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Cape Town - Rugby World Cup organisers have announced an all-time fans’ Dream Team.
Rugby enthusiasts across the globe had 15 weeks to vote for their best ever Rugby World Cup team, with the final XV revealed late last week.
Two South Africans - scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen and lock Victor Matfield - have cracked the nod for the starting team.
Van der Westhuizen was part of the 1995 Springbok team which beat the All Blacks 15-12 in the final at Ellis Park, while Matfield was a World Cup winner in 2007 when the Springboks beat England 15-6 in the final in Paris.
In all, the Dream Team features nine World Cup winners, with the others being Jason Robinson (England, 2003), Conrad Smith (New Zealand (2011), Ma’a Nonu (New Zealand, 2011), Jonny Wilkinson (England, 2003), Lawrence Dallaglio (England, 2003), Richie McCaw (New Zealand, 2011) and Martin Johnson (England, 2003).
Interestingly, the entire front row - Omar Hasan, Mario Ledesma and Rodrigo Roncero - come from Argentina. The trio were devastating during the 2007 tournament in France, when the Pumas finished third after beating the hosts in the third place playoff match.
The team boasts 202 World Cup caps, 46 tries and 508 points across all seven tournaments between them. It also features two winning captains in McCaw and Johnson.
The 2015 Rugby World Cup, to be staged in England and Wales, runs from September 18-October 31.
Fans' all-time Rugby World Cup dream team:
15 Serge Blanco (France), 14 Jason Robinson (England), 13 Conrad Smith (New Zealand), 12 Ma’a Nonu (New Zealand), 11 Jonah Lomu (New Zealand), 10 Jonny Wilkinson (England), 9 Joost van der Westhuizen (South Africa), 8 Lawrence Dallaglio (England), 7 Richie McCaw (New Zealand), 6 Thierry Dusautoir (France), 5 Victor Matfield (South Africa), 4 Martin Johnson (England), 3 Omar Hasan (Argentina), 2 Mario Ledesma (Argentina), 1 Rodrigo Roncero (Argentina)
