Wayne Shelford (No 8, New Zealand, 22 caps) Huge influence in returning the pride to the haka and the All Blacks. Invariably, such a scene presaged the referee’s arm going up to award the try. Raphael Ibanez (Hooker, France, 84 caps) Durability and passion. At Origin and club level, he would pull games out of the fire in dying moments just with his calm composure and the way he rallied people around him. "He totally gave ownership of the team to Luke Keary and the players that had trained all week.". "An extraordinary talent, but an extraordinary football brain as well. He was the first multi talented openside. Neil Jenkins said this week: “Wales have had some incredible rugby players, and he is up there as one of the best — if not the best.”. He could singlehandedly take on four or five players - no one had done that before or has done it since. Fittler has enjoyed tremendous success as a coach, winning the last two State of Origin series for NSW. RECORD: 244 games (87 tries), 23 Origins (6 tries), 21 Tests (11 tries); 3x premierships (1989, 1990, 1994), 2x Dally M Five-Eighth of the Year (1995, 1996). ', and he said, 'Just do what you've been doing all week and I'll just walk around as a decoy and they'll think we're doing something different'. After being one of the most inspirational captains in the game's history. "I've tried to do that throughout my career too, especially at the back end, just trying to pass that knowledge on.". Hugo Porta (Fly-half, Argentina, 58 caps) Out of anyone that has made an impact on international rugby, few can match Porta. Rugby players are the sports persons who play rugby football. One of the most electric players to ever grace a football field, there was very few better than Andrew Johns at the top of his game. He was daring but he had the breathtaking ability to pull it off. Yet he was a No 7 who read the game brilliantly and was devastating in defence. He made it happen. Many are saying Alun Wyn is number one in Welsh history, but there is some truly elite competition for the unofficial crown. He had the better of David Campese and Rory Underwood and New Zealand even switched a young Jonah Lomu to the other wing when they faced Wales in 1995. Andrew Johns said that Cronk's success in Sydney showed that he was far more than a product of Cameron Smith and Billy Slater's brilliance at Melbourne. "He was a great competitor and that's when the cream rises to the top.". World Rugby Player of the Year Johnny Sexton recovered from an injury just in time to face Wales in Dublin this month, but he is short on match fitness heading into the … 19. 12. Up until he played it was unheard of to be such a complete player in this position. RECORD: 355 games (123 tries), 36 Origins (9 tries), 59 Tests (35 tries); 4x premierships (1997 Super League, 1998, 2000, 2006), Clive Churchill Medal (2000), 3x Dally M Fullback of the Year (1998, 2001, 2002), 3x Dally M Five-Eighth of the Year (2004, 2006, 2007), 2x Dally M Representative Player of the Year (2001, 2006), 2x Golden Boot Awrd (2003, 2006), Wally Lewis Medal (2006). Extraordinary talent.". The France v Wales match in Paris will kick off a busy autumn programme which will see Wayne Pivac's players play six Tests. ... One of the country’s all-time greats, whose powers show no signing of waning. Welshemen Dan Thomas, Callum Sheedy and Nigel Owens were at the heart of it all, The true story of THAT picture, the toilet incident nobody knows about and the extraordinary thing that happened next, All who saw it will never forget the sight of a blood-soaked legend leaving the field, Neil Harris delivers body blow injury verdict on Cardiff City defender but backs Academy ace to fill his boots, The defender had worked tirelessly to get back to full fitness but will now be sidelined once again after another frustrating injury, Man Utd and Liverpool in bombshell talks to join European Premier League as Arsenal, Chelsea and Gareth Bale's Tottenham also contenders, Reports say Man Utd and Liverpool could join with teams from around Europe and rip up the current status quo in a move that would see them leave the English Premier League, Cardiff City press conference live: Team news and injury updates ahead of Bournemouth clash, Neil Harris speaks to the media ahead of Cardiff City's Championship clash with Bournemouth on Wednesday evening. “He had a gift for spotting opposition weaknesses and playing on them.”. Success followed him around on the field. Transitioning from fullback to five-eighth it was just unbelievable.". A dream to watch, a nightmare to play against. Jean-Pierre Rives (Openside, France, 59 caps) Hardest and bravest man I have seen on a rugby pitch, and he had all the skills. He could also carry strongly when in the mood. Find out more about the greatest rugby player of all time, including Richie McCaw, Jonah Lomu, Martin Johnson, Brian O'Driscoll and Dan Carter. Brad Fittler was Johns' long-time partner in crime for the Blues, but he said Johns' competitiveness made it equally fun to be on the opposing side to the Knights icon. " And this initially reluctant captain — his own words — turned out to be an inspirational and hugely effective leader. It was great to play against him. Former NSW State of Origin coach Phil Gould had the pleasure of coaching Daley at the representative level, and said that his competitiveness and running ability were the traits that separated him from the pack. His reading of play and understanding of the game were exceptional and he had skills and a running style from the gods. But he wasn’t just about the flashy stuff. Thurston named the likes of Smith, Lockyer, Johns and Fittler as the players he most looked up to as a young player, and recalled his Kangaroos debut back in 2006. 14. He's a first-class (trainer) although his body might not reflect that. Phil Bennett tells a tale of how Morris saved him from a shoeing during a Neath-Llanelli derby at The Gnoll:  “I found myself on the floor with the ball and could hear the Neath pack thundering forward. 29. Co-op Bank finance chief becomes bank's sixth boss in less than a decade, Manchester Arena bombing: Father confronted terrorist moments before attack, Manchester United and Liverpool 'in talks' about new European Premier League. Maybe rugby writers in 300 years’ time will be regaling Edwards as the greatest Welsh rugby player of all time. Fittler's greatness also travelled internationally, as shown by his 38 Test appearances for the Kangaroos, in which he scored 17 tries. He knew the rest of the Neath forwards would have trampled all over me, so he dived across to prevent it from happening. Slater also praised the way the Smith has evolved over the years in order to stay effective. Welsh rugby's winners and losers as ignored Welshman shines in European final and Will Carling defends Nigel Owens, It was a hectic weekend of rugby, with two European finals serving up all sorts of drama. Dai Morris (centre right) and Barry John (centre left) look on as France go on the offensive in 1968, Bob Norster was a supreme line-out technician, Ieuan Evans celebrates scoring the deciding try in Wales' 10-9 win over England in 1993, Wales Centre Scott Gibbs scores his famous try, Justin Tipuric would be eulogised if he wore a New Zealand jersey, according to Lawrence Dallaglio, JPR Williams in action for Wales against Australia in 1978, Pontypool front row legend Graham Price in action for Wales v Scotland in 1978, Phil Bennett runs with the ball (Credit Adrian Murrell /Allsport), Gerald Davies was a brilliant player for Wales, Alun Wyn Jones of Wales acknowledges the crowd after the Rugby World Cup quarter-final win over France, Barry John in action for the Lions against New Zealand in 1971, The new life of Scott Gibbs, a unique and complex Welsh rugby hero who refused to follow the crowd, The new life of Allan Bateman and the truth about being asked to throw a Wales match, The life of JPR at 70, a courageous Welsh rugby great who was always different from the rest, The tragedy of Jiffy, what he chose to do next and the latest remarkable achievement, Phil Bennett: The truth about the most famous Welsh rugby speech of all, Wales rugby press conference news: Josh Navidi set to miss out as Louis Rees-Zammit impresses in training, A Wales press conference was held ahead of the opening autumn international against France on Saturday.