Sir Ian McGeechan, the esteemed coach of the Legendary Lions, recently unveiled his ultimate forward pack consisting of remarkable players.
Notably, among his selections are three England stars who shone brightly during their triumphant campaign in the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
Sir Ian McGeechan selects his all-time forward pack:
FRONT-ROW
Loosehead-prop: Tom Smith (Scotland) – “I just don’t think he gets anywhere near the credit he deserves. Six consecutive Lions Tests in 1997 and 2001, a talismanic figure in Scotland’s 1999 Five Nations win, a major reason Scotland were competitive at the 2003 World Cup.”
Hooker: Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand) – “He was outstanding, not just as a player but as a captain, and as a man. His consistency was unbelievable in an international career that spanned 12 years: 92 Test appearances, including a world record 63 consecutive Test matches and 51 as captain. “
Tighthead-prop: Jason Leonard (England) – ” He played both sides of the scrum but he was more of a tighthead. Completely unflappable, Jason was never in any trouble. Technically, he was superb and temperamentally he was sound, a huge character on and off the pitch.”