All time favourite rugby players.

Tom Smith was bloody useless  

Being a son of Scotland...cannot be useless if chosen for Lions and beating the Boks...that is real dumb...Saffex you are good sometimes in spotting talent but sometimes too self opinionated on some without reason, fair enough we all differ and that's very good but be honest would you say this is useless (legend he was not but exceptional at the time...heres a little from wikipedia:

 

"Smith earned his first Scotland cap in 1997 in the Calcutta Cup match versus England at Twickenham. Despite only having a 3 caps to his name at the time he was included by coach Ian McGeechan in the squad for the 1997 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa. Surprising many Smith was selected to start all 3 test matches alongside Paul Wallace and Keith Wood over the other touring props Jason Leonard and Graham Rowntree. His strong scrummaging and good hands alongside many other great team performances ensured that the Lions won over their much more highly fancied hosts and won the series 2-1.

He was also selected in the 2001 Lions tour of Australia and played all 3 test matches of that series also to become the only Scot to play the six consecutive Lions tests matches of 1997 and 2001 when he played against Australia.

For the next 8 years Smith was to be a first choice starter for Scotland and talismanic figure for the team winning the Five Nations in 1999 and captaining the side throughout the 2001 Autumn Internationals. Smith was also Scotland's Player of the Season in 2000/2001. After an international career that included two World Cups and six consecutive Lions tests, Smith's final match in the blue jersey came, appropriately enough, against England in the 2005 Six Nations clash at Twickenham.

Smith was a fan favourite with the Murrayfield faithful with many considering him the greatest loose head prop the team had ever had alongside Grand Slam winning captain David Sole.

 

 

 

 

 

 Dave,         I would change five players in your selection3. Chris Koch.4. Frik du Preez5. Mark Andrews12. Mannetjies Roux.10. H Honiball.
And I would be concerned about finding a spot for Gary Teichmann.
I do not think the players selected are poor as per your selection but the guys I have suggested really put everything on the line for the Springboks.
A player that really is my all time special player was Tom Van Vollenhoven followed by Joost v/d Westerhuizen and Danie Gerber.
Fortunately I was privileged to witness some great players representing SA as well as NZ, OZ, England, Ireland and Wales.
I consider myself very fortunate to have seen such great players in action.

Thanks.

 Os Du Randt,  Habana and maybe a bit of a left field choice but Fourie Du Preez. 

 Yes Richie > ALL