12. Ma’a Nonu

Big bustling Nonu is still playing for Toulon, but he had time to score 56 tries in 174 Super Rugby matches for the Blues, Highlanders, and Hurricanes.

13. Stirling Mortlock

119-cap Brumbies captain Mortlock scored 1,036 points in Super Rugby; in every way to score a point. He is a visually unforgettable figure of what might have been the heyday of Super Rugby.

14. Bryan Habana

Cheetah-racing Habana scored tries for every team he starred in at every level. Give him a bit of space and he would punish you, but it is his dramatic Super 14 2007 try against the Sharks to win (20-19) the trophy which gives him his place. A climax in a comp which has often been anticlimactic.

15. Christian Cullen

Cullen and Israel Folau each have strong claims for the all time number fifteen jersey: combined, they scored 116 tries. But Cullen’s tries were just that bit more solo and memorable, and he played in the very first Super Rugby game.

GEOFF PARKES’ XV

1.Joe Moody

Wyatt Crockett racked up an incredible 202 matches over his career, but he loses out to fellow Crusader, Moody at loose-head

2. Malcolm Marx

There are candidates galore at hooker, with Stephen Moore the first serious Australian contender. Dane Coles’ career spanned 14 years for the Hurricanes but there was something special about how the Lions elevated the competition in 2017 and 2018 and how Marx brought a new dimension to pilfering and try-scoring in the number 2 shirt.

3. Olo Brown

I was tempted to opt for partner-in-crime, Owen Franks at tight-head but instead went back to the dominant Auckland team that started things off, to tap Brown who, according to none other than Os du Rant and Jason Leonard, was the best opponent they ever scrummed against.

4. Sam Whitelock

Things get easier in the second row. Whitelock was a giant of the game, won multiple titles and was an inspirational leader.

Samuel Whitelock of the Crusaders celebrates after winning the Super Rugby Pacific Final match between Chiefs and Crusaders at FMG Stadium Waikato, on June 24, 2023, in Hamilton, New Zealand. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

5. Victor Matfield

Can I copy and paste the previous comment to speak on the South African great? This feels like an opportunity to move things along.

6. Liam Messam

Owen Finegan and Pablo Matera have worthy claims at number 6, but Messam is the archetypal Super Rugby player; physical and skilful, respected by all opponents, his career spanning 184 games for the Chiefs over 14 years.

7. George Smith

Openside flanker boils down to what is undoubtedly the toughest selection of all. McCaw versus Smith. McCaw played 145 matches over 15 years, winning four titles; Smith 164 matches over 17 years, winning two titles, four times named Australia’s Super Rugby player of the year.

It feels awkward leaving McCaw out of any team, but I’d suggest his greatest legacy is reserved for Test rugby. Someone who should know – his coach, Steve Hansen – rates McCaw New Zealand’s best ever All Black. As opposed to New Zealand’s best ever Super Rugby player. That’ll do me and George.

8. Kieran Read

The Crusaders don’t miss out at number 8 however; Read is an obvious stand-out, albeit he misses out on the captaincy. That’s neither here nor there – what a leadership group Matfield, Whitelock and Read makes.

9. George Gregan

Halfback is very competitive. Aaron Smith’s issue is that unlike Justin Marshall, Gregan and Fourie du Preez, he’s not associated with one of the recognised elite franchises. TJ Perenara – a wonderful Super Rugby contributor – kind of falls into the same category. From all of the options, it feels to me like Gregan has the strongest claims.

George Gregan runs against the Highlanders at Carisbrook, Dunedin. (Photo by Ross Land/Getty Images)

10. Dan Carter

His partner in crime, Steve Larkham, is a contender at 10, but look at the quality in that field; Carlos Spencer, Andrew Merhtens, Morne Steyn, Aaron Cruden, Richie Mounga and Beauden Barrett… all key men across multiple title wins.

Oh, and Carter, too. 141 Super Rugby matches for three titles. He’s the cream on top of the playmaker cake.

11. Bryan Habana

There’s an embarrassment of riches on the wing, with great players like Doug Howlett, Joe Rokocoko, Julian Savea, Ben Smith and Joe Roff missing out. Try-scoring record holder Sevu Reece doesn’t even come close to getting a look in.

The hardest omission is that of Jonah Lomu. Not because he’s in any way unworthy, but because, like McCaw, the most compelling part of his legacy resides in Test rugby, and his Super Rugby record doesn’t quite stack up against my two selections.

The Bulls’ Habana, whose 56 tries included the matchwinner in the thrilling 2007 final, nabs the first wing spot in an incredibly tight area to select.

12. Tim Horan

In the centres, it’s tempting to take the easy route and name the Hurricanes’ pairing of Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith. But while he never won a title with the Reds, Horan was a dominant player in the early days of Super Rugby, up until his retirement. If we’re going to split the duo, he’s our man – besides, who wouldn’t love to see Horan and Carter alongside each other?

13. Conrad Smith

Stirling Mortlock some close at centre, but for sustained excellence, it’s Smith who grabs the spot.

14. Joeli Vidiri

My second wing spot is filled by the Blues’ Joeli Vidiri.

15. Christian Cullen

If that’s not enough electricity in the outside backs imagine grouping them with Cullen at fullback. Cullen is hands down the easiest selection in the XV, by far the dominant individual player in the early days of Super Rugby, suited as he was to the expansive style of play that had begun to evolve.

What’s interesting is that these kinds of exercises usually throw up a tendency to recency bias. But if we look at who the standout players are in Super Rugby today – let me throw Damian McKenzie, Will Jordan, Rob Valetini and Ardie Savea out there – none of them make this side. At least not yet.

CHRISTY DORAN’S XV

1.Wyatt Crockett

Crockett started in the 2008 final win over the Waratahs and was still packing down in the scrum and winning titles a decade later. That’s good enough for me. Oh, and Crockett played just a lazy 202 matches. Next.

2. Dane Coles

He might have been niggly and annoying for opponents, but Coles was just as tough as they come and seriously clever as a rugby player. I thought about Springboks hero Malcolm Marx, New Zealand duo Keven Mealamu and Codie Taylor, and Brumbies great Jeremy Paul, but Coles could do it all.

3. Owen Franks

A serious rock up front, Franks was the antithesis of the early Taniela Tupou. But he did what you needed, and that was scrum straight and play in tight.

4. Sam Whitelock

If there was one forward I wanted to play for more life, it would be Whitelock. Consistent, strong over the ball, a rock in defence, and a lineout controller, Whitelock did it all, and he was a follow-me type leader.

5. Victor Matfield

The Bulls maestro, Matfield will forever be remembered as a lock for the ages. His partnership with Bakkies Botha was as scary as they came.

6. Liam Messam

Didn’t quite carve out the same footprint at Test level, but at Super Rugby Messam was a machine. The Chiefs back-rower was at the heart of his side’s success under Dave Rennie. Messam edged out Owen Finegan, Schalk Burger and Pablo Matera, who won a title with the Crusaders in 2022 and also led the Jaguares in the 2019 final.

7. George Smith

Simply the best. Smith won a couple of titles, returned after years away and almost won another in 2013. An absolute baller, Super Rugby was made for Smith.

George Smith came close to winning Super Rugby titles a decade apart. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

8. Kieran Read

Cut across generations by playing as long as he did, Read started in the 2008 Super Rugby title-winning side and was still at the heart of the side a decade later when the Crusaders ended their drought in 2017. He won another couple of titles on the way out. Read edged out Pierre Spies. Duane Vermeulen and Toutai Kefu also came into the mix.  

9. Fourie du Preez

Another competitive position, South Africa’s controller edged Brumbies leader George Gregan and New Zealand great Aaron Smith. Du Preez was at the heart of the Bulls’ success in the late noughties.

10. Richie Mo’unga

Statistically, no one comes close to Mo’unga. The Crusaders’ drought ended when Mo’unga quickly found his feet at Super Rugby. He is quite simply the competition’s greatest player, winning five Super Rugby titles and another two Aotearoa crowns during the Covid-affected years. That’s why he’s been picked ahead of Dan Carter and Andrew Mehrtens. Carlos Spencer was a magician, too. Morne Steyn and Stephen Larkham were also given some thought.

Richie Mo’unga with Scott Robertson after beating the Chiefs in the 2023 Super Rugby final. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

11. Bryan Habana

Quite simply one of the best wingers the game has seen, Habana didn’t stop scoring whether it was in Super Rugby or on the international stage.

12. Jean de Villiers

Ma’a Nonu would be my No.12 if it was picking a Test side, but his achievements in the international arena count for nothing in this exercise. There’s been some great Crusaders who pressed their claims for selection, but I went for the former Stormers captain who was the rock of the South African franchise for years.  

13. Tana Umaga

A toss-up between Umaga and Stirling Mortlock, I went for the great All Black. Like Mortlock, Umaga spent otime the wing as well as in the midfield. Tough as teeth, Umaga’s ability to run a line was as good as you’ll see. His presence was just immense, too.

14. Joe Roff

I originally had Sevu Reece penciled in, but Roffy was just magic. He would glide his way to the line and he could do it all; strong in the air, robust and deceptively fast.

15. Israel Folau

Christian Cullen lit up everywhere he went, but Folau’s record at Super Rugby was just too good to ignore. He not only held the Super Rugby tryscoring record despite playing just seven seasons, he was brilliant under the high ball and he won a title.