In 1871 England and Scotland played the first recorded international game, and after 12 years of “friendlies” the inaugural Home Unions championship was formed. In 1886, the International Rugby Board was formed by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland - and so began the beginnings of the great game we know today.

So who is the greatest player of all time?  A near impossible question to answer, but I shall attempt to do so – first by assessing the second most unachievable target, the greatest XV of all time.

BACKS

'The key to Auckland’s and New Zealand’s complete supremacy in the late 1990s, Fitzy stands alongside Colin Meads as the most influential All Black ever'


15 - Fullback: Serge Blanco (France, 93 caps): Serge was the greatest attacking fullback of all time, and a gentleman on the field.  Scored 38 tries, most of them from deep; not as defensively brilliant as some 15s, he made the game look effortless. Runner-up: Gavin Hastings (Scotland).

14 – Wing: David Campese (Australia, 101 caps): Campo's goose step and desire to attack at all costs caused him to be a average defender and mistake-maker – but when it worked did it work, as he dazzled his way to a world record 64 Test tries. Runner-up: John Kirwan (New Zealand).

13 – Centre: Philippe Sella (France, 111 caps): An attacker so stunning that few realised his defensive strength. A weaving magician who had the “strength of a bull and the touch of a piano player” – a Five Nations superman with 50 appearances. Runner-up: Tana Umaga (New Zealand).

12 – Centre: Tim Horan (Australia, 80 caps): Two World Cups and was 1999’s player of the tournament. Had the lightest feet even seen. A great defender, Horan had brilliant pace and was a great decision maker. Runner-up: Will Carling (England).

11 – Wing: Jonah Lomu (New Zealand, 63 caps): Youngest man to wear the black jersey and the most unstoppable force ever seen in rugby.  Became the first global rugby sensation – and single-handedly ran through entire teams.  Terrifying. Runner-up: Gerald Davies (Wales).

10 – Fly-half: A four-way tie between Hugo Porta (Argentina, 58 caps), Grant Fox (New Zealand, 46 caps), Mark Ella (Australia, 25 caps) and Jonny Wilkinson (England, 70 caps).

9 – Scrum-half: Gareth Edwards (Wales, 53 caps): Edwards was regarded by many as the greatest player of all time, and the catalyst for the Welsh golden age. Won 10 caps for the Lions with series victories over both the All Blacks and Springboks. Runner-up: Joost van der Westhuizen (South Africa)

FORWARDS

8 – Number Eight: Mervyn Davies (Wales, 38 caps): Played all of his matches consecutively and was the figurehead of the Welsh pack of the 1970s.  Played in two victorious Lions tours, won two Grand Slams and three Triple Crowns. Runner-up: Brian Lochore (New Zealand).

7 – Flanker: Michael Jones (New Zealand, 55 caps): The Iceman revolutionised this position, following the ball religiously – while his faith famously prevented him playing on Sundays. Regarded by purists as the finest flanker in the game's history. Runner-up: Wavell Wakefield (England).

6 – Flanker: Francois Pienaar (South Africa, 29 caps): Captained Transvaal to be Super 10 and Currie Cup champions in 1993 before making an international impact by winning the 1995 World Cup. A man far beyond a rugby player with his global impact. Runner-up: Graham Mourie (New Zealand).

5 – Lock: Colin Meads (New Zealand, 55 caps): Pine Tree was the most devastating forward of his era, and visions of him with ball in one hand would still haunt many ex-players.  A monster who could not be stopped, he is “the” iconic All Black. Runner-up - Willie-John McBride (Ireland).

4 – Lock: John Eales (Australia, 86 caps): The most successful Wallaby captain – and the highest points-scoring forward in history.  The iconic Queensland lock was the lynchpin of the Australian golden age from 1999 into the new millennium. Runner-up: Martin Johnson (England).

3 – Prop: Jason Leonard (England, 114 caps): The most durable prop of all time with three series appearances with the Lions, and responsible for anchoring what became the world’s strongest scrum leading up to a World Cup win in 2003. Runner-up: David Sole (Scotland).

2 – Hooker: Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand, 92 caps): The most-capped captain of New Zealand - 51 times. Fitzy stands alongside Meads as the most influential All Black ever. The key to Auckland’s and New Zealand’s complete supremacy in the late 1990s. Runner-up: Keith Wood (Ireland).

1 – Prop: Wilson Whineray (New Zealand, 32 caps): One of the most enduring All-Black captains, with 25 wins as leader. Probably the first rugby prop who could run with the pill, and play both sides of the scrum. An enduring Kiwi icon. Runner-up: Os du Randt(South Africa).

So who of these 15 demi-gods is the greatest player of all time? Sean Fitzpatrick, that's who...  the most-capped All Black and most-capped captain of the greatest rugby team throughout more than a century of rugby union.

Fitzy chalked up 74 wins in his Test career, more than any other player in history. He also led Auckland to two consecutive dominant Super 12 titles, despite extremely strong African and Australian opposition. 

A World Cup winner, a British Lions conqueror, he captained a series win over a World XV.  And he whitewashed the Wallabies and Springboks as captain in the '96 and '97 Tri Nations series. Rated the second most influential All Black of all time after Meads, Fitzpatrick has to be the best player of the finest game.