Fans Have Voted For England's All-Time Greatest XV, The Results Are Controversial

The illustrious history of the Red Rose is punctuated by an array of exceptional talent, making the task of whittling down to a mere fifteen players a daunting endeavour.

Fans were called upon to select from a curated pool of candidates in a bid to select England's finest lineup.

Surprisingly, amidst a sea of legendary names, only a solitary active player still playing for England clinched a coveted spot. Without further ado, behold the complete XV below:

Fullback: JASON ROBINSON (94% of the vote) - The speedster was a menace whatever number was on his back, a bewildering opponent, a man seemingly able to sidestep in mid-air, with pace and nerve and vision, tough in the tackle, intelligent in his use of angles and selfless when it came to creating openings for teammates.

Winger: JONNY MAY (56%): The winger is undoubtedly one of England's premier players since 2003, boasting the title of the country's second-highest try-scorer of all time and consistently delivering top-notch performances

Winger: RORY UNDERWOOD (55%) - England’s highest try scorer, with 49, and a player of undeniable attacking class

Centre: JEREMY GUSCOTT (69%) - The Prince of Centres,’ was how Guscott was described by Clive Woodward. And he wasn’t wrong.

Centre: WILL GREENWOOD (66%) - Everything you could want in a modern day inside centre and more. He is sorely missed.

Fly-half: JONNY WILKINSON (97%) - Who else could it have been? There’s little to say about this man that hasn’t already been written.

Scrum-half: MATT DAWSON (83%) -  Although never the greatest of distributors, Dawson’s competitive edge and ability to spot the gap puts him in ahead of many other contenders

Prop: JASON LEONARD (69%) - The most enduring, the most accomplished and, as his ‘Fun Bus’ nickname would suggest, one of the most faithful and inspirational team-mates to have alongside you

Hooker: BRIAN MOORE (43%) -  He played in three World Cups for England and won three Grand Slams, earning World Rugby’s Player of the Year award in 1991

Prop: PHIL VICKERY (82%) - As one of the hardest hitters in rugby, “Raging Bull” is never far from a Dream XV list

Lock: MARTIN JOHNSON (98%) - 84 caps for England across a decade, 39 of them as captain, culminating in that World Cup victory, three tours for the British and Irish Lions as well

Lock: MARO ITOJE (59%) - He would have excelled no matter the time or style of game, be it tight and relentless, a bare-knuckle exchange as often used to be the case, or, as he does now, as an all-purpose player, as at ease in the open spaces as he is doing the grunt work at the coal-face

Flanker: RICHARD HILL (85%) - The flanker was “first on the team-sheet,” according to Johnson and Sir Clive Woodward

Flanker: NEIL BACK (56%) - A genuine openside and a genius at the breakdown, Back added an extra dimension to the England side that is so sorely lacking from them now

Number 8:  LAWRENCE DALLAGLIO (70%) - Dallaglio has always been a singular figure, one never daunted by any situation which is why he was such a long-standing captain with Wasps

England lifted the William Webb Ellis trophy for the first - and so far only - time in 2003, after a Jonny Wilkinson drop goal in extra time.

Woodward's side are still the only northern hemisphere side to win the World Cup, with the other nine tournaments won by South Africa (four), New Zealand (three) and Australia (two). 

In a video posted by England Rugby's Instagram account, Wilkinson - who scored the all important drop goal 28 seconds from time - said: 'It's great being back with all the guys from the squad 20 years on.

'It's great to be able to see everyone, and to get a feel of what everyone's been up to, but also to I guess get a feel for why we were able to do what we did 20 years ago, because it still lives on in everyone.'

Take a look at how some of the key players look now:

A former Gloucester and London Wasps prop, Phil Vickery called time on his career at the end of the 2010 Premiership season. The two-time British & Irish Lion was a revered opponent across the world, and has since started a successful clothing brand 'Raging Bull', with his on-field nickname. Vickery was forced into retirement due to a series of neck injuries, and in 2012 he joined Worcester Warriors as their Scrum Coach.

Vickery has also tried his hand at sports broadcasting, as he was apart of the commentary team for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. His on-screen appearances have also been witnessed across a variety of TV shows, including 'Celebrity MasterChef', which he won in 2011. An eternal fan favourite at Kingsholm Stadium, Vickery was appointed the title of Deputy Lieutenant of Gloucestershire in 2015.

Renowned for his iconic drop-goal that secured victory against Australia in the 2003 final, Wilkinson transitioned into a coaching role with Toulon, focusing on kicking and skills development following his retirement. He also now works as a pundit for ITV Sport during Rugby World Cup's and the Six Nations.

Greenwood continued to shine on the international stage following the 2003 glory, and went on to represent the British & Irish Lions for their 2005 tour to New Zealand. He ended his career at Harlequins in 2006, and soon gave his experienced views through analysis and punditry. Greenwood co-hosted the 'School of Hard Knocks' TV series with former Wales international Scott Quinnell, and was an on-screen analyst for ITV as England reached the final of the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

Will has also explored opportunities away from rugby, and is the current Chief Customer Officer for data and software company Afiniti's London office. Greenwood's family was struck with tragedy, after his son Freddie died just 45 minutes after being born. The former England centre underwent an inspirational walk to the North Pole in memory of his son, and helped to raise over £750,000 for Borne's research. Greenwood is a patron of Borne, who are a medical research charity that work with cases of premature birth. He is also a patron of Child Bereavement UK, which is a charity that support parents who have lost a child.

Tindall, who earned an impressive 75 caps for England, held the distinction of being the final player from the 2003 squad to retire when he bid farewell to his playing career in 2014. Adding a touch of royalty to his life, he tied the knot with Zara Phillips, daughter of Princess Anne, in 2011.

Since then, he's frequently spotted alongside royalty at various sporting events and public engagements, embodying a blend of athletic prowess and regal connections. He also presents The Good, The Bad, And The Rugby podcast.

Kay amassed 62 caps for England throughout his eight-year international career, retiring in the summer of 2010. Since then, he has contributed as an analyst for various prominent broadcasters and held a role as a non-executive director at Leicester Tigers from 2014 to 2021.

The openside flanker for England in 2003 transitioned to coaching roles post-retirement, notably at Leeds Carnegie and Rugby Lions. His tenure culminated in leading an undefeated 2011/12 season with Rugby Lions in the fifth tier, securing both a league title and cup victory. His last full-time coaching position was at Edinburgh, concluding in 2013.

Dallaglio has followed in the footsteps of Wilkinson and Dawson, becoming a well-known rugby pundit. He provided coverage for the Rugby World Cup on ITV in 2011.

Additionally, he is renowned for his philanthropic efforts, having founded the Lawrence Dallaglio Foundation. This organisation aims to empower young people through sport and supports teenage cancer trusts by raising funds.

Cohen ended his rugby career with Sale Sharks, having previously also represented Northampton Saints and French club Brive. An inspirational activist, the former winger founded The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation in 2011, which works on raising awareness regarding the impacts of bullying and implements “real-world work to stop it”. Cohen is an leading activist for LGBTQ+ rights, and in 2013 was inducted into the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame. 

Due to having a hearing issue called tinnitus, Cohen is clinically deaf. He lacks approxmiatly 30% of his hearing in both ears, and he is a campaigner for increased accessibility within rugby for hard of hearing people. Cohen met his partner Kristina Rihanoff on TV show ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, and the pair have since had a daughter together. Cohen has appeared on numerous reality TV shows, including The Jump, The Celebrity Chase and has worked with charity Sports Relief. 

Since retiring from playing, two of England's victorious 2003 front-rowers have embarked on distinct paths. Hooker Thompson opted for a lifestyle change, relocating to Dubai. At 45 years old, he assumed ambassadorial roles for the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation and was appointed as a sports ambassador for Transguard, a security and facilities management services company.

However, Thompson's journey took a poignant turn when he was diagnosed with early-onset dementia in December 2020. In a significant gesture, on September 23, 2021, he publicly expressed his desire to donate his brain for research into chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).