Dream Team: Leon Lloyd – former Leicester, Gloucester and England centre
2. Phil Greening – Similar player to Schalk Brits, who I recommended to Gloucester in 2008 but they didn’t listen to me! Phil was a back in a forward’s body – could kick and use both hands.
3. Franck Tournaire – It was close between him and Darren Garforth but the crazy Frenchman edges it. He lived with me and taught me French and Spanish.
4. Martin Johnson – He was my landlord when I first moved to Leicester! Living with him put me on the straight and narrow and his attitude was so professional. What he was like on the pitch was exactly how he conducted himself off it.
5. Paul O’Connell – We had great battles with Munster over the years and he had some with Johnno in particular. He seems like he has the same kind of attributes.
6. Josh Kronfeld – The best I’ve ever played with. Having grown up watching him perform for New Zealand, playing with him was something I’d never thought would happen.
7. Neil Back – He brought me up from Coventry at the age of 17 as he played for the same youth team as I did, Barkers Butts. The ultimate professional, he would sacrifice anything and everything and he set the standard for Leicester and England.
8. Henry Tuilagi – He is one of the strongest rugby player I’ve seen in my life. I remember once against Wasps he picked the ball up, handed off Joe Worsley, dropped his shoulder down on Lawrence Dallaglio and went 40 yards to score. One of the best breaks I’ve ever seen.
9. Joost van der Westhuizen – He was playing when I made my debut for England and he wasn’t your stereotypical No.9. Tall, strong and like an extra back rower.
10. Carlos Spencer – Used to pull things out of the bag which made you think he was a magician – but not a safe bet when things are tight.
11. Jonah Lomu – I played against him for England in 2001 and I remember Jeremy Guscott, who had played for the Baa-Baas the weekend before, warning me not to play while I had the chance – he just ran over the centres as if they weren’t there.
12. Tim Horan – Had so much time on the ball and always used to score. We had some proper battles when was he was at Sarries and you couldn’t take your eyes off him.
13. Tana Umaga – I played with him at the Cape Town Tens a few years back. Occasionally you get someone who is both big and fast, but someone that savvy with a great kicking game as well?
14. Alex Tuilagi – You can’t go wrong with another Tuilagi and Alex was another you could rely on to turn a game.
15. Geordan Murphy – He was in the same Barbarians team as Jonah Lomu and before the game I said ‘if you call a move with Jonah Lomu, let me know’ – he agreed so I could brace myself each time Jonah was involved!
