my favourite XVs - New Zealand v World XV

New Zealand -
1.Craig Dowd - from afar, he looks big and tall. While he may not be quite tall timber, his big frame and scrummaging skill and power combined with Fitzy and that big Samoan called Olo Brown to dominate world rugby for much of the 90s. His invaluable international experience is now used by London Wasps.

2.Sean Fitzpatrick - possibly the greatest hooker to ever play for Auckland and the All Blacks. for him, it was his longevity that made him such a great captain and the ABs have only just recovered from his retirement. as i mentioned earlier, he combined Brown and Dowd to form the strongest front row of the 90s.

3.Carl Hayman - the best anchor in world rugby at the moment. he is probably the most under-rated player in the current All Blacks squad and will definitely be missed when he goes for the big bucks in the Northeast of England after the World Cup.

4.Ali Williams - he possesses an aggressive and competitive streak that no other lock in New Zealand has at the moment bar Keith Robinson. his skills aren't just limited to lineouts and scrums but he has terrific hands and could act like a back if need be as we saw with that cross-field kick for Howlett to score at Eden Park in 2005.

5.Ian Jones - knew how to organize lineouts better than anyone else. was the rock of the AB lineout in the 90s. a very analytical person either as a player or a television pundit.

6.Michael Jones - there is and will never be another player like Michael Jones. he was unique and very special. one of the most respected players ever to play the game at the highest level whether it was for his amazing skills and pace or his personal stand for his religious beliefs.

7.Richie McCaw - if he isn't already, he should be New Zealand's best ever openside flanker. it's always obvious whether he has had a good or bad game. thankfully most of them have always earned the thumbs up. a terrific leader too, someone who has taken Umaga's leadership a further step and used his bright mind to mould his own brand of captaincy.

8.Sione Lauaki - Zinzan might drop goals, but Lauaki possesses a type of power which if it isn't quite unstoppable, is pretty darn hard to stop. In full flow, teams fear him. It's a shame injuries have meant we haven't seen Lauaki at his best in the black jersey but maybe the stage has been set at the World Cup for a player of his devastating quality.

9.David Kirk - the ultimate halfback. he played with a grace that is rarely seen with New Zealand's halfbacks today. he'll always be remembered as the leader of New Zealand's first ever World Cup win..

10.Daniel Carter - the superlatives aren't enough to describe Dan's brilliance. he may have a great forward pack in front of him to get quick ball but as we've seen with South Africa, you still need a darn good pivot to lead the way and Carter has shown to be the most effective key to unleash the potential of the solid but dangerous "flat" backline.

11.Jonah Lomu - will there be another like him? like Michael Jones, he is one of those players who come along probably only once in a lifetime. such a shame that his body failed him in the end but the way he fought back to be a respected member of not just the rugby community but amongst his fellow Pacific Islanders is enough to shame Chris Gardner!

12.Frank Bunce -bar Umaga, Buncey is prob the most effective centre to play for the All Blacks in recent times. you wonder if the ABs still kinda miss him even though it's been almost 10 years since he last starred for the ABs.

13.Tana Umaga - he had the mana and he had the power. his on-field presence was enough to tell the others he was the boss let alone his ferocious defence. if only his body held on just a bit longer..

14.Jeff Wilson - the blondie had skills and a style about him that the people of Otago still talk abt even if his current rugby commitments only consist of Dunedin club rugby and friendly games with his old mates from the past. a player Otago and the Highlanders wish they could have every year.

15.Christian Cullen - his name is still searched on youtube and it's not hard to see why. will there ever be another All Black who can step and run at his pace? a player John Mitchell could have used at the 2003 RWC, leaving his career to be a bit of a what-if. never mind, we still have those youtube videos to watch his brilliance over and over again.

World XV -
1.Jason Leonard, England - he could play on forever and it was good he did. a solid rock for the English even in his late 30s.

2.Raphael Ibanez, France - he may be throwing pies but France may not have had a more dedicated player to throw to the lineouts and do the dirty work.

3.Richard Bands, South Africa - will always remember him for that miracle try he scored at Carisbrook in 2003 and the big hit on Richie McCaw in 2005. could still do the job for South Africa i reckon up front.

4.John Eales, Australia - have to have a Johnson-Eales second row. just gotta especially when they're both two of the best captains ever and two of the best locks to play in modern times.

5.Martin Johnson, England - see John Eales - oh yeah he does have nice teeth despite that brawny face! King Country should be proud of their finest export - well more like brought to New Zealand knocked down but built back up! - since Colin Meads!

6.Schalk Burger, South Africa - a wrecking ball. a blonde one whether it's his hair or his shoes. South Africa really missed him last year and they need him to have any chance at this Rugby World Cup.

7.Serge Betsen, France - an elusive player who may not be as good as McCaw but would still take him to a play-off.

8.Ryan Jones, Wales - a player i really admired during the 2005 Lions series. shame he hasn't quite recovered that form although that has something to do with injuries..

9.Dwayne Peel, Wales - my favourite type of halfback. runs around the fringes so effectively even if the pack can't support him

10.Jonny Wilkinson, England - in his prime, you would not want to run into him. that's what Justin Bishop found out. a sensational goalkicker too even after the injuries.. we'll probably never see him turn into the player that Dan Carter has become but maybe u could say that was down to injuries.. still one of the best no.10s on his day.

11.Ruapeni Caucaunibuca, Fiji - aside from Lomu, no other winger has grabbed the world's imagination at a World Cup. his runs just got the whole world jumping. shame the person wasn't quite as motivated.. Agen-ites, u are truly lucky.

12.Brian O'Driscoll, Ireland - rated by many if not quite respected worldwide but BOD would easily make any World XV and will possibly end his career as Ireland's greatest back. thankfully that's still a long way if he gets lucky with injuries.

13.Marius Joubert, South Africa - a player i've always liked myself. he had pace and he prob entered my books when he scored that hat-trick against the ABs at Ellis Park. shame injuries have taken their toll on this Brett Lee lookalike and his best days in the green jersey have prob departed him.

14.Brian Lima, Samoa - the chiropractor. will there be a player who has played as long as he has and is still feared by many? a true warrior of the game.

15.Chris Latham, Australia - his socks pulled just below midway his shins, Chris ducks and dives and was for a while, Australia's only entrant for the World XV. Chris Latham was Queensland and they weren't quite the same without him this year. he'll be wearing 15 for the Wallabies at the World Cup.