The 5 Best Flankers Of All Time, Ranked

Honourable mentions: George Smith (Australia), Finlay Calder (Scotland), Ian Kirkpatrick (New Zealand), Michael Hooper (australia)

Pienaar is best known for captaining South Africa to victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

He only played in 29 matches, but all of them were as captain, and he demonstrated his excellent rugby skills. Pienaar's team not only defeated the highly favored New Zealand team in front of a excited South African crowd, but also made a small contribution to bringing together the post-apartheid society in South Africa.

After being dropped from the Springbok team, Pienaar went on to play for the English club Saracens.

The France flanker is a well-known figure in French rugby, known for his blond hair and leadership as captain of the team for 34 matches.

He played as a flanker and was known for his risk-taking and unpredictable style of play, despite his small stature for the position at the time.

Rives played in 59 international matches over his nine-year career.

After retiring from rugby, he pursued a career in sculpting and art.

Hill was an integral part of the England rugby team that won the Rugby World Cup in 2003 under coach Clive Woodward.

Along with Neil Back and Lawrence Dallaglio, Hill played as a flanker and was known for his strong tackling and excellent support play.

He is widely considered one of the best flankers of all time.

Fun fact: Hill was the only player who was never dropped from the team during Woodward's tenure as coach.

Michael Jones, also known as "the Iceman," was a successful international rugby player with a career lasting 11 years.

Despite his immense talent, he only earned 55 Test caps due to injuries and his refusal to play on Sundays due to his Christian beliefs.

Jones is also well-known for being the first player to score a try in the Rugby World Cup.

In addition to his athletic accomplishments, he has also been a positive role model, especially for Pacific Islander youth in New Zealand. In 1990, he was awarded the New Zealand Medal for his service to the Pacific Island community.

McCaw was a skilled and hardworking rugby player, known for his abilities at the breakdown and his dynamic running.

He developed excellent handling skills and was a key link man on the field, with the athleticism and ball-carrying ability to consistently break the line.

McCaw was also a fearless and outstanding exponent at the breakdown throughout his career. In addition to his impressive skills on the field, he was also a respected leader.

He achieved legendary status by leading the All Blacks to victory in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, and he continued to break records and lead the team for four more years, winning the Webb Ellis trophy for a second time.