Fans were recently invited to vote for their ultimate Champions Cup and Challenge Cup Dream 15 over the past 30 years. The selections were based on the players’ achievements and performances in the two competitions.
With plenty of talented stars to choose from, the selection was never going to be straightforward.
Here is the team:
Backs
15 Rob Kearney (Leinster) – 4 × Champions Cup winner: Renowned for his impact during Leinster’s golden era, he marshalled the backfield with expert consistency in both club and international colours. He was hugely successful in Leinster colours, also winning the Pro 14 on six occasions and the Challenge Cup once.
14 Doug Howlett (Munster) – 1 x Champions Cup winner: The legendary All Black winger made an instant mark in Europe, winning the Champions Cup in 2008 before securing the Celtic League twice, once in 2009 and again in 2011.
13 Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster) – 3 × Champions Cup winner: Ireland’s record try-scorer, 4 x Celtic League winner, 1 x Challenge Cup winner, and often regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
12 Yannick Jauzion (Stade Toulousain) – 3 × Champions Cup winner: A giant of a centre, standing at 6 ft 4 in, in Toulouse’s midfield during their golden years. Also, a mainstay in a formidable France starting XV for over ten years.
11 Bryan Habana (RC Toulon) – 2 × Champions Cup winner: 2007 Rugby World Cup winner and one of the game’s greatest ever finishers. In 2015, he equalled Jonah Lomu’s record of 15 tries in World Cups.
Half Backs
10 Jonny Wilkinson (RC Toulon) – 2 × Champions Cup winner: England’s 2003 World Cup hero, known for his composure and kicking class. Despite being well into his 30s, his time with Toulon saw the England legend rejuvenated, playing some of his very best rugby.
9 Antoine Dupont (Stade Toulousain) – 2 × Champions Cup winner: 2× European Player of the Year, widely regarded as one of the finest scrum-halves ever, and often considered the current greatest player in the world. His performance against Leinster in the 2024 Champions Cup final has gone down as one of the greatest ever individual performances.
Forwards
8 Grégory Alldritt (Stade Rochelais) – 2 x Champions Cup winner: He won his titles in back-to-back years with wins over Leinster. An important part of the French international pack, he’s only just reaching his peak now.
7 Josh van der Flier (Leinster) – 1 × Champions Cup winner: The talented flanker has found himself on the losing side of most finals, and didn’t play in the 2018 final, which Leinster won. But his quality was appreciated in the grander scheme when he was awarded the European Player of the Year in 2022.
6 Thierry Dusautoir (Biarritz/Stade Toulousain) – 1 x Champions Cup winner: His 2010 victory with Toulouse brought a sense of relief after coming up short in the final on two occasions prior. Famed for his work rate and leadership, he will forever be remembered for his World Cup final performance against New Zealand.
5 Paul O’Connell (Munster) – 2 × Champions Cup winner: Now a leader off the field, he was once a towering figure in Munster and Ireland’s colours on the field. A former British and Irish Lion, O’Connell struck an imposing figure that often cut into the psyche of the opposition.
4 Bakkies Botha (RC Toulon) – 3 × Champions Cup winner: Part of the dominant Toulon side of the early 2010s, this Bok legend often used his sheer power and aggression to give his side the upper hand.
3 Tadhg Furlong (Leinster) – 1 x Champions Cup winner: Surprisingly winning the top European trophy just once, Furlong is known as one of the modern tighthead greats. A 3 times Lions tourist with multiple international and club accolades to his name, Furlong follows a long list of great Irish front rowers.
2 Keith Wood (Munster/Harlequins) – Champions Cup finalist and Challenge Cup winner: The only man on this list not to win a Champions Cup. He was, however, once named the World Player of the Year and won the Challenge Cup with Harlequins, where he spent much of his career.
1 Cian Healy (Leinster) – 4 × Champions Cup winner: Healy was a cornerstone of Leinster’s dominant scrum for over a decade. Only recently retired at the age of 37 after an incredible shift at the highest level.
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/all-blacks-and-springboks-legends-feature-in-all-time-fan-voted-european-dream-xv-with-shock-inclusions
