NSW Waratahs reveal Club Legends XV

The NSW Waratahs Club Legends XV has been selected by fans and is full of stars throughout.

The mouthwatering squad contains eight players with more than 100 Super Rugby caps for the club and seven from the title-winning season in 2014.

There were some close calls. Matt Dunning ousted record cap holder Benn Robinson by just 2%. While fans were unsure between Phil Waugh and Michael Hooper at seven, so selected the former at six!

Without further ado, here is your NSW Waratahs Legends XV:

1. Matt Dunning – in a close content with Benn Robinson at loosehead prop, the cult hero Dunning prevailed. Debuting in 2001 against the Chiefs, the prop was known for his highlights reel package, complete with intercepts and drop goals
2. Tatafu Polata-Nau – the hooker swept all before him with 68% of the vote. With 144 Super Rugby caps and the 2014 Super Rugby title to his name, it was hard to look past the former 90-cap Wallaby hooker
3. Sekope Kepu – another landslide victory with 70% of the vote, the tighthead played 140 games for the Tahs and won the competition with the club
4. Dan Vickerman – the giant lock, who sadly passed away in 2017, played for five seasons and 53 Super Rugby matches in the Waratahs jersey. He was an immense talent and at 204cm, was an extremely dominant operator in the air
5. Will Skelton – despite just having four seasons with the Tahs, Skelton impressed enough to earn his place in the Legends XV, with his immense power and size a threat to any defence
6. Phil Waugh – positioned at blindside flanker, the prospect of having both Hooper and Waugh in anyone’s team is tantalising. Captained the club 56 times and is a Tahs icon
7. Michael Hooper – led the Waratahs to the first and only Super Rugby title. Played 141 times for the club in Super Rugby, including 65 as skipper. No further words needed for Hoops
8. Wycliff Palu – Palu became one of the most feared and offensive number eights in the game. Accumulated 139 Super Rugby caps and was a powerhouse during the 2014 season
9. Chris Whitaker - Whitaker was a clever tactician with great covering defensive skills and a quick, direct from the ground pass. A product of the Clovelly Junior Rugby Club, he went on to make 118 appearances for the Tahs in Super Rugby
10. Bernard Foley – with 120 Super Rugby caps to his name, Foley wrote his name into Waratahs folklore when kicking the winning goal in the closing stages of the 2014 Super Rugby final
11. Drew Mitchell – Mitchell had three seasons for the Waratahs and made a huge impact during his time here, bagging a record four tries in a win over the Lions in 2010
12. Nathan Grey – 94 Super Rugby caps for Grey and he was a force to be reckoned with at 12 in the early years of the Tahs. He was a committed, hard-nosed and straight-running inside centre who gave his all for the jersey
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper – scored a try in the final against the Crusaders in 2014 and was one of the most exciting players in the comp that season. Received 61% of the vote at outside centre
14. Lote Tuqiri – the code switcher made an immediate impact for the Tahs after arriving from Brisbane Broncos. Blessed with lightning speed and great physical attributes, the winger scored 29 tries in 89 Super Rugby appearances
15. Matt Burke – fought off considerable competition in the shape of Mat Rogers and Israel Folau. Must be one of the most hotly contested spots in the Super Rugby sphere. Burke was a star from Super Rugby’s get-go, scoring 22 points in our first-ever match in the comp against Northern Transvaal at Sydney Football Stadium