Dream Team: Kevin Barrett – former England Sevens, London Irish, Saracens & Exeter scrum-half

1. Mike Worsley – A great ball carrier who would have won many England caps if it wasn’t for injury. Mike did his talking on the pitch with his power and dynamism.
2. Schalk Brits – Could be a back with his incredible sidestep and ability to beat a man. Also extremely powerful and a fierce competitor.
3. Carlos Nieto – Great technical scrummager who conceded weight to opponents but more than made up for it with heart and pride – and great source of wisdom for his mates at Saracens.
4. James Hanks – Exeter stalwart who punches well above his weight and was key to their rise to the Premiership. Puts his body on the line and could be around for many more years.
5. Steve Borthwick – Great captain and professional who leads by example on and off the pitch. I hope rugby will continue to benefit from his great knowledge for years to come.
6. Declan Danaher – Declan epitomises loyalty. He’s a one club man and London Irish through. He always impresses with huge work-rate and levels of fitness. As a teammate in the Irish youth setup it was evident he had the skills to go all the way.
7. Jacques Burger – He has unbelievable physicality and an equally impressive perm haircut. His wolf-like style of play gives his Sarries teammates massive energy.
8. Richie Baxter – Another Chiefs stalwart who deserves the keys to the city for his service to the club. You always felt you had a chance with Richie on your side. A calming influence and standout perform- er throughout.
9. Neil De Kock – Neil oozes class with phenomenal workrate and he has a great kicking game to boot. He’s another great leader who has the ability to steady the ship should things go off script.
10. Jonny Wilkinson – The best defensive fly-half I ever played against. Often teams target the fly-half channel but this simply wasn’t an option when playing against Jonny.
11. Matt Jess – He’s blessed with pace and an incredible workrate. Fought his way into the Premiership overcoming many injury battles on his journey through the leagues. Deserves all his plaudits.
12. Brad Barritt – Never shirks a tackle and always puts his body on the line. Leads from the front and energises his teammates.
13. Sireli Naqelevuki – A monster of a player who, when fit, is just unstoppable. I’ve heard commentators describe him as a dinosaur and they’re not far off. He has great footwork and he’s extremely powerful. You’ll often hear a giggle if he runs around or over an opponent.
14. Christian Wade – I was lucky to witness his incredible footwork and pace on the 7s circuit when he was just 18. Even back then I knew he was destined for the top. And he’s another one who plays with a smile on his face.
15. Jarrod Cunningham – He was an unbelievably balanced runner and a top goal kicker for New Zealand – an all-round very fine rugby player and a top man. He is sorely missed.