Sport Bookazine 100 Greatest Rugby Players of All Time First Edition Back Issue

It’s customary when choosing all-time greats from a cast of thousands to say how difficult a task it is, and how you’re unlikely to agree with our selection. Both those statements are true, of course, and certainly we at Rugby World agonised over numerous positions.

Fly-halves Johnny Sexton and Adrian Stoop, a tactical innovator, played a century apart to a staggering standard, yet neither makes our list. You could make a case for a raft of excluded Springbok forwards, from Hennie Muller to Eben Etzebeth. And how about Neil Back, described once by Austin Healey as the world’s best player for many years.

But there are only ten slots per position, with wings, locks and centres lumped together, so something has to give. We make no apology for our choice of 120 male and ten female players, each of whom are indisputably masters of their craft. The pool of top women’s players is expanding all the time, so expect a stand-alone bookazine for them in future.

At the back, we have cheekily whittled down our legends to an ultimate XV. We don’t know how this team would get on if it could compete at a World Cup, but it would sure be interesting to watch! We hope you enjoy this tribute to the great players and gain a few insights into the skills and character that helped them make it to the pinnacle of the sport. May there be many more selection headaches to come.