As the 2023 Rugby World Cup approaches in France, there’s a tangible sense of excitement growing. Rugby fans are eager to see the best players and teams do battle for the iconic Webb Ellis Cup.
This is the pinnacle of international rugby union, guaranteeing that venues across France will undoubtedly be filled to capacity. More than 500 million could also be watching live coverage around the globe, which is the benchmark set by the Japan 2019 tournament, even with the time difference between Asia and the largest broadcast market in Europe.
While collective team performances are always important, previous tournaments have become the platform for exceptionally talented individuals over the years. Indeed, some have reached important milestones or set new competition records, establishing themselves among the greatest Rugby World Cup players of all time.
But which players were the very best? Well, that’s always open to debate among rugby fans. Winning titles and setting records are typically the best judge of achievement, but pure individual talent can shine through too. Let’s take a look at three of the very best Rugby World Cup players of all time.
Jonny Wilkinson – England
Easily the most individually successful player in English rugby history, Jonny Wilkinson appeared at four consecutive Rugby World Cup tournaments and set several key records along the way. This includes the record for most overall points at 277, which may never be beaten.
Often considered the ‘David Beckham’ of rugby, due to his amazingly accurate kicking ability, Wilkinson tops the all-time RWC list with 58 penalty goals. Known as ‘Hot Shot’ among fans and teammates, his 14 drop overall drop goals is another superb tournament record, with 8 of those coming in 2003.
That was a vintage year that every England fan will cherish, given that Wilkinson was at his peak. He starred in a memorable England side that went on to lift their one and only Webb Ellis Cup. What’s more, following a string of powerful collective and individual performances, the Red Rose was in full bloom, defeating Australia on home turf. Of course, who else but Wilkinson to decide the game with his perfect drop goal.
For anyone making the trip to France this year, keen to grab tickets and watch England at the Rugby World Cup, triumphing again would be a dream come true. Precisely a decade has passed since Wilkinson and his team reigned supreme, and while the current squad has nobody quite like him available, fans remain positive about the chances of success.
Jonah Lomu – New Zealand
During his lifetime, which tragically ended far too early in 2015 at the age of 40, Jonah Lomu became an authentic sporting legend. Justifiably regarded as the first global superstar of international rugby, he is also considered to be one of the most gifted players the sport has ever witnessed.
Remarkably, the one achievement Lomu never quite reached was lifting the Rugby World Cup, despite reaching the final in his first 1995 tournament with the All Blacks. Unfortunately for Lomu, New Zealand lost 15-12 against South Africa. But his contribution for his country was phenomenal, and aside from the sheer quality of his performances, records tumbled along the way.
Lomu set the record for most overall tries at the Rugby World Cup, scoring 15 over his two tournament appearances. South African legend Bryan Habana needed three tournaments to match that number, therefore we can only wonder how many more Lomu might have scored, were it not for the illness that shortened his remarkable career with New Zealand.
The record for most tries in one tournament was also set by Lomu, during an impressive 1999 Rugby World Cup, before Habana scored the same amount in 2007. Just weeks before Lomu sadly passed away, fellow New Zealander Julian Savea registered 8 tries at the 2015 tournament, proudly inspired by the legacy of his ultimate rugby hero.
Richie McCaw – New Zealand
While many rugby fans may find it hard to top Jonah Lomu, there is another All Black icon who boasts achievements that are simply unmatched. Only one man has ever captained consecutive Rugby World Cup triumphs, and that man is Richie McCaw. He lifted the Rugby World Cup in 2011 and 2015 - for this alone he has to be considered one of the best world cup players ever.
McCaw made rapid and impressive progress after making his New Zealand senior debut in 2001 and forming part of the 2003 Rugby World Cup squad. A few years later in 2006, McCaw earned the team captaincy ahead of the 2007 tournament. Despite the team failing to match expectations on both occasions, they provided valuable learning experiences for what was to come.
No team in Rugby World Cup history has won back-to-back titles, but New Zealand and McCaw did precisely that, contributing towards his tournament record of 20 match winning appearances. Only fellow All Blacks come anywhere close, with Keven Mealamu registering 19, plus Sonny Bill Williams and Sam Whitelock on 18.
McCaw also matched the record for most individual match appearances, levelling the benchmark of 22 originally set by Jason Leonard of England. The last of those appearances for McCaw came in the victorious 2015 Rugby World Cup final, which marked a fitting conclusion to such a wonderful career in rugby, cementing his position as one of the all time greats of the game.
Special Mentions For The Best Rugby World Cup Players
While considering our shortlist for the greatest Rugby World Cup players of all time, there were inevitably some very tough decisions to make, particularly regarding several notable individuals.
Bryan Habana was undoubtedly one of them, given the South African star is tied with Jonah Lomu in the try scoring charts, and was hugely influential for the Springboks.
Likewise, various Australian icons came agonisingly close to making our top three, including a certain individual nicknamed ‘Nobody’ during his career, better known as John Eales. He played a starring role for the Wallabies in the Rugby World Cup successes of 1991 and 1999. Another fine Aussie contender was David Campese, one of the most naturally gifted players to grace the game.
But as we mentioned right at the top, the key factors toward choosing our leading trio was their individual Rugby World Cup records and achievements. For these reasons, it’s hard to argue against the benchmarks that were set by Johnny Wilkinson, Jonah Lomu and Richie McCaw. They can genuinely consider themselves to be the best of the best.
