1 Bill Young (Australia)<\/p>\n
The BBC selected Bill Young at loosehead prop after a series of dominant displays against both New Zealand and England.<\/p>\n
A cornerstone of Australia\u2019s scrum, Young consistently got the better of opposing front rows and helped force numerous penalties, particularly in the World Cup final.<\/p>\n
Away from rugby, Young has built one of the most successful business careers of any former international player. His family had longstanding ties to Sydney\u2019s hospitality industry through the Friend in Hand Hotel in Glebe, which Young himself owned between 2020 and 2022.<\/p>\n
He later sold the venue to help fund the purchase of Sydney\u2019s Bar Broadway for $37 million in August 2022.<\/p>\n
By that stage, Young\u2019s family interests reportedly included six Sydney hotels, making him one of Australian rugby\u2019s most successful entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n
2 Keith Wood (Ireland)<\/p>\n
Like Galthi\u00e9, Keith Wood had already reached the end of his international career, but his influence at the 2003 World Cup remained immense.<\/p>\n
Nicknamed \u201cthe raging potato\u201d by some commentators, Wood was central to everything Ireland did throughout the tournament and remained one of the most influential hookers in world rugby.<\/p>\n
Widely considered the best hooker of his generation, he won the inaugural World Rugby Player of the Year award and is regularly included in discussions about the greatest players ever to wear the number two jersey.<\/p>\n
Since retiring, Wood has established himself as one of rugby\u2019s most respected broadcasters, working with both the BBC and The Daily Telegraph. His insight, experience and analysis have made him a hugely popular figure in rugby media.<\/p>\n
3 Phil Vickery (England)<\/p>\n
England\u2019s front five was widely regarded as the strongest unit at the tournament, and Phil Vickery was among its standout performers. The powerful prop delivered influential displays in both the semi-final and final, using his considerable strength to dominate opponents in the scrum.<\/p>\n
Vickery ended his club career with London Wasps after joining them in 2006 following an 11-year spell with Gloucester.<\/p>\n
Known as the \u201cRaging Bull\u201d, he appeared at three Rugby World Cups, captained England at the 2007 tournament and toured with the British & Irish Lions in both Australia and South Africa.<\/p>\n
Following retirement, Vickery moved into broadcasting and worked as a co-commentator during ITV\u2019s coverage of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. He also won the 2011 series of Celebrity MasterChef.<\/p>\n
More recently, he has undergone a dramatic fitness transformation, embracing bodybuilding ahead of the 20th anniversary celebrations of England\u2019s World Cup triumph.<\/p>\n
4 Martin Johnson (England)<\/p>\n
There was never any doubt about who would captain the BBC\u2019s Dream XV. Martin Johnson lifted the Webb Ellis Cup after England\u2019s dramatic 20-17 victory over Australia and was the tournament\u2019s defining leader.<\/p>\n
However, his place in the side was secured by more than just his captaincy. Johnson remained one of the finest second rows in the game and brought his international career to a close after his 84th Test in the World Cup final.<\/p>\n
He returned to the England setup as team manager in 2008 and guided the side to the 2011 Six Nations title, England\u2019s first championship triumph since 2003.<\/p>\n
Johnson stepped down following England\u2019s quarter-final exit at the 2011 Rugby World Cup and has not returned to a management role since. He now works as a pundit, including regular appearances for the BBC.<\/p>\n
5 Paul O\u2019Connell (Ireland)<\/p>\n
The second-row competition for places was fierce, with the likes of Victor Matfield and Malcolm O\u2019Kelly producing outstanding performances. However, it was Paul O\u2019Connell who earned his place in the BBC selection.<\/p>\n
Ireland\u2019s line-out was one of the tournament\u2019s great strengths and O\u2019Connell played a crucial role, combining his set-piece excellence with his trademark physicality around the field.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Connell went on to captain Munster, Ireland and the British & Irish Lions before moving into coaching.<\/p>\n
He currently serves as forwards coach for Ireland and was appointed interim head coach for Ireland\u2019s 2025 summer tour while Andy Farrell and Simon Easterby were away with the British & Irish Lions in Australia.<\/p>\n
Alongside his coaching work, O\u2019Connell has enjoyed a long media career with both BBC Sport and ITV Sport.<\/p>\n
6 George Smith (Australia)<\/p>\n
George Smith was one of Australia\u2019s most influential performers throughout the tournament and received a standing ovation when substituted during the semi-final victory over New Zealand.<\/p>\n
The openside flanker went on to earn 111 caps for Australia, making him one of the country\u2019s most decorated forwards. His final international appearance came against the British & Irish Lions in 2013.<\/p>\n
Today, Smith remains heavily involved in the game as Head of Rugby at St Andrew\u2019s Anglican College on Queensland\u2019s Sunshine Coast.<\/p>\n
7 Joe van Niekerk (South Africa)<\/p>\n
South Africa\u2019s campaign may have lacked consistency, but Joe van Niekerk was one of the Springboks\u2019 most dependable performers.<\/p>\n
Renowned for his defensive work and powerful ball carrying, he consistently impressed despite South Africa\u2019s mixed results.<\/p>\n
His post-rugby path has been among the most unusual of any former international player. Based in Cape Town, van Niekerk now works as a holistic health mentor, bodywork practitioner and trauma healing coach.<\/p>\n
After spending time living in Costa Rica following retirement, he returned to South Africa to raise his son and continues to host wellness and breathwork retreats.<\/p>\n
8 Lawrence Dallaglio (England)<\/p>\n
Rounding off the side is England number eight Lawrence Dallaglio. His performances against both France and Australia highlighted his importance to England\u2019s success, particularly his work protecting scrum-half Matt Dawson and his relentless effectiveness around the breakdown.<\/p>\n
Dallaglio won 85 caps for England, helped secure the 2003 World Cup and remains one of the few players to have won both the Rugby World Cup and the Rugby World Cup Sevens. He also represented the British & Irish Lions on three tours, winning three Test caps.<\/p>\n
He continues to work in television and radio as a rugby pundit, although recent years have brought significant personal and financial challenges.<\/p>\n
Dallaglio is currently dealing with bankruptcy proceedings connected to his former sports business and unpaid tax liabilities. Following those financial difficulties, he divorced his wife Alice after 20 years of marriage and sold his family home for \u00a32.4 million after it had originally been listed at \u00a33.3 million.<\/p>\n
Already a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours.<\/p>\n
Quiz: Name these 10 retro rugby players<\/p>\n
From jaw-dropping tries to unforgettable moments (and yes, some questionable haircuts), these players defined a golden era of the game. If their names don\u2019t instantly come to mind, we suggest a quick trip to YouTube to jog your memory. Trust us, it\u2019s worth it.<\/p>\n
Ready to test your knowledge? Let\u2019s see if you\u2019ve still got it. Good luck!<\/p>\n
More Quizzes:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"1 Bill Young (Australia) The BBC selected Bill Young at loosehead prop after a series of dominant displays…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":618207,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[5903,101,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-618206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-rugby","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618206","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=618206"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/618206\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/618207"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=618206"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=618206"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=618206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}