"An icon" - Martin Johnson ranks his top three locks of all-time

England, Leicester and Lions legend Martin Johnson listed his three favourite second-rows from down the years.

A player who led by example and the kind of man you would always want alongside you in the trenches when the chips are down, Johnson would never ask someone to do something he wouldn’t do himself.

He captained the Lions on two tours, including the triumphant 1997 trip to South Africa, while he will always be remembered as the man presented with the 2003 World Cup, which England won in Sydney.

As well as being an inspirational leader, the Leicester lock was also a formidable player in his own right. A rock like presence in the tight, whose rugby motto was if in doubt, go forward.

Check out who he selected in his top three locks of all-time:

 When he stopped playing, he was Ireland's third most-capped player (108) and the eighteenth most-capped international player in rugby union history. During his career, O'Connell captained Munster, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions. He is now a rugby pundit and commentator for BBC Sport.

Du Preez Test career ran from 1961 to 1971, and South Africa won a World Cup in 1995, so for him to be held in such esteem nearly 40 years after he had played his last International proves what affection the England legend has for the man.

The 55-cap second-row is widely considered one of the greatest players in history. Nicknamed 'Pinetree' due to his physical presence, he was an icon within New Zealand rugby, and was named the country's Player of the Century at the NZRFU Awards in 1999.

Johnson said: "Nobody messed about with Meads. In an era of sluggers and desperadoes, gougers, biters and hitmen, his ability to rise above the skulduggery and impose his own law and order allowed him to clean the opposition up like a latter-day Wyatt Earp."