rugby Player of the Year following the Wallabies’ Rugby World Cup win in 1999.
2. MA’A NONU – NEW ZEALAND
Ma’a Nonu changed expectations of what an inside centre could be. Powerful enough to dominate the gainline but skilful enough to operate as a second playmaker, the dreadlocked jugger-naught became one of the most destructive midfield players in rugby history.
He won 103 Test caps for New Zealand and was a key figure in the All Blacks’ Rugby World Cup victories in 2011 and 2015. His partnership with Conrad Smith brought unbeatable balance to the New Zealand midfield, as Nonu supplied the physical threat, while Smith provided the tactical intelligence, but the former was far more than a powerful runner. His passing, kicking and ability to put teammates into space improved significantly throughout his career.
Nonu also enjoyed a hugely successful club career, winning the 2014 Super Rugby title with the Blues before becoming a major figure at Toulon, towards the tail end of the Galacticos Era in South Eastern France. His longevity was equally remarkable, with Nonu continuing to play professional rugby well into his forties, and is currently under contract at the Hollywoodbets Sharks down in Durban.
DID YOU KNOW? Nonu arrives at the Sharks at 44-years-old, and holds the record of being the oldest try-scorer in Top 14 history whilst in his latest Toulon stint.
1. BRIAN O’DRISCOLL – IRELAND
There could only be one player at the top. Brian O’Driscoll was the complete centre: a prolific try scorer, a world-class defender, an intelligent playmaker and one of rugby’s greatest leaders.
He won 133 caps for Ireland, captaining his country 83 times, and added eight Test appearances for the British & Irish Lions. O’Driscoll scored a record 46 Test tries for Ireland and remains the country’s all-time leading try scorer. His 26 tries in the Six Nations are also a competition record, underlining his extraordinary ability to deliver on rugby’s biggest stages. O’Driscoll also holds three Six Nations Player of the Championship awards, from his 2006, 2007 and 2009 campaigns – a record in the competition.
He helped Ireland win two Six Nations titles, including the famous Grand Slam of 2009, while his influence extended across four Rugby World Cups and three Lions tours. At club level, O’Driscoll enjoyed four league titles with Leinster along with a trio of Heineken Cup winners medals, and also the 2013 Challenge Cup.
What separated O’Driscoll from the rest was his complete understanding of the game. He could produce moments of individual brilliance, but he also made every player around him better. For consistency, longevity, leadership and pure talent, Brian O’Driscoll remains rugby’s greatest ever centre.
DID YOU KNOW? O’Driscoll is the highest-scoring centre in international Test rugby history and was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2016.
