He had his cheek ripped open playing for Bridgend against NZ. It was hid dad I think that stitched him up. Still turned out for Tondu into his 50s

Smashed his upper palette too

That story about him seeing himself up is true. I was there. Playing for London Welsh vs, I think Bedford at Old Deer Park.

I've seen some of the footage of those tackles. Took em and just kept on playing. He surely was tough as nails.

Buck Shelford lost a bollock ,sewed the satchel up and got stuck in as if he hadnt just lost a bollock.

My kids adored Trevor at Wasps - the first player out to sign autographs at Adams Park - and the last one to go in to get changed. You are right - a lovely friendly, gentle man! But flick that switch at kick-off and there was no sign of Dr Jekyll for the next 80 mins. In a team which also included Dallaglio, Worsley, Payne and Shaw - there was never any dispute over who was the hardest man in the squad. How someone so short could be SO destructive, is one of life’s undefinables ….. and how Mrs Leota ever found school shirts to fit her boy is impossible to comprehend!!

Almost to a man, the players whose heritage is from the Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji etc are huge hulking powerful men who would flatten you like a pancake on the rugby field, and off the field they are absolute gentlemen. I've never met man who came from one of the rugby playing Pacific Islands or their parents were from there, that wasn't a genuine soul. On the rugby field, they are warriors though....check out the hits that Brian Lima used to put on people :)

same with Schalk Burger

He has a very sad story after rugby 😮 Terrible the way that PI players have been exploited.

Famous Cane

Don't forget about "Lem" Henry Honiball, most feared number 10

nah, not james, a great player and a scrapper, but not in this team.

James Small wasn't tough. He created an aura of a street fighter but he wasn't. Terrible tackler. A little bit dirty when he got the chance. Good footballer

@@mvubu6823 I saw James Small play for Transvaal against the Barbarians in 1992 at Ellispark. He had 14 stitches in his head after taking a "knee" to the head the week before (against Natal if I recall correctly). We might have different definitions of tough, but for me, he is right up there as toughest 14 to ever put a jersey on.

@@christoduplessis8177 I guess my measure is the ability give and take violence. James pushed and pulled from the outskirts, he never got stuck into the messy stuff.

Hard to disagree he was a tough guy but technically he was blindside wasn't he? In South Africa 6 and 7 are swapped over aren't they?

Turned the 1998 test against the AB's in Durban when he came on

Joost was like an extra forward but Faf is no lightweight 😂

How many tries did Joost score ? He is our best scrum half of all time IMO

You are 100% right about Joost 🇿🇦 though Ofisa Tonu'u 🇳🇿 was built like a tank, such is the Samoan make up, however as much as I love Joost, in my team I went Gregan 🇦🇺 who without doubt was the toughest half *mentally* out of Joost 🇿🇦 and Marshall 🇳🇿 at the time, yet a *brilliant player* and as we Kiwi's know that line that's in rugby history "4 more years boys!"

@@MeanAzz_13 how many tries did Gregan score ? Joost was faster , stronger and far more dangerous than Gregan ! Plus Gregan was a chop on the field .

Chabal was an absolute monster. Richie Mc Caw played and won a world cup Final a week after ankle surgery. Schalk Burger almost died, was unlikely to ever participate in sports again, never mind go back playing rugby professionally. Andy's words were "I miss Jerry." He damn near had tears in his eyes as he thought of a man he obviously knew and liked. And he was some man, even in his last actions in this life. Where he took his infant daughter in his arms and used his body to shield her from the worst of an impact between their vehicle and a bus. He saved her life, but both he and the girl's mother died in the crash.

There’s tougher 10s from South Africa. Henry Honiball, Frans Steyn.

Good shout! And his ‘little’ brother (Alesana) HAS to be in at wing, pairing with Jonah.

Jerome Kaino every day, twice on sunday

Got no time for players who eye gauge. Should never have been allowed to set foot on any pitches after he done that, shameful.

@@johnmitchell2269 we are talking hard not decent

That’s not what tough means.

joost enters the chat*

Stringer brought him down

@whybother now He’s talking about when Ireland played the All Blacks at the time.

I think he was the only one to tackle him in the 1995 world cup prior to the final. It was a pity he had to retire early (28 or 29 I think). he had aweful problems with his toes I think. He also was the one of the few bright sparks in one of the worst periods of Irish rugby history

@@bryanellis459 Him, Brendon Mullen and Nick Popplwell. That was pretty much it until Wood came along and a change began. Every 5N it was basically a new Irish team.

Grewcock wasn’t tough……he was just a thug.

Agreed. Anyone who can run over the mighty Os Du Rant, deserves praise.

Good 👉 👍

Yes another farmer - a nugget

No Martin Johnson - come on

@@chrisbaxter3597 I would rather have the Blackpool policeman.

@@leplessis8179 Wade Dooley - yes he took no prisoners 😄

Catt was run over by a combine harvester!

I like it

He wasn't a hard guy though

Morgan you’re right. Eating a left hook from the 110 kegs of Samoan power that is manu Tuilagi… basically a fairy

@@alanb9443 just because u eat a hook like that doesn't make u a hard guy. If we are talking hard guys someone like bakkies botha comes to mind not little bitch boy ashton 😂

Not a chance. Ashton? I genuinely can’t believe someone could think he’s tough.

The best Bok centre of all time !

Remember him well, stunning player

Exactly like BOD so

Shoe in at 9

Didn't do well at RL though.

He’s no Joost

Brian Lima at 12, Alesana Tuilagi at 14 and Andre Joubert at 15 would be my other changes.

Alesana as well.

But does being the biggest guy mean you're the toughest? Not saying Tuilagi wasn't tough, the man was a brick shithouse, but size and power don't always correlate to the toughest.

Good call on Lewsey - best tackler, ever.

Lewsey was nails tbf

Lewis Mad Dog Moody.

Definitely missed out on the chiropractor. You could have a list of Samoan players from the past. Apollo Perilini more famous in league but a beast in 91.

And Butch James?

@@ernestshu ye he was a classy player and a tough lad for sure! Watched him at bath for a number of years. People don’t realise the man has huge as well a lot bigger than most fly half’s

when he was poisoned..

@@powerbite92 yes...we poison everyone. This is why no team ever has won in SA. Dork.

Hard as nails and knew how to have a good time.

No one cares about SA

@@xxxWheelchairsxxx313 Really 😂 ? Good one mate 😅

LEM WAS TOUGHER

Agree fully. People always failed to realise that rugby was (and is) a non entity sport in Wallaby Land. They always punched well above their weight! That 99 team was a great team.

Chuck Julian white, Graeme Dawe and mike Teague in there for good measure.

Bunce was like terminator...u couldnt damage him and his hair never moved

He's on the bench along with Henry Tuilagi

If you had James Small on the other wing, I would be afraid team mates would be getting into brawls😂

Danny is a good shout, loved the way he played, never not involved.

Watch the 95 RWC final again. Plenty of Saffas put the big guy down but may e he was at 50% from food poisoning 😅

Lol Jim said he’s a fake tough guy in the past

@@alanb9443 fake tough guy 😂 he smashed any player who ran at him. Make Jerry Collins look like an amateur

@@ethanmcmahon7343 Munster made mincemeat of him a couple of times and targeted him with Sale. Massive lad, no necessarily hard

​@@ethanmcmahon7343 I think you're getting confused with Chris Masoe. Jerry ruined Chabal

Quite easily. He was a bit of a one hit wonder. He would put in one headline hit but then you would not see him. Collins was relentless hit and hit

Byron hayward

Jason Robinson was better

@@johnmitchell2269 Nah - Robinson and Lomu on the wings

@@danstorey9257 From 03 onwards Robinson played 15 for England

@@johnmitchell2269 you’re correct, I just wouldn’t have him there with Cullen about. But still want him in the back 3 (and I’m from Yorkshire 😆)