The greatest: Number eight

Ok, so we got it wrong. While LBND was our talisman of choice, it seems the rest of the globe very much favoured Zinzan Brooke.

Ok, so we got it wrong. While LBND was our talisman of choice, it seems the rest of the globe very much favoured Zinzan Brooke.

Ah well – even in our offices it had been a close-run thing between the two. That's not the case with the voting, with 56 per cent of a new record high number of votes going to the back row who once dropped a goal in a World Cup semi-final. From the 10m line.

Brooke played 58 Tests for New Zealand, and 42 non-international matches for the All Blacks, captained Auckland Blues to Super 12 championships in 1996 and 1997 and was an influential figure in Auckland's dominance in the National Provincial Championship during the late 1980's and 1990's. He scored 17 tries in Test matches, then a world record for a forward. He also played for New Zealand Maori.

In 1997 he retired from international rugby union and moved to England to play for Harlequins and later coach them.

As well as rugby union, Brooke played Gaelic football, both before and after his rugby career. Initially he was introduced to the game by fellow All Black Bernie McCahill at Auckland Gaels Gaelic Football Club. While living in London after his career he also turned out for St. Brendan's of London.

Brooke suffered head trauma in May 2007 while falling out of a taxi in the Spanish town of Elche, and had a subsequent life-saving brain operation.