The Greatest: Full-back

After all the gnashing of teeth, it appears we were with the majority when it came to picking a full-back for the Greatest XV.

After all the gnashing of teeth, it appears we were with the majority when it came to picking a full-back for the Greatest XV.

Christian Cullen took an overwhelming 60.68 per cent of the vote for the full-back position, scoring more than three times as many votes as Percy Montgomery in second.

The Paekakariki Express, as he became known, shot to fame in the 1996 edition of the Super 12, scoring seven tries in nine games for the Hurricanes, and went on that year to notch a staggering 18 tries at the Sevens World Cup in Hong Kong, before scoring 11 tries in 10 games for the 'Canes a year later, and scoring 12 tries in 12 matches for the All Blacks.

A knee injury and a long-running spat with John Mitchell, the then All Blacks coach, disrupted his international career somewhat, and he finished with 46 tries in 58 games for his country, leaving the All Blacks after missing out on the 2003 Rugby World Cup at only 27 years old to go and play for Munster.

He remains the all-time leading try scorer in the Tri-Nations, with 16. He was also the first player to score a try in every Tri-Nations test in one season. He is the most-capped All Black full-back, and retired from the All Blacks at the time as their leading Test try scorer with 46; a record since surpassed by Doug Howlett.

He scored in excess of 150 first-class tries whilst in New Zealand and is still the third-highest tryscorer in the history of Super rugby with 56 tries, behind only Joe Roff and Howlett.

But it is his electric gliding pace that we will remember him for the most. He was not always the most solid full-back, but he more than made up for it with his devastating attacking prowess.

Here's a choice few moments – if you're Scottish, turn away now!

And now check out the polling section below the features box on the front page to vote for the right wing of the professional era… hurry, you only have 48 hours from the time this article was published!