To help you through the 48 matches, ITV has put together a sensational line-up of former winners as part of their coverage team, which will be fronted by Steve Rider. So sit back and hear the views of a quartet who have won more than 250 caps between them. Over the World Cup, these four legends will share with you their views on the tournaments’ big topics…
Who is the greatest player you have ever played against?
Francois Pienaar: Jonah Lomu was awesome, though we managed to keep him at bay (in the 1995 final) and so was the All Black flanker Michael Jones. And though obviously I never played against him at international level, Ruben Kruger was an exceptional flanker. We called him the Silent Assassin and he was hugely respected within the 1995 Springbok squad.
Lawrence Dallaglio: Most of the greatest players I came across wore a white shirt. Neil Back, Richard Hill, Jason Robinson, Jason Leonard, Jonny Wilkinson… not a bad start!
Sean Fitzpatrick: Serge Blanco. He was unpredictable but had a fantastic love of the game.
Michael Lynagh: Hugo Porta. The way he managed and controlled games was wonderful. He had a superb set of skills, and was a great player who single-handedly kept Argentina in games.
Do you agree with their views? Go to our Facebook page and let us know what you think…
This article appeared in the October 2011 issue of Rugby World Magazine.
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