Dream Team

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s Dream Team news, interviews, opinion and other content.

Dream Team: Dwayne Peel – Bristol and former Sale, Scarlets, Wales and Lions scrum-half

18 February 2015 1 comment

1. Gethin Jenkins – The best loosehead of his generation. He’s been outstanding for so many years now and he knows the game inside out. […]

Dream Team: Chris Brightwell – Moseley & former Sale and Birmingham No.8

11 February 2015 1 comment

1.Matt Long – He was an old school campaigner for Birmingham. A solid scrummager and a good team man to have in the side. 2.Dane Coles […]

Dream Team: Chris Pennell – Worcester and England Saxons full-back

4 February 2015 0 comments

1. Matt Mullan – It’s like having another back row on the pitch. By far the fittest prop I’ve ever played with. 2. Aleki Lutui […]

Dream Team: Ian Whitten – Exeter and former Ulster & Ireland centre

27 January 2015 0 comments

1. Cian Healey – I played with him for Ireland U19s and he’s one of the best props in the loose in the world. His […]

Dream Team: Adam Kwasnicki – London Scottish and former London Welsh hooker

20 January 2015 0 comments

1. Alex Corbisiero – I played with him in the London Welsh academy and although he wasn’t the lean-muscular specimen he is today you could […]

Dream Team: Kieran Hallett – Cornish Pirates fly-half

13 January 2015 2 comments

1. Soane Tonga’uiha – He could only last 20 minutes when he first turned up at Bedford but his potential was obvious, I’ve not seen […]

Dream Team: Ryan Lamb – Worcester and former Gloucester, London Irish, Northampton and Leicester fly-half

7 January 2015 1 comment

1. Trevor Woodman – I played with him when I was very young at Gloucester and he was just huge. Such a shame his career […]

Dream Team: Ashley Johnson – Wasps, South Africa and former Cheetahs flanker

16 December 2014 1 comment

1. Os du Rant – Played with him at the Cheetahs after he came out of retirement. One of the best loose-heads South Africa, and […]

Dream Team: Tom Cruse – Rotherham Titans hooker

10 December 2014 0 comments

1.Robin Hislop – The Titans stalwart is strong and confrontational at the scrum but is also very effective around the park. 2.Tommy Taylor – The […]

Dream Team: Peter Stringer – Bath & former Munster and Ireland scrum-half

2 December 2014 1 comment

1.Os du Rant – I’d never seen a human this big until I played against the Springbok legend on an Ireland tour in 2004. Also […]

Dream Team: Jonny Arr – Worcester scrum-half

25 November 2014 0 comments

1.Matt Mullan – The ultimate professional, Matt is not only a good scrummager but he’s up there when it comes to fitness and he’s a […]

Dream Team: Tom Calladine – Nottingham and former Hartpury College back row

19 November 2014 0 comments

1.Campese Ma’afu – I’ve been playing with him for a couple of seasons now and he’s got really good work ethic and also hits like […]

Dream Team: Rhys Oakley – Plymouth & former Bristol, Dragons, Leeds, Saints and Wales forward

10 November 2014 0 comments

1. Andrew Sheridan – Played with him at Bristol at the start of my career. It was his first year in the front row but […]

Dream Team: Topsy Ojo – London Irish wing

5 November 2014 1 comment

1.Clarke Dermody – He was a brilliant all-rounder whether it was scrummaging or with ball in hand. He was a great bloke to have around […]

Dream Team: Guy Mercer – Bath flanker

27 October 2014 0 comments

1.Lorne Ward – The big man looked after me in my first second team game and did the same when I arrived on loan at […]

Dream Team: Charlie Hayter – England Sevens and former Wasps and Moseley centre

22 October 2014 1 comment

1. Matt Mullan – He has one of the best work rates in the game and would not be out of place even in many […]

Dream Team: Tomas Francis – Exeter and former London Scottish and Doncaster prop

15 October 2014 2 comments

1. Eric Fry – The big polar bear! The former London Scottish prop is one of the hardest trainers I know. He will do well up […]

Dream Team: Tom Varndell – Wasps and former Leicester wing

6 October 2014 0 comments

1. Matt Mullan – One of the fittest players I’ve ever played with. The ultimate professional on and off the pitch leads by example in […]

Dream Team: Alex Rieder – Rotherham and former Leeds No.8

1 October 2014 1 comment

1. Mike McDonald – The former Leeds man is the most capped American international for a reason. He is very strong at the scrum but […]

Dream Team: Mark Bright – London Scottish and former Tasman Makos No.8

24 September 2014 0 comments

1. Ben Franks – Top Bloke on and off the field. The All Blacks star is an unreal trainer and scrummager with the work-rate of […]

Dream Team: Charlie Sharples – Gloucester and England wing

16 September 2014 0 comments

1. Soane Tonga’uhia – He was just awesome in 2011 when Northampton reached the Heineken Cup final. Huge in the scrum but carries the ball […]

Dream Team: Christian Day – Northampton and former Sale & Stade Francais lock

9 September 2014 0 comments

1. Soane Tonga’huia – When at his fittest I don’t think any prop in the world could beat this guy in the loose. Great hands […]

Dream Team: Tyson Keats – former London Welsh, Crusaders and Hurricanes scrum-half

2 September 2014 0 comments

1. Tom Bristow – Young buck with outstanding technique and will go far. But he’s the only man I know who doesn’t know how to […]

Dream Team: Pete Browne – London Welsh and former Harlequins & Newcastle lock

27 August 2014 1 comment

1. Joe Marler – A great player, Supreme at the scrum and can also make a big impact in the loose. Thoroughly deserves the captaincy […]

Dream Team: Callum Braley – Gloucester and former Bristol and England U20s scrum-half

20 August 2014 0 comments

1. Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi – A great player in the loose as well as at the scrum. The Northampton Saint was one of the main reasons […]

Dream Team: Eric Fry – Newcastle & USA and former London Scottish loosehead

12 August 2014 0 comments

1. James Slipper – Played against him and the Wallabies in the 2011 World Cup. Solid in the set-piece and mobile around the pitch. 2. […]

Dream Team: Nick Fenton-Wells – Bedford captain and former Saracens and Cape Town back row

6 August 2014 1 comment

1. Richard Barrington – Played with him at Bedford before he got picked up by Saracens. He doesn’t think about anything else than dominating the […]

Dream Team: Neil Back – World Cup winning England and Leicester flanker

28 July 2014 0 comments

1. Graham Rowntree – He didn’t make the England 2003 World Cup squad but his performances in Australia and New Zealand the summer before that played […]

Dream Team: Mat Gilbert – Bath and former Scarlets flanker shares his dream XV

21 July 2014 2 comments

1. Christian Califano – He was a good teammate when I played for Gloucester A, formed a formidable front row with Ollie Azam and Patrice […]

Dream Team: Luke Baldwin – Bristol, former Saracens & Bedford scrum-half

14 July 2014 2 comments

1. Mako Vunipola – Solid in the set-piece and very mobile for such a big man. One of the best laughs you will ever hear […]

Dream Team: Mike Powell – Moseley and former London Welsh and Ospreys lock

7 July 2014 1 comment

1. Jason Leonard – A great prop who transfered from the amateur to pro era with ease. Also runs a pub in Richmond which may […]

Dream Team: Andy Saull – Newcastle and former Saracens flanker

30 June 2014 0 comments

1. Census Johnston – For comedy value as much as anything. He once turned up to pre-season late claiming his wife had put his passport […]

Dream Team: Mike Blair – Newcastle and former Brive, Edinburgh and Scotland scrum-half

23 June 2014 0 comments

1. Tom Smith – The fact that he played six Lions Tests on the trot tells you everything you need to know about this man. […]

Dream Team: Tom Guest – London Irish and former Harlequins No.8

16 June 2014 2 comments

1. Joe Marler – To be so young and doing so well as a loosehead is fantastic. He’s getting better and better all the time. […]

Dream Team: Sam Vesty – former Bath, Leicester back

9 June 2014 0 comments

1. Graham Rowntree – We went to the same school and he was always there for the younger guys – which was rare as there […]

Dream Team: James Haskell – Wasps & England and former Stade Francais, Ricoh Black Rams and Highlanders flanker

2 June 2014 0 comments

1. Tim Payne – One of the most hard-working props there has been. Just a complete team man in the way that he plays the […]

Dream Team: Mathew Tait – Leicester and former England, Sale and Newcastle full-back

26 May 2014 2 comments

1. Carl Hayman – He is a quality scrummager who came to Newcastle at his peak. His understanding of being a ball player as a […]

Dream Team: Shane Geraghty – London Irish and former Northampton & Brive fly-half

19 May 2014 0 comments

1. Davit Kubriashvili – I played with Davit at Brive and the guy was unbelievable, one of the very best in world rugby. Incredibly powerful […]

Dream Team: Agustin Creevy – Worcester and Argentina hooker

12 May 2014 0 comments

1. Juan Figallo – I was with Juan at Montpellier and for me he is the best prop in the world right now. Really good […]

Dream Team: Paul Doran-Jones – Harlequins and former Leinster, Wasps, Gloucester, Northampton & England prop

5 May 2014 1 comment

1. Fabien Barcella – He was just an unbelievable scrummager. I played against Biarritz in one of my first European matches and he was terrifying. […]

Dream Team: Jonathan Thomas – Worcester captain & former Ospreys and Wales back row

30 April 2014 0 comments

1. Paul James – I’ve been lucky to play with a lot of good looseheads like Gethin Jenkins but Paul is the strongest scrummager and […]

Dream Team: Paul James – Bath, Wales and former Ospreys prop

21 April 2014 1 comment

1. Cian Healy – A powerhouse of a prop who scores a lot of tries. Has developed a lot in recent years and all young […]

Dream Team: Jebb Sinclair – London Irish and Canada flanker

14 April 2014 1 comment

1. Tendai Mtawarira – The Beast, there’s no way he was not going to be in my team. But it’s not just his raw strength, […]

Dream Team: Paul Burke – Leicester backs coach and former Harlequins & Ireland fly-half

9 April 2014 1 comment

1. Jason Leonard – Played together at Harlequins and he is simply incredible. He is the most capped prop in the game – a robust […]

Dream Team: Dean Schofield – Worcester and former Sale & Toulon lock

31 March 2014 0 comments

1. Eifion Lewis-Roberts – I played with him at Sale Sharks and Toulon. He’s one of the most powerful props I’ve come across and to […]

Dream Team: Phil Vickery – former Lions, England and Wasps prop

24 March 2014 1 comment

1. Christian Califano – I watched him as a lad and he took front row play to a new level. His ball play was excellent […]

Dream Team: Micky Young – Bath and former Newcastle & Leicester scrum-half

17 March 2014 2 comments

1. Carl Hayman – The New Zealander’s work rate is huge, he’s a prop but he probably makes the most tackles in the game. When […]

Dream Team: DTH van der Merwe – Glasgow and Canada wing

10 March 2014 0 comments

1. Cian Healy – He’s just a really hard man; hard to tackle, hard to take down and hard to play against. He is a […]

Dream Team: Josh Drauniniu – Worcester and former Harlequins and Exeter wing

3 March 2014 0 comments

1. Matt Mullan – The most professional guy I’ve ever played with. Always first at training and last to leave – it’s like he lived […]

Dream Team: Tim Molenaar – Harlequins and former Gloucester and Nottingham centre

24 February 2014 1 comment

1. Greg Somerville – One of the greatest props and someone who can play as a tighthead or a loosehead. An immense player to have […]

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