Seven Game-Changing Rugby Players

Jul 15, 2020 League Freak Rugby Union 0

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Rugby is one of the most popular sports around the world. Over the years, rugby fans have been treated to spectacular performances from rugby teams and players. Some teams and players have stood out that you wouldn’t hesitate to use your 1xbet promo code on them. If you are a first-time gamer, then 1Xbet gaming is the place for you to enjoy desktop or mobile gaming. In this article, we cover seven game-changing rugby players. Read on to find out what these players offered their teams apart from their technical ability. 

Jonny Wilkinson – England
Wilkinson made his name playing for Newcastle Falcons and Toulon. He also represented England and the British and Irish Lions. He was capped 91 times, and England won 61 of the games he took part in.

Wilkinson is the holder of the Rugby World Cup points record with 277. He is also the only player to score points in two Rugby World Cup finals. His teammates and opponents will remember his for kicking, attack, and defense contributions. His most iconic kick was the last-minute drop goal in extra time against Australia in the 2003 World Cup final. The only downside to his career was his proneness to injury.

Jonah Lomu – New Zealand
Lomu is considered by many as the first real rugby union global superstar. During his career, he was regarded as a rugby union’s biggest drawcard. He played for New Zealand’s All Blacks from 1994 to 2002. He also played for Auckland Blues, Hurricanes and Chiefs.

Lomu is the all-time top try scorer in the Rugby World Cup with 15 tries. Despite being regarded as one of the top players in international championships, he never won the World Cup during his career. In 2007 he was inducted into the Rugby Hall of Fame. In 2011 he was also inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame. Sadly, his career was cut short by kidney disease. He later died on 15th November 2015 in Auckland from a heart attack believed to be connected to the kidney disease. 

David Campese – Australia
David Campese, a former Australian rugby union player, is considered one of the greatest wingers in rugby history. He also performed exceptionally as a fullback. He will be remembered for his iconic hitch-kick motion called the “goose-step” His opponents will particularly remember how he used this move to evade tackles. 

He was capped 101 times for the Australian National Team, the Wallabies, during which he scored 315 points. He played for New South Wales, where he earned 56 caps and managed 114 points during his club career. 

He had an incredible 1991 World Cup, where he scored six tries and emerged as the tournament player. His significant contributions for club and country earned him a place in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1997 and the IRB Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2007 he was also inducted into the Australian Rugby Union Hall of Fame.

Brian O’Driscoll – Ireland
Brian, a former Irish professional rugby union player, is considered one of the most outstanding outside centers in rugby history. Fans adored him that they would attend matches bearing the motto “In BOD we trust”.

He was the captain of the Irish national team between 2003 and 2012. He also captained the British and Irish Lion in the 2005 New Zealand tour. He played 141 test matches for Ireland, out of which he captained 83. He will be remembered for his try-scoring prowess that made him the eighth highest try scorer in international rugby. 

Michael Jones – New Zealand
Michael Jones is a former New Zealand rugby union player. He also coached the Samoa national team from 2004 to 2007. He is remembered for his offensive plays and was nicknamed The Iceman for the ice packs he needed for injuries during games. His coach John Hart once described him as an almost perfect rugby player. 

He is regarded as the most successful flanker for the All Blacks, where he played 55 times and scored 56 points. The Rugby World Magazine voted him as the third-best All Black of the twentieth century. In 2003 he was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame. 

Dan Carter – New Zealand
Dan Carter is another game changer from the New Zealand rugby union. Apart from being the most excellent first-five eighth, he is also the highest points scorer in test matches. He was capped 100 times for New Zealand and scored 1442 times in the process. He also earned 128 caps for the Crusaders in the Super Rugby and managed 1581 points. 

His accolades include six Tri-Nations and Rugby Championships with the national team. While at Crusaders, he won four Super Rugby titles. He was instrumental in the 2011 world cup, where he led his national team to lift the cup.   

In 2005 and 2012, International Rugby Board named him the player of the year. Rebel Sport also recognized him as the Super Rugby player of the year in 2004 and 2006. 

Richie McCaw-New Zealand
Richie is the most exceptional rugby player of all time. His all-round contribution to the game made him admired many in the sport. He was a remarkable athlete, breakdown master, inspirational leader, and the All Blacks' most durable players. 

In his unmatched career, he captained his side to two World Cups in 2011 and 2015. he was also recognized as the world rugby player of the year in 2006, 2009, and 2010. He was All Blacks captain for 110 out of the 148 test matches. He also holds the record as the most capped test rugby player of all time.

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