Dream Team: Dan Hipkiss – former Leicester, Bath and England centre

1. Graham Rowntree – Growing up in the Leicester Academy he was the most professional of all. Has a dry sense of humour and was pretty harsh with me, but I needed tough love!
2. Tom Youngs – I started off playing with him in the centre and the way he has come through has been fantastic. He tries harder than anyone, the sort of you guy you want to go to war with.
3. Julian White – Got on well with him though he was a bit of a social recluse! A tough man not to be messed with.
4. Louis Deacon – He came to Leicester after me but he always put me in my place as I was a cocky so-and-so at that age. I enjoy cooking and he always used to bully me for that!
5. Ben Pienaar – I think he could do a job in the second row for me. He was the first to put on the pads at training and replicate someone clear- ing their head over a ruck. He never complained and oddly seemed to enjoy it.
6. Lewis Moody – Great friend but I think he’s ruined my chances of ever having children because he used to punch me in the balls every day or he’d wind up his towel to whip me with it.
7. Will Skinner – Only just retired but my old flatmate never gets mentioned anymore because of his injuries. Great player and in his misery I’ll make him captain.
8. Shane Jennings – He pioneered the art of going for a high five only to pull his hand away – I kept building up the trust only for him to embarrass me. But he had the best engine on the pitch I have ever seen.
9. Michael Claassens – Very fit and dedicated to the game. Said I look like Simon Cowell which was rich because I always found him a dead ringer for Gordon Ramsay.
10. Tim Taylor – I grew up with him and I was his best man this summer. I think he had the best kicking percentage in the Premiership at one time. He’s still playing, and gives kicking lessons now.
11. Jason Robinson – The best player I’ve ever seen. I got his autograph when I was 15 and then ended up going to the World Cup with him. Before the final he came up to me and said good luck when you come on, I think you’ll do really well – amazing to hear when you’re sh*tting yourself.
12. Paddy Howard – He took a lot of time to help with my game when I wasn’t playing much, and without him I don’t think I would have progressed much further.
13. Daryl Gibson – Top Kiwi who taught me the importance of patience and getting through a match with as few errors as possible.
14. Seru Rabeni – A very talented man and always had a smile on his face. Always very candid and enjoys life.
15. Geordan Murphy – He put me up for months in his house at Leicester. He used to be called Red, after the character from Shawshank Redemption, as he’d always make time and listen, when with his ability he’d could have been an arrogant so and so.