All Blacks dominate greatest player list (+photos)

The British just can't seem to get over the aura that surrounds Jonah Lomu. Photo / Dean Purcell

Nearly one-in-three of the all-time great World Cup squad chosen by a British media panel are former All Blacks.

The Daily Telegraph and ITV are asking their readers and viewers to select a World Cup XV from a list of rugby greats and New Zealand is well represented.

Telegraph rugby correspondent Mick Cleary and columnists Will Greenwood and Brian Moore selected 46 players from the World Cup history books.

Fourteen of them are former All Blacks.

Sean Fitzpatrick, Alan Whetton, Wayne Shelford and Ian Jones are just some of the All Black names in the forward pack.

The Silver Fern is equally well represented in the backline. It seems the English can't forget Jonah Lomu's storming try at the 1995 World Cup when he scattered the English defence to score after setting up an earlier try.

Lomu is joined by Tana Umaga, Frank Bunce, the legend John Gallagher, Christian Cullen and John Kirwan.

Twelve English players make the cut and nine Australians.

Here's who is in the Daily Telegraph team. Why don't you send us who you think would be in a team of Rugby World Cup greats by clicking on the green balloon to the right.

Flankers:

Michael Jones (NZ)

Peter Winterbottom (England)

Neil Back (England)

Ruben Kruger (South Africa)

Alan Whetton (NZ)

Richard Hill (England)

Number 8:

Wayne Shelford (NZ)

Dean Richards (England)

Zinzan Brooke (NZ)

Locks:

Martin Johnston (England)

John Eales (Australia)

Ian Jones (NZ)

Wade Dooley (England)

Hookers:

Sean Fitzpatrick (NZ)

Phil Kearns (Australia)

Keith Wood (Ireland)

Brian Moore (England)

Props:

Jason Leonard (England)

Richard Loe (NZ)

Jeff Probyn (England)

Os du Randt (South Africa)

Steve McDowell (NZ)

Diego Cash (Argentina)

Half-backs:

Nick Farr-Jones (Australia)

George Gregan (Australia)

Pierre Berbizier (France)

Joost van der Westhuizen (South Africa)

Centres:

Tim Horan (Australia)

Philippe Sella (France)

Frank Bunce (Western Samoa and NZ)

Scott Gibbs (Wales)

Tana Umaga (NZ)

Will Greenwood (England)

First-Fives:

Michael Lynagh (Australia)

Jonny Wilkinson (England)

Stephen Larkham (Australia)

Jonathan Davies (Wales)

Fullbacks:

John Gallagher (NZ)

Serge Blanco (France)

Christian Cullen (NZ)

Gavin Hastings (Scotland)

Wings:

David Campese (Australia)

Jonah Lomu (NZ)

Jason Robinson (England)

John Kirwan (NZ)

Joe Roff (Australia)

-NZ HERALD STAFF

The Daily Telegraph story