Dream Team: Alex Rae – Jersey captain and former Bedford & Northampton back-rower

1. Rodrigo Roncero – The former Argentina prop was quality at scrum time. I got the opportunity to face him with Northampton when we played Argentina before the 2007 World Cup.
2. Dylan Hartley – The England captain is a good friend from our time together at Saints. A quality player and someone you’d want by your side.
3. Soane Tonga’uiha – He was just phenomenal a few years back. A massive unit with brilliant skills.
4. Troy Flavell – I loved the former All Black growing up then I was lucky enough to play against him when he was part of the Asian Pacific Barbarians.
5. George Kruis – We played together a few seasons ago when he was on loan at Bedford and I was there, too. He has taken massive strides since and has gone on to establish himself as a world class lock at Saracens and with England.
6. Paul Tupai – He’s the player I’ve played most games with and he’s still going strong at 41. A Tough man and a good bloke.
7. Ben Lewitt – He was never on time when he used to pick me up for training at Northampton but he was a grafter and a good lad.
8. Billy Vunipola – Not much to say about Billy apart that the England and Saracens No.8 is one of the most destructive ball carriers in world rugby. Always goes forward.
9. Ian Vass – The former Northampton and Bedford scrum-half had a top rugby brain and he was a good mate. If that team was real, he would be in charge of the socials.
10. Carlos Spencer – The mercurial All Black is a good guy and he is without a doubt the most talented player I’ve ever played with during my career.
11. Christian Wade – The Wasps flyer has the best feet I’ve ever seen. He is a very dangerous player ball in hand and he is a really easy going lad as well.
12. Juan Martin Hernandez – Like with Roncero, I played against ‘El Mago’ for Saints in that 2007 World Cup warm-up game. A very classy playmaker with so much time on the ball.
13. David Bishop – I played with him at Jersey and he is a top lad even if he loves a pout in a photo. Always wears his heart on his sleeve.
14. Chris Ashton – Another top lad I played with at Northampton and he is the best finisher I’ve had in my team during my career.
15. Tommy Bell – He was only briefly at Jersey but he scored the best try I’ve seen against Nottingham away in the league. He wasn’t with us long after that as Leicester signed him.