Dream Team: Rory Pitman – Jersey No.8

1. Phil John – A Scarlet legend who’s been very reliable over the years. He started playing in 1999 and must have played nearly 400 games by now and he’s still doing the job at 36.
2. Scott Baldwin – I played with him at the Ospreys. He’s very enthusiastic and a very easy player to play with.
3. Carl Hayman – He was in that Toulon team we faced in the Heineken Cup a few years back and everything at the scrum revolved around him. We lost by two points there but beat them the following week.
4. Bakkies Botha – Another from that European double-header and what a formidable player he was. Very physical lock who’s had a great career at any level he’s played.
5. Joe Launchbury – The Wasps captain is just a machine. I don’t know how he finds the energy for it but he never stops going. Absolutely relentless!
6. Ashley Johnson – One of the most naturally-gifted back rowers I have ever seen. Not the most athletic player around but he’s unbelievable with ball in hand.
7. James Davies – ‘Cubby Boi’ as he’s known is a brilliant jackler from openside. Great in open space, too, as he demonstrated at the Olympics playing Sevens.
8. Nick Williams – I’ve played against him so many times over the years and every time I got myself ready for the toughest of battles. You just know you’ve got to step up when he’s running at you full-tilt.
9. Rhys Webb – I played with him a lot growing up and he’s got that X-factor about him. We’ve seen it at the Ospreys for a while now and I’m happy he’s done it with the Lions this summer.
10. Josh Lewis – Bath have got themselves a very good fly-half who’s good at everything. Most importantly, he’s the only No.10 I know who enjoys tackling.
11. Kristian Phillips – The youngest guy to play in the Magners League when he made his debut for the Ospreys. Incredibly quick and reliable when it comes to scoring tries.
12. Regan King – The best ball-player I have seen. He can do things on a rugby pitch that no other players can.
13. Gareth Owen – He’s just joined Leicester and he’s a very hard hitter in midfield. He’s also very skilful and can hit the ball from one end of the pitch to the other with his monster boot.
14. Josh Bassett – He’s young but he’s worked his socks off to find his place in the Wasps squad and he’s become one of the best wingers in the Premiership as a result.
15. Rhys Priestland – He’s as good at full-back as he is at fly-half but I’m picking him also because he’s been great to me over the years on and off the pitch.