The former Springbok and Sharks centre picks his dream team of past rugby players.

15 Christian Cullen

I’m sure the phase ‘hot knife through butter’ was inspired by him. He had an effortless knack for hitting the line at pace.

14 Shane Williams

The diminutive assassin with severe acceleration. Every touch of the ball made you gasp in anticipation.

13 Brian O’Driscoll

He had a penchant for scoring tries from seemingly hopeless situations. He was never far away from the action.

12 Ma’a Nonu

He has incredible distribution skills and robustness. He created space for his backline by keeping defences honest.

11 Jonah Lomu

A literal giant of the game. He had a power and speed that will never be replicated. He changed the game forever.

10 Dan Carter

He has an aura of brilliant composure mixed with flawless attributes. Dan controls the game in commanding fashion. He has a wonderful left boot and attacks the line constantly with his creativity.

9 Fourie du Preez

He controlled the game like he was conducting an orchestra. Fourie was blessed with a prodigiously accurate boot and a deadly attacking prowess. A near perfect No 9.

8 Zinzan Brooke

A mercurial talent who was ahead of his time. He had flair and X factor. He slotted some notable drop kicks that shook the status quo at the time.

7 George Smith

A true great of the game. George had an exceptional work rate that was coupled with a treasure trove of skills. He always put his body on the line.

6 Richie McCaw (c)

He has a list of accolades that is unlikely to be beaten. Richie was often bloodied and broken after matches. A true warrior and leader.

5 John Eales

An inspired captain who led from the front and had a deadly laser when kicking for poles.

4 Bakkies Botha

A robust, indestructible, brute enforcer to the highest degree. Bakkies physically set the bar for the Springbok pack that was feared when he played.

3 Carl Hayman

He had the height of a lock which made him difficult to scrum against. An All Black great with explosive speed in abundance.

2 Kevin Mealamu

A battle-hardened and built-for-attrition player. Kevin was great at the set-piece but had wonderful humility as a player.

1 Beast Mtawarira

Beast has a ferocious frame and a mobility unmatched for his time. He was very adaptable and has a dependable and unparalleled mindset.

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