Rugby Players

Vote for Your Favourite Rugby Players

Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

 1 
Richie McCaw
(New Zealand Professional Rugby Union Player)
Richie McCaw
12
Birthdate: December 31, 1980
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Oamaru, New Zealand

Richie McCaw is a New Zealand retired rugby union player who captained the national team in 110 test matches. One of the most successful captains of the All Blacks team, McCaw helped New Zealand win two Rugby World Cups in 2011 and 2015. In 2019, Richie McCaw was made an inductee of the World Rugby Hall of Fame.

 2 
Dan Carter
(Former New Zealand Rugby Union Player)
Dan Carter
7
Birthdate: March 5, 1982
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Leeston, New Zealand

Once considered the world’s best fly-half, New Zealand rugby star Dan Carter is best known for his stint with the Crusaders and the All Blacks. He was part of the Rugby World Cup-winning New Zealand squads of 2011 and 2015. He is also the all-time leading point scorer in international rugby.

 3 
Alun Wyn Jones
(Welsh Professional Rugby Union Player Who Plays as a Lock)
Alun Wyn Jones
7
Birthdate: September 19, 1985
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Swansea, Wales

Alun Wyn Jones is a Welsh rugby union player who is currently playing for the Ospreys. Jones is the current captain of the Wales national rugby team and has helped his team win  five Six Nations Championships. He has also won other important trophies, such as three Grand Slams, four Triple Crowns, three Doddie Weir Cups, and four Prince William Cups.

 4 
Brian O'Driscoll
(Irish Former Professional Rugby Union Player)
Brian O'Driscoll
7
Birthdate: January 21, 1979
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland

One of the most respected rugby players of all time, Brian O'Driscoll holds the Irish record for playing the most number of matches as a captain and also for try scores. He led his country to win a Grand Slam after 61 years and is part of the World Rugby Hall of Fame.

 5 
Joost van der Westhuizen
(South African Professional Rugby Union Player)
Joost van der Westhuizen
5
Birthdate: February 20, 1971
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Pretoria, South Africa
Died: February 6, 2017

Joost van der Westhuizen was a South African rugby player. He took part in three Rugby World Cups, helping his national team win the 1995 World Cup. Widely regarded as the greatest scrumhalf in the history of the game, van der Westhuizen was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 2007.

 6 
Bryan Habana
(South African Former Professional Rugby Union Player Who Played as an Outside Centre)
Bryan Habana
2
Birthdate: June 12, 1983
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Johannesburg, South Africa
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
Recommended Lists:
 7 
Francois Pienaar
(South African Retired Rugby Union Player)
Francois Pienaar
7
Birthdate: January 2, 1967
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Vereeniging, South Africa

Francois Pienaar is a former rugby player who captained the South African national team from 1993 to 1996. He is best-known for helping his team win the 1995 Rugby World Cup. In 2004, he was ranked 50th in a list named Top 100 Great South Africans. In 2005, he was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame.

 8 
Jonah Lomu
(New Zealand Rugby Union Player)
Jonah Lomu
7
Birthdate: May 12, 1975
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Auckland, New Zealand
Died: November 18, 2015

Jonah Lomu was a New Zealand rugby player whose dominance on the field had a huge impact on the game. Considered the first global superstar of rugby, Jonah Lomu proved to be a crowd-puller. In 2007, he was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame. In 2011, he was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame.

Recommended Lists:
 9 
Lawrence Dallaglio
(English Retired Rugby Union Player)
Lawrence Dallaglio
0
Birthdate: August 10, 1972
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: London, United Kingdom
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 10 
Sonny Bill Williams
(Former Professional Rugby League and Rugby Union Player)
Sonny Bill Williams
6
Birthdate: August 3, 1985
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Auckland, New Zealand

Sonny Bill Williams is a New Zealand boxer. Interestingly, he played professional rugby union and rugby league before turning his attention towards boxing. A very successful sportsperson, Williams has won several Rugby World Cups. He also represented New Zealand as a rugby player at the 2016 Olympics.

Recommended Lists:
 11 
Mike Tindall
(British Former Rugby Union Player)
Mike Tindall
3
Birthdate: October 18, 1978
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Otley, West Yorkshire, England

Mike Tindall is an English former rugby union player who represented Bath Rugby, Gloucester Rugby, and the England national rugby union team. He helped his national team win the 2003 Six Nations Championship as well as the 2003 World Cup. Tindall earned 75 caps for England and represented his country in 11 Six Nations Championships. 

 12 
Jonny Wilkinson
(English Former Rugby Union Player)
Jonny Wilkinson
4
Birthdate: May 25, 1979
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Frimley, England
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
Recommended Lists:
 13 
Martin Johnson
(English Retired Rugby Union Player)
Martin Johnson
1
Birthdate: March 9, 1970
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Solihull, United Kingdom
Height: 6'7" (201 cm)
 14 
Kieran Read
(New Zealand Former Rugby Union Player)
Kieran Read
3
Birthdate: October 26, 1985
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Papakura, New Zealand

Former captain of the New Zealand national rugby team, Kieran Read was not just named World Rugby Player of the Year once but was also part of the World Cup-winning New Zealand rugby squads of 2011 and 2015. He has been regarded as one of the world’s best forwards.

Recommended Lists:
 15 
Sam Warburton
(Welsh Former International Rugby Union Player)
Sam Warburton
4
Birthdate: October 5, 1988
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Cardiff, Wales

Former Welsh rugby player Sam Warburton became the youngest to captain Wales in the 2011 World Cup. He also created a record for holding the most caps as a Wales captain. He has also won the European Challenge Cup for the Cardiff Blues and the Six Nations Championship for Wales.

 16 
Sam Whitelock
(New Zealand Rugby Union Player Who Plays as a Lock)
Sam Whitelock
3
Birthdate: October 12, 1988
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Palmerston North, New Zealand

New Zealand rugby player Sam Whitelock is one of the 4 Whitelock brothers who have played high-level rugby. He was part of the World Cup-winning New Zealand squads in 2011 and 2015. He also owns a farm and has been an ambassador for Farmstrong, an initiative that helps farmers.

Recommended Lists:
 17 
Sébastien Chabal
(French Former Rugby Union Player)
Sébastien Chabal
3
Birthdate: December 8, 1977
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Valence, France
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 18 
David Pocock
(Australian Politician and Former Professional Rugby Union Player)
David Pocock
3
Birthdate: April 23, 1988
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Transvaal, South Africa
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 19 
Michael Leitch
(Japanese Rugby Union Player Who Plays in the Back Row)
Michael Leitch
5
Birthdate: October 7, 1988
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Burwood, Christchurch, New Zealand
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 20 
Cameron Smith
(Australian Former Professional Rugby League Footballer Who Played as a Hooker)
Cameron Smith
3
Birthdate: June 18, 1983
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Logan, Queensland, Australia
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
Recommended Lists:
 21 
Ma'a Nonu
(New Zealand Professional Rugby Union Player)
Ma'a Nonu
0
Birthdate: May 21, 1982
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Wellington, New Zealand
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 22 
Shane Williams
(Welsh Rugby Union Player)
Shane Williams
0
Birthdate: February 26, 1977
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Morriston, Swansea, Wales
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 23 
Tendai Mtawarira
(Rugby union player)
Tendai Mtawarira
3
Birthdate: August 1, 1985
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Harare
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 24 
Chester Williams
(South African Rugby Union Player Who Played as a Winger)
Chester Williams
1
Birthdate: August 8, 1970
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Paarl, South Africa
Died: September 6, 2019
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 25 
Michael Jones
(New Zealand Former Rugby Union Player and Coach)
Michael Jones
2
Birthdate: April 8, 1965
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Auckland, New Zealand
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 26 
Victor Matfield
(South African Former Professional Rugby Union Player)
Victor Matfield
10
Birthdate: May 11, 1977
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Pietersburg, South Africa

Victor Matfield is a South African former rugby union player who captained the national team as well as the Blue Bulls. Widely regarded as one of the greatest locks in the history of South African rugby, Matfield was extremely successful at disrupting opposition line-outs, a skill that helped his team win the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

Recommended Lists:
 27 
Jason Leonard
(English former Rugby union player)
Jason Leonard
4
Birthdate: August 14, 1968
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Barking, England
 28 
Rory Underwood
(English Former Rugby Union Player)
Rory Underwood
4
Birthdate: June 19, 1963
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Middlesbrough, United Kingdom

Rory Underwood is an English former rugby union player. He predominantly played in the wing position and spent the majority of his career with Leicester Tigers. He also played for Middlesbrough and Bedford Blues. He was previously a pilot with the Royal Air Force and has played for the RAF rugby team as well. 

Recommended Lists:
 29 
George Gregan
(Australian Rugby Union Player and is Currently Australia’s Most Capped International Player)
George Gregan
1
Birthdate: April 19, 1973
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Lusaka, Zambia
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 30 
Gavin Hastings
(Rugby union player)
Gavin Hastings
3
Birthdate: January 3, 1962
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
Recommended Lists:
 31 
Jason Robinson
(English Former Dual-Code International Rugby League and Rugby Union Footballer)
Jason Robinson
4
Birthdate: July 30, 1974
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Leeds, Yorkshire, England
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 32 
Owen Farrell
(British Professional Rugby Union Player)
Owen Farrell
5
Birthdate: September 24, 1991
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Billinge Higher End, Wigan, Greater Manchester, England

Owen Farrell is an English rugby union player who captains the Saracens Football Club as well as the England national team. Having scored 1053 points so far, Farrell is counted among the top points scorers in the history of rugby union tests. Owen Farrell has helped the English team win three Six Nations Championships among other major tournaments.

Recommended Lists:
 33 
Jeremy Guscott
(British Former Rugby Union Outside Centre)
Jeremy Guscott
1
Birthdate: July 7, 1965
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Bath, Somerset, England
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 34 
Matt Giteau
(Australian Rugby Union Professional Player)
Matt Giteau
3
Birthdate: September 29, 1982
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
Recommended Lists:
 35 
Will Greenwood
(English Former Rugby Union Player)
Will Greenwood
1
Birthdate: October 29, 1972
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Blackburn, United Kingdom
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 36 
Eric Liddell
(Scottish Sprinter, Rugby Player and Olympic Gold Medalist)
Eric Liddell
7
Birthdate: January 16, 1902
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Tianjin, China
Died: February 21, 1945

Eric Liddell was a Scottish athlete who won a gold medal in 400 meters race at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. In his later years, he became a Christian missionary. Though he was of Scottish origin, he was born in China, where he spent most of his life and died eventually.

 37 
Schalk Burger
(South African Former Professional Rugby Union Player)
Schalk Burger
3
Birthdate: April 13, 1983
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Schalk Burger was born to an international rugby player, also named Schalk Burger. As part of the South African national rugby team, he won the 2007 Rugby World Cup and was declared the South African Rugby Player of the Year twice. He also works at his Western Cape wine estate.

 38 
David Campese
(Former Australian Rugby Union Player)
David Campese
4
Birthdate: October 21, 1962
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 39 
Ben Volavola
(Fijian International Rugby Union Footballer)
Ben Volavola
4
Birthdate: January 13, 1991
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 40 
Beauden Barrett
(New Zealand Rugby Union Player)
Beauden Barrett
6
Birthdate: May 27, 1991
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New Plymouth, New Zealand

Known for his speed and game management, New Zealand rugby player Beauden Barrett is a 2-time World Rugby Player of the Year award winner. He caught the attention of national selectors at age 19, he later has a long stint with the Hurricanes. He is the highest try-scorer of any first-five in history.

 41 
Brad Thorn
(New Zealand Australian Rugby Union Coach and Former Rugby League and Rugby Union Footballer)
Brad Thorn
2
Birthdate: February 3, 1975
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Bannockburn, Otago, New Zealand
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
 42 
Martin Bayfield
(English Actor and Former Rugby Union Player)
Martin Bayfield
11
Birthdate: December 21, 1966
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Bedford, Bedfordshire, England
Height: 6'10" (208 cm)
 43 
Sam Burgess
(English Former Professional Rugby League Footballer Who Played as a Loose Forward, Prop or Second-Row Forward)
Sam Burgess
12
Birthdate: December 14, 1988
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
 44 
Percy Montgomery
(South African Rugby union player)
Percy Montgomery
4
Birthdate: March 15, 1974
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Walvis Bay
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 45 
Manu Tuilagi
(British Rugby Union Player)
Manu Tuilagi
6
Birthdate: May 18, 1991
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Fogapoa, Savai'i, Samoa
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 46 
Phil Vickery
(Former English Rugby Union Tighthead Prop and Member of the England Squad)
Phil Vickery
3
Birthdate: March 14, 1976
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Barnstaple, Devon, England

Phil Vickery is a former English rugby union player and member of the England squad. He played as a tighthead prop and was a member of England's World Cup-winning squad in 2003. After suffering from several neck injuries, he was forced to retire from rugby in 2010. In 2015, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Gloucestershire. 

 47 
Ben Cohen
(English Former Rugby Player)
Ben Cohen
5
Birthdate: September 14, 1978
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Northampton, Northamptonshire, England
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 48 
Greg O'Shea
(Irish Rugby Union Player)
Greg O'Shea
2
Birthdate: March 23, 1995
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Limerick, Ireland
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 49 
Israel Dagg
(Former New Zealand Rugby Union Player Who Played as a Fullback, Wing)
Israel Dagg
3
Birthdate: June 6, 1988
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Marton, New Zealand
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 50 
Mako Vunipola
(New Zealander Professional Rugby Union Player)
Mako Vunipola
3
Birthdate: January 14, 1991
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Wellington, New Zealand
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)