Fan website Sportingo recently ran a column containing what author Hamish McBrearty felt are the best players - and performances - of the previous World Cups…let us know what you think:

Fullback: John Gallagher (New Zealand) It was tempting to select Christian Cullen in this position, but Cullen only appeared in the 1999 World Cup, where he played out of position at centre with disastrous results. Gallagher was undoubtedly the world’s best fullback in the late 80s and showed his flair with brilliant performances in the 1987 World Cup, including four tries against Fiji. A solid defender, he injected himself into the back line with precision timing, throwing off opposition defences.

Wing: Jonah Lomu (New Zealand) Who could forget that moment when Lomu stumbled after breaking Rory Underwood’s attempted tackle, looked up and saw England fullback Mike Catt lining him up, and then ran straight over Catt to score his fourth try of the match? Against the English in 1995 he was devastating and, although he never quite reached those heights again, performed well at the 1999 World Cup.

Wing: David Campese (Australia) Quite possibly the best winger of his era, the man they call “Campo” was always something of an enigma. Capable of the most brilliant runs, and the most boneheaded of mistakes, Campese will always be remembered by fans of both sides of the Tasman for his blind pass to Tim Horan in the 1991 semi-final, which helped the Wallabies to their first World Cup. His battles with All Black greats John Kirwan and Stu Wilson are also legendary.

Centre: Jason Little (Australia) A member of a very select group of players who have won two World Cups (1991 and 1999), Little was known more for his attacking prowess than his defence, but showed he was also a tenacious tackler when he was targeted by Will Carling at the 1991 competition. Able to pierce opposition defensive lines with his angled runs, he and Tim Horan made one of the greatest midfield pairings of all time.

Second five (inside centre): Tim Horan (Australia) Little’s long-term partner in the the Wallabies midfield, Horan would also win two World Cups. Horan was a mainstay in the Australian midfield throughout the 90s. Known for his formidable defence and distribution skills, he played 80 Tests for the Wallabies between 1989 and 2000.

Flyhalf: Jonny Wilkinson (England) Two men have kicked their sides to victory in extra time in the World Cup Final: Wilkinson and South Africa’s Joel Stransky. During the 2003 tournament, Wilkinson kicked his side to victory on multiple occasions and gave his team confidence that they would be able to keep the scoreboard ticking over. He was also a fearless defender; frequently facing much bigger men running at him, he stood his ground and made the tackle. His last-second drop goal to win the World Cup, off his less favoured right boot no less, was clutch play at its finest.

Scrumhalf: George Gregan (Australia) The most capped player ever in international rugby with 136 appearances for the Wallabies, Gregan was a stand-out player in the 1999 World Cup. Always providing quick service from the base of the ruck, back then Gregan was also an excellent runner with the ball in hand. In the 2003 World Cup, he continued his stellar play and also provided leadership as he captained the team to the final, where they were beaten by England.

To read about the pack, follow the source - Sportingo