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World Cup icons among new blindside flankers inducted into RugbyPass Hall of Fame
By Sam Smith
The sixth wave of inductees into the RugbyPass Hall of Fame have been revealed as the finest blindside flankers ever to grace the game were recognised on Monday.
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Home to the greatest rugby players of all-time, the RugbyPass Hall of Fame acknowledges and recognises the outstanding efforts of the trailblazers from the amateur era through to the global stars who light up the sport to this day.
The amalgamation of rugby’s top players from the amateur and professional eras has been reflected in the Rugby Pass Hall of Fame’s first-ever induction announcement, from which 12 of rugby’s best blindside flankers have been unveiled as inductees.
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Among the headline names include World Cup-winning captain Francois Pienaar, who created won of sport’s most iconic moments when he was presented the Webb Ellis Cup by Nelson Mandela after steering the Springboks to their first-ever world title in 1995.
Pienaar joins Australian icon John Eales, English legend Martin Johnson and compatriot John Smit as the fourth World Cup-winning captain to be inducted into the RugbyPass Hall of Fame.
As a two-time winner of rugby’s greatest prize, former All Blacks enforcer Jerome Kaino has also been included after helping guide New Zealand to back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2015.
Pienaar and Kaino are two of five new World Cup-winning inductees, alongside former All Black Alan Whetton, English great Richard Hill, and ex-Springbok Juan Smith, all of whom became world champions in 1987, 2003 and 2007, respectively.
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Kaino and Whetton are joined by fellow Kiwis Ian Kirkpatrick and the late Jerry Collins among the new additions to the RugbyPass Hall of Fame, while Hill has been added with his fellow countryman Mike Teague.
There are also three French inductees, spearheaded by inspirational ex-captain Thierry Dusautoir, who was crowned 2011 World Rugby Player of the Year for his exceptional performances at that year’s World Cup in New Zealand.
Dusautoir is accompanied by two other former Les Bleus teammates in the form of Serge Betsen and Oliver Magne as new RugbyPass Hall of Fame inductees.
The other new inductee is former Scotland international Jason White, who played at two World Cups for his country and toured with the British and Irish Lions to New Zealand in 2005.
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Of all those included in the RugbyPass Hall of Fame, only the players with the most votes in each position will make the Fan 1st XV, a team made up of only the best players ever to have played rugby.
The door remains open for other players to become RugbyPass Hall of Famers, so register now to have your say and vote for your favourite inductee in the Fan 1st XV.
Current RugbyPass Hall of Fame Fan 1st XV
1. Os du Randt (South Africa, 1994-2007)
2. Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand, 1986-1997)
3. Owen Franks (New Zealand, 2009-2019)
4. Eben Etzebeth (South Africa, 2012-present)
5. Victor Matfield (South Africa, 2001-2015)
6. Jerome Kaino (New Zealand, 2004-2017)
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