Dream Team: Simon Keogh – former Leinster, Harlequins and Ireland winger
2. Schalk Brits – He looks like a hooker but he plays like a back, Schalk is as quick as any back you will come across (quicker if Will Greenwood is in your team) and that makes him a huge asset.
3. Mike Ross – Scrum Nerd, you’ll never see a more excited player when a scrum is called! He loves scrummaging because he’s good at it and will ensure quality ball at set-piece time and my back line will love that to get them going.
4. Olly Kohn – 20st Kohn, for a guy who lives off a diet of sausages, he really could get around the field and carry well, a very important player during my time at Quins.
5. Malcolm O’Kelly – A supreme athlete, Mal was all-commanding in the lineout and a legend for Ireland.
6. Rocky Elsom – When he was in his prime it was like men amongst boys. He was just too powerful and quick and no-one could handle him.
7. Andre Vos – The most honest player you could ever have the fortune of playing with or against. He worked tirelessly for the cause and put his body on the line every week.
8. Nick Easter – There is no doubt that Nick should have had more England caps. He is supremely skilled as a No.8, especially for a man who looked like he had walked straight out of the pub.
9. Chris Whitaker – I had the real pleasure of playing with him in his twilight years when he came over to Leinster from Australia. He was still such a class-act.
10. Andrew Mehrtens – It was great to watch him at work with Quins. He could control the game with such ease and had a great sense of humour – he’d happily share a joke even at the most tense moments of a game.
11. Hosea Gear – I thought if you were big, it meant you were more sluggish. I made that mistake when I showed Hosea the outside against the New Zealand Maori, I didn’t see him again! An incredible athlete.
12. Gordon D’Arcy – Gordon is so agile and more than able to mix it with the big fellas who often stood opposite him, he would never back down and always gave his all.
13. Brian O’Driscoll – The best player in the world. I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity and pleasure to play outside him and he made everything easier for you.
14. Shane Williams – Shane has those magic feet and is also just so quick. I loved to watch him play the game because he looked like he was really enjoying it. Except when I was marking him though!
15. Rob Kearney – The most commanding full-back in the air, with a great left boot and safe as houses (not in the Irish property market) at the back.
