Dream Team: David Paice – London Irish hooker

1. Clarke Dermody – Great scrummager who never stopped tackling. He was also a great captain who led by example. He’s been sorely missed.
2. Olivier Azam – Tough, uncompromising player. He was an unbelievably strong scrummager and you certainly knew you had been in a game after facing him.
3. Carl Hayman – The best tight head in the world. He is extremely powerful in the scrum and it looks like he’s still doing an excellent job with Toulon.
4. Bob Casey – Brilliant leader who always gave his all. Had a good skill-set for a big man and surprisingly, a great turn of speed. He worked brilliantly with Nick Kennedy for us.
5. Paul O’Connell – Another great leader and a hugely respected player. He is highly athletic and exceptional around the field. You don’t get to be a Lions captain and win as many caps as he has without being very good.
6. Declan Danaher – He always gives 100 per cent and never let his teammates down. Dec will fight to the very end and is exactly who you want alongside you in a team.
7. Steffon Armitage – He looks more like a bus driver but Steff has it all. I believe he is England‘s best seven  and it’s absolutely criminal he hasn’t played more for on the international stage.
8. Chris Hala’ufia – A very hard man! The best ball carrier and tackler I’ve ever seen. He also has a terrific work rate and I’m glad he’s on my team.
9. Pete Richards – Had all the skills and a terrific eye for a gap. He was great at bossing the forwards around and was also pretty versatile with his ability to fill in at centre.
10. Dan Carter – Pure class. He has an immense kicking game and always looks like he has plenty of time on the ball. I couldn’t imagine having anyone else starting at ten.
11. Sailosi Tagicakibau – Extremely strong in the tackle and somehow always manages to make a break through when it seems impossible. He’s been filling in at 12 for us which shows his all-round ability.
12. Mike Catt – Just has a great rugby brain, and always seemed to have a lot of time on the ball. Given the way he played it’s no surprise he has gone on to be a success in coaching.
13. Brian O’Driscoll – What more is there to say about him? He is a great all-round rugby player who always puts his body on the line for the cause.
14. Alesana Tuilagi – A big man who was just unstoppable when he got a run up. A powerhouse of a winger and a legend at Welford Road after all the years he spent there.
15. Delon Armitage – Delon wears his heart on his sleeve and has a huge will to win. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone better under the high ball. He’s pretty handy when he gets the chance to run as well.