LIST: 5 toughest rugby legends of the professional era

They’re something of a dying breed, but the 1990s and 2000s were a breeding ground for tough tackles and bust-ups aplenty.

It certainly isn’t a definitive list, but here are some of the most famous and most brutal hard men to play in the professional era of rugby union.

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He intimidated with his ferocious tackling and fearsome ball-carrying. If you want evidence of just how hard as nails Collins was, just ask Colin Charvis, who was knocked out cold by one of his tackles in a New Zealand v Wales game.

Collins commanded respect for what he really was and his reputation was fully justified.

In an era when it has been more difficult to 'assert yourself' as a hard man because there are so many TV cameras around these days, he was still able to stand out as the Springboks' enforcer for a decade.

Botha helped beat up the Lions in 2009 in what were brutal modern-day Test matches.

The former England captain was as tough as they come, once having to leave the field to have a cut to his eye tended to before returning to the field moments later.

O’Connell is simply the type of person you do not mess with. He’s got a head like a battering ram and stands over six feet tall.

His wild hair and misshapen nose bear testament to his hammering away at the breakdown coalface as a player who could perform with distinction across all three back-row positions.