DREAM TEAM

Bristol hooker Tom Lindsay picks his best XV

1. Tim Payne – Top bloke on and off the field, B&I Lion who had one of the highest work rates out of all our Wasps team. Massively helped me when I was younger.

2. Schalk Brits – Lucky to have played with and against him and he broke the mould. Like having an extra back, no hooker could match his talent around the field.

3. Phil Vickery – World Cup-winning B&I Lion who helped me a lot when I was younger. So destructive at scrum time and around the park and a true warrior of the game. 4. Courtney Lawes – Player you always have to look out for because he can come out of nowhere and melt you in a tackle. Unbelievable athlete with great aerial skills.

5. Simon Shaw – Shawsy was an absolute man mountain for Wasps with those huge shovels for mits. Had great handling ability and used to dominate the game aerially. 6. Andy Powell – Another B&I Lion I was lucky to play with and against. Great character, one of the best carriers in the game and could put in some big shots in defence.

7. George Smith – Still raising the bar. His work rate is unbelievable. The most down to earth bloke for someone who has achieved so much in a career spanning 20 years.

8. Billy Vunipola – Billy is without doubt the most destructive ball carrier in the game right now. Great feet and an unbelievable skill set. There aren’t many players like him.

9. Joe Simpson – I have known Joe since I was 15 and we grew up in the Wasps academy. Electric pace, savage side step and a great rugby brain not to mention a good bloke.

10. Andy Goode – For someone who used to get so much abuse thrown his way, Goodey was ‘Mr Consistent’. Great bloke who ran a game effortlessly and had a superb boot. 11. George North – Another man mountain who has the ability to run around and over you when playing against him. Ridiculously good athlete who takes some stopping. 12. Sam Tuitupou – For a smaller guy he carried and tackled like a back row. Such an explosive player who dented so many back lines internationally and domestically. 13. Yannick Jauzion – Played 237 times for Toulouse. In his prime he was one of the most dangerous ball carriers in the world and such a dangerous guy to play against. 14. Christian Wade – Wadey scores tries for fun and acceleration and footwork stand him out. So powerful too. I hope he goes over to America and carves it up in NFL.

15. Alex Goode – Performs week-in, week-out for Saracens, safe as houses under the high ball, electric with the ball in hand. Footwork and scramble defence is world class.