All time favourite rugby players.

Henry Honiball followed by Andre Venter.

Schalk - more so because of his comeback. He's all heart and soul.

 Problem is every decade brings out new players and over the years the laws governing the game changed.    Our memories fade and we tend to remember only recent players in their full glory - while forgetting the greats of the past.   To help a bit - lets go back over the decades and see what I can come up with:-
1950's   :   Forwards  -    Pieter du Toit -  Jan Pickard   *1                 Backs      -    Tom van Vollenhoven -  Wilff Riosenberg  *2

1960's   :   Forwards  -    Frik du Preez                 Backs      -    Jannie Engelbrecht - HO de Villiers *3
1970's   :   Forwards  -     Morne du Plessis                 Backs      -     Gerrie Germishuis
1980's   :    Forwards  -   Rob Louw  * 4                  Backs       -   Danie Gerber
1990's   :    Forwards   -   Gert Smal                  Backs        -   Andre Joubert - Percy Montgomery
2000's   -    Forwards    -   Schalk Burger                  Backs         -   Bryan Habana
2010+        Forwads     -   Duane Vermeulen                 Backs         -    Willie le Roux
*1    Du Toit - the gandfather of Pieter-Steff du Toit and Pickard - the grand father of  Francois Louw.
*2    Wilf Rosenberg was so good - that my late father for years afterwards said that every Springbok backline should have a Jewish player in it
*3    Jannie Engelbrecht was such a good wing that a Maori family in New Zealand named a son after him
*4    Rob Louw was the nemesis of Naas Botha - he was so good that Naas every time he got the ball looked where Louw was and if he saw him coming - he would drop the ball - saw that with my own eyes.
                                      

 Nice summary, but you've got to narrow it down to one or two players.

 Shezza 
Very difficult because it depends very much on memories of games.  A friend of mine and myself went to a CC game deciding the winner of the trophy in the 1960's ad he was wearing a MMaties blazer and I a Maties cap.   We were greeted on the pavillion with a shower of Naartjies.   The most hated player in the Northern Transvall at the time was Jannie Engelbrecht.    Problem was he broke a collar bone early in the game - but stayed on and from the WP 22 - where he got the ball - he scored two tries fpor WP under the crossbar - so I would say he was my favourite backline player of all time.
Amongst the forwards I know SA prided themselves on their big and heavy players all the time  -  bu despoite Burger's heroics.   I would never forget the time when Rob Louw was playibng for Maties against Tukkies - where Naas Botha sw Rob coming and dropped the ball.   it was behind the tryline and Rob scored a try.  
So for me thoise were my all-time favourites.
I may be prejudiced - but my parents and myself were lfriends of the Engelbrechts and the Louws - so it is likely to be personal preference more than anything else.    

 That's good enough for me, interesting story. Having never been able to watch these players its nice finding out what they did. 

Christian Cullen (although he gets points deducted as a kiwi), Bob Skinstad, Andre Joubert. Percy Montgomery, Brian Odriscoll, Joost. 
As with all the players, most of them had their p rime before their bodies starting falling apart.

 Richie McCaw anyone? 

 hakwa
I think evry country has their own great player.  Most supporters would obviously pcik players from the team they support.  If I was a New Zealander I would obviously say Richie McCaw - or even Colin Meade of many years ago and Dan Carter.    

 Too many to choose  
I will try when I have time ! 

 Im a Saffa, but I have to go for Christian Cullen as well.
Most devastating runner I have ever seen. I loved that side step of his... left or right.

As for Saffas:
1990s - Andre Joubert and Rassie Erasmus
2000s - Percy and Os
2010s - Willie le Roux and Eben Etsabeth

Agree with becs though... too many to choose from. But Andre J was incredible as was Rassie. He should have played over 100 games for the Boks. Him, Andre Venter and Gary Teichman were beasts! They had pace, ball skill and ground skill.

 

H O de Villiers.... Jannie Engelbrecht 

 Is this just for SA? I was only born in the late 80's. If I was to pick a an All Time Xv. Covering the 80's, 90's, and 2000's. 
15. Christian Cullen 14. Phillipe Sella 13. Danie Gerber 12. Tana Umaga 11. Jonah Lomu 10. Dan Carter 9. Joost Van Der Wesithzen 8. Zinzan Brooke 7. Richie Mccaw 6. Michael Jones 5. John Eales 4. Victor Matfeild 3. Os Du Randt 2. Sean Fitzpatrick 1. Jason Leonard
But of course its hard to compare eras, as Modern Players play a much harder and faster game these days.     

 Os du Randt and Corne Krige. Love the Ox

Depends in what context one means, Mike your'e right...if it pertains to your own country or in a wider scale and it depends for what reasons and what era.

Danie Gerber, Andre Joubert, Henry Honiball, Ruben Kruger, Frik Du Preez, Uli Sch midt and Keith Oxlee for me in SA.... Phillipe Sella,Hugo Porta, Christian Cullen, Thierry Dusautoir, Gareth Edwards, Mighty Mouse McLachlan,ZinZan Brooke, Sean Fitzpatrick, John Eales, Georgie Gregan and Dan Carter for other countries and miscellaneous.

It's hard to be selective.

 I will be honest and admit that there were some players whom I hated because they were absolute starts and they did not play for  SA.   The top of that list included through the years Crhitstian Cullen - probably the best ever - Willie McBride, Hugo Porta, Colin Meds, Tony O"Reilly,   and a few others. 
I recognised their talent - but I was jealous like hell.    

This is turning into a "greatest all time player" thread when it actually started out as a "favourite all time player" thread.
There's a big difference. For example, Craig Davidson is one of my all time favourite players but there's no way he can be rated one of the best scrumhalves ever. This thread is about your favourite player, not the all time greatest.

 Rooinek
 Sure - you are correct - my two favourites remain - Jannie Engelbrecht and Rob Louw.  

Yes Craig Davidson was a great servant of Natal rugby...was head prefect at my old school too...a likeable guy but a lawyer ...poor old Craig...tell me Saffex and Kalead do all lawyers have maintainance problems 

Meant Craig Jamieson not Davidson, not concentrating... ...both scrummies for Sharks...he was a good one too. I think CD went to Northwood...Shaun Pollocks old school.

Danie Gerber, Ray Mordt, Joost and Bob Skinstad 

 Pre 95 : Carel du Plessis/Danie Gerber (too hard to pick only one) and Morne du Plissis.Post 95 : Habana and Schalk.
Deserves mentions: Pre 95: Ray Mort and Rob Lowe...Naas...Idiot in those days, but a fine player.Post 95: Oh what could have been...Bob Skinstat and Andries Becker. Damn injuries...
Was also very fond of James Small as a pre and post 95er

Mark Andrews. Jonah Lomu, just because he was awesome!Keith WoodBrian O'Driscol  

3: Cobus Visagie1: Os
2 : Bullet5: Bekker4: Eben6: Lowe7: Andre Venter8: Bobby9: Divan10: Lem11: Carel12: Jean13: Danie Gerber14: Mort15: Joubert

For me, Francois Pienaar

 Scrap the lot and look no further than Schalk Burger. All heart, amazing stamina and a true gentleman of the game. What one needs to take into account here is playing ability and character. Schalk stands very tall.

My favourite player in each position:

15 Andre Joubert
14 Jaco Reinach
13 Danie Gerber
12 Pieter Muller
11 Carel du Plessis
10 Henry Honiball
9. Craig Davidson
8. Gary Teichmann
7. Andre Venter
6. Fergus Slattery
5. Mark Andrews
4. Krynauw Otto
3. Frans "Domkrag" Erasmus
2. Sean Fitzpatrick
1. Os du Randt

Best player in each position:

15 Christian Cullen
14 JJ Williams
13 Danie Gerber
12 Frank Bunce
11 David Campese
10 Hugo Porta
9. Gareth Edwards
8. Wayne Shelford
7. Fergus Slattery
6. Richard Hill
5. John Eales
4. Colin Meads
3. Fran Cotton
2. Sean Fitzpatrick
1. Os du Randt

 This is difficult ! 
Gareth Edwards, Joost, Will Carling, Peter Winterbottom......And I am throwing Ian Hunter in for the hell of it  

So many for differing reasons too ! Can I nominate my favourite player to have a lunchtime natter with ? Best neighbour ? Fellow university student ? That sort of thing too ? Ha ha ha ! 

A few years back on SArugby.com they had a "best player of all time" list. We all voted and there was a list 1-15 of the players with the highest number of votes in each position . Would be great to see that final list again!
If that is not available, we should do the vote again. It was quite fun haggling with each other about who the best players were. 
Ed?  

 I forgot Franck Mesnel ! 

Yeah Frank Bunce, forgot about him, one of my favourites...Saff and Mike would not agree though...too old ...I think he was 35/36 when he was in AB WC side.

Pieter Muller, I forgot him too...him and Danie Gerber would have made the perfect centres combination...Pieter probably the best ever in defence, whilst Danie the best ever in attack. Pieter is also a very nice and humble guy...I think he's involved in coaching 10's in the Cape. His brother, Geldart who played for Free State was a terror too.

 Johan Heunis, Joost, Andre Joubert.

 Ruben Kruger

oops Helgard Muller...where the hell did I get Geldart from??? Also getting to be coffin dodger too