Former England flanker Lewis Moody has picked two World Cup-winning Springbok greats in his all-time dream team.
Selecting his best of the best for Planet Rugby, Moody’s team includes nine World Cup winners and three former World Player of the Year winners.
Victor Matfield, who is the second-most capped Springbok of all time (127), slots into the second row alongside ex-England skipper Martin Johnson, while two-time World Cup-winner Os du Randt packs down in the front row with Englishmen Julian White and Steve Thompson.
“An artist of lineouts and a very skilled man with ball in hand who was almost like a fourth flanker for the Boks,” Moody said of Matfield.
“The number of times he’d make the extra man around the 13 channel showed his rugby IQ, but as a lineout forward, he was peerless. The best I have ever seen.”
“Whilst clearly a top scrummager, Os’ superpowers were his work-rate around the ruck and his huge tackle count,” he added. “He was tireless around the pitch and had an amazing engine for a man of some 140kg.”
Former Ireland and British & Irish Lions captain Brian O’Driscoll links up in the midfield with Ma’a Nonu, while fellow All Blacks icon Dan Carter forms a halfback partnership with Wallabies legend George Gregan.
Also from New Zealand, there is former skipper Richie McCaw, another two-time World Cup winner. Samoan juggernaut Alesana Tuilagi, Irishman Geordan Murphy and Englishman Rory Underwood complete the lineup.
Lewis Moody’s Dream Team – 15 Geordan Murphy (Ireland), 14 Rory Underwood (England), 13 Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland), 12 Ma’a Nonu (New Zealand), 11 Alesana Tuilagi (Samoa), 10 Dan Carter (New Zealand), 9 George Gregan (Australia), 8 Abdel Benazzi (France), 7 Richie McCaw (New Zealand), 6 Thierry Dusautoir (France), 5 Victor Matfield (South Africa), 4 Martin Johnson (England), 3 Julian White (England), 2 Steve Thompson (England), 1 Os du Randt (South Africa).
Photo: Duif du Toit/Gallo Images
