Bryan Habana
David Campese
Stat by stat
Bars are scaled to the leader in this list.
The verdict
Bryan Habana leads 2 of 3 categories. Our all-time ranking places Bryan Habana at #8 and David Campese at #12.
Head-to-head FAQ
Who leads more shared metrics?
How do the published ranks compare?
Are these live stats?
The case for Bryan Habana
The fastest and most prolific wing of his era, and a World Cup winner who chased down the sport's records. Habana was central to South Africa's 2007 title, finishing as the tournament's top scorer with eight tries and being named World Rugby Player of the Year that year. He scored 67 tries in 124 Tests — a South African record and second only to Daisuke Ohata on the all-time international list — and equalled Jonah Lomu's record of 15 World Cup tries across three tournaments. Blessed with genuine track sprinter's pace, he once raced a cheetah for charity, but he paired that speed with a superb positional and aerial game and relentless work rate in defence and kick-chase. Durable across more than a decade at the top and decisive on the biggest stage, he is the benchmark modern finisher and one of the greatest wings the game has seen.
The case for David Campese
The great entertainer of the amateur-into-professional transition, and for thirteen years the holder of the world Test try record. Campese scored 64 tries in 101 Tests, a mark that stood as the international record until 2006, and he did it with an audacity — the swerving 'goose step', the outrageous behind-the-back pass — that made him one of rugby's most watchable and infuriating players. He was the star of Australia's 1991 World Cup triumph, named player of the tournament, and his flick pass to set up a try against New Zealand in that semi-final is part of the sport's folklore. A wing or fullback who prized adventure over caution, he sometimes gambled and lost, but his willingness to attempt the impossible defined an attacking philosophy and inspired a generation. Few players have combined statistical achievement with pure showmanship as completely as Campese.