FORWARDS
In the front row, McGeechan’s selections may raise eyebrows. He picks Tom Smith (Scotland) and Jason Leonard (England) either side of Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand).
He acknowledges the brilliance of Lions legend Graham Price but ultimately goes another way.
“What a player he was, teak-tough up front and great in the loose, too. Twelve consecutive Lions Tests tells its own story. And he was brilliant in each of them, part of a front row which absolutely destroyed New Zealand’s in 1977.
But I’m going with Jason Leonard in the end. He played each side of the scrum but he was more of a tight-head.”
In the engine room, he goes for two world champions — Martin Johnson (England) and John Eales (Australia) — forming a partnership that epitomises leadership, power, and lineout dominance.
The back row is every bit as legendary: Richard Hill (England), Richie McCaw (New Zealand) and Zinzan Brooke (New Zealand) round off McGeechan’s ultimate XV.
SIR IAN McGEECHAN’S ALL-TIME DREAM XV
15. JPR Williams (Wales)
14. John Kirwan (New Zealand)
13. Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)
12. Philippe Sella (France)
11. Jonah Lomu (New Zealand)
10. Dan Carter (New Zealand)
9. Gareth Edwards (Wales)
1. Tom Smith (Scotland)
2. Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand)
3. Jason Leonard (England)
4. Martin Johnson (England)
5. John Eales (Australia)
6. Richard Hill (England)
7. Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
8. Zinzan Brooke (New Zealand)
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