Bryan Habana
Serge Blanco
Stat by stat
Bars are scaled to the leader in this list.
The verdict
Bryan Habana leads 2 of 2 categories. Our all-time ranking places Bryan Habana at #8 and Serge Blanco at #10.
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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 Serge Blanco
The embodiment of French flair and the greatest attacking fullback of the amateur era. Blanco played the game with an improviser's instinct, counter-attacking from deep in his own half in a way that thrilled crowds and terrified defences, and he finished with 38 tries in 93 Tests — a French record when he retired that was remarkable for a fullback. His most famous moment came in the 1987 World Cup semi-final, when he finished a sweeping, last-minute counter-attack to beat Australia and send France to the inaugural final. He won Grand Slams in 1981 and 1987 as the creative fulcrum of a gifted French generation, playing with a cigarette-and-flair mystique that made him an icon beyond the sport. Where others measured the game in structure, Blanco measured it in instinct and adventure, and no fullback of his time matched his ability to turn defence into breathtaking attack.