Rugby is one of the most popular sports worldwide. Due to its popularity, numerous rugby fans ask, “who are the best rugby players of all time?” Rugby was created in 1823 by William Webb Ellis, and with its long-standing history, it’s expected that there are numerous best rugby players.
Now that we’re in 2023, the list is just increasing. This article discusses the best of the best rugby players in history. Fans must remind themselves of what made rugby great to appreciate the game fully; you can do just that by reading up on these individual rugby players’ contributions.
Jonah Lomu
One of the most prominent rugby players of all time is none other than Jonah Lomu. This player reinvented the game and gained different generations of rugby fans with his impeccable running abilities.
He’s 6ft and 5 inches at his prime, and you may think that with his height, a huge player should be taking his place in the scrum. Thankfully, his ability to run at 100m in 10.80 seconds made him a valuable player.
Jonah Lomu had numerous career highlights over his rugby career, including a record of 15 Rugby World Cup tries! He even ran over Mike Catt during their semi-final match.
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Richie McCaw
Many rugby fans believe that Richie McCaw is the greatest rugby player of all time. It’s because he holds three World Rugby Player of the Year awards. It’s already an achievement to win one of these awards, but to win three? Not only that, but McCaw also won the New Zealand sportsman of the decade award. If you didn’t know, it’s the highest and most important sporting honor an individual can ever receive in New Zealand.
McCaw played with Dan Carter for the New Zealand All Blacks and the Crusaders, winning two Rugby World Cups together! He managed to remain at the top of the world game throughout his rugby career, with a record of 148 caps for the All Blacks.
McCaw has the splendid ability to read the game; he’s a frustrating player to play against, and it’s why he’s consistently a favorite among fans and bettors.
Johnny Wilkinson
Johnny Wilkinson is an England rugby legend whose list of honors is incredibly long. This English player is known for his leadership skills, dedicated work ethic, and incredible kicking skills.
His exploits in the 2003 Rugby World Cup moved thousands of young English generations to play the game, with many more continuing to push themselves in the sport. Many love Wilkinson because of his incredible skills. Because of this, he stands as a popular role model for many English youngsters.
Wilkinson retired in 2014 with a Rugby World Cup, a Top 14 title, one Premiership Rugby title, multiple Six Nations Championships, two Heineken Champions Cup, and numerous individual honors.
Dan Carter
Dan Carter recently retired in 2020, and without a doubt, he retired as one of the best rugby players of all time. He’s known for his kicking skills, excellent game management, running ability, and smooth handling.
For most of Carter’s career, he played for the Crusaders alongside McCaw, but during the latter stages of his career, he had stints in Japan and France. Dan Carter holds a career record, three-time World Rugby Player of the year. He also helped his team win numerous accolades and other personal awards.
Brian O’Driscoll
Brian O’Driscoll is the most significant Irish rugby player of all time and has an incredible record of supporting this! He holds the most caps and tries for his national side. He’s also known for his brilliant ball skills and “rugby brain.” He’s pretty respected in his field and among fans.
Due to O’Driscoll’s contribution to rugby and his stature, the Irish number 13 became synonymous with the player and has become one of the most well-known rugby pundits in the sport today.
Waisale Serevi
Waisale Serevi is known as “the wizard,” and many describe him as the greatest Rugby Sevens player. Serevi is the first-ever Fijian player to be added to the IRB Hall of Fame. Of course, the skills that Serevi possessed and the incredible footwork made it almost impossible to play against him. He has played for 359 tournaments in the sevens game and appeared in three Rugby World Cups for Fiji.
Final Thoughts
We thank the names mentioned above for contributing to setting the rugby standard. Long-standing rugby fans use the work of the abovementioned players to choose their favorite team players today.
If you’re considering placing your bets on current rugby players or you’ve just recently started getting interested in rugby, it’s essential to read about the history of rugby and who are the notable players of all time. These are the players who made rugby still exist today. So, we must commemorate their contribution to rugby.