Dream Team: Tom Williams – Harlequins winger

1. Mark Lambert – A very intelligent player who is strong in the scrum and a destructive ball carrier.
2. Dimitri Szarzewski – He’s the best looking player in world rugby and yet he plays in the front row. For that reason alone he has to be in my team.
3. Carl Hayman – For my money he is still the best prop in world rugby. When he went up against Andrew Sheridan, the two best in their positions, there was only one winner.
4. Sebastien Chabal – I’ll have him in the side for comedy value if nothing else. A dodgy barnet but not someone I ever fancied tackling. Normally I’d curl up in a ball and hope he fell over me.
5. Olly Kohn – Olly is a good mate of mine and he can provide the food for the team. The most passionate Welshman I have ever met and a purveyor of sausages! It’s a shame he had to retire a bit early but he’ll be keen for a game.
6. James Forrester – Another one who had to retire too soon but when he was at his best with Gloucester he used to tear us apart in their expansive game plan, his pace was frightening.
7. Will Skinner – In the Neil Back mould, small in stature but a total nutcase on the pitch. Another who had to retire early – he’d be desperate for one last chance.
8. Nick Easter – He tells us he’s only 31 but we know the truth – 35! But it doesn’t matter how old you are if you are good enough and Nick is certainly that. He is up there with Mike Brown in terms of consistency.
9. Danny Care – As a broken-field runner there is no-one better in world rugby. He is the team jester and the jack in the box who drives the team forward.
10. Nick Evans – Jonny Wilkinson is obviously in the mix but Nick has been so important to Quins’s success. He makes it look so easy but that’s because he trains so hard.
11. Mark Cueto – There’s still life in the old dog yet! He is so hard to play against because he is a fantastic finisher and can kick well.
12. Aaron Mauger – The complete player. At Tigers he was near the end of his career but you could see what a class act he was. For the ABs he would take the pressure off Dan Carter.
13. Luke McAlister – Just a terrific all-round player. With ball in hand he can step you, he can gas you or he can just run over you with those enormous thighs. And on top of that he can knock over kicks from 50m.
14. James Simpson-Daniel – I wanted to play in this team but I guess I will have to settle for being the coach. One of the most balanced runners I’ve ever seen, he is great to watch and should definitely have won more caps for England.
15. Mike Brown – I played against Chris Latham but full-back was only going to be Mike. In terms of consistency I’d say he is the best player I’ve ever played with, he’s unbelievably competitive and never gives up.