Richie McCaw
Bryan Habana
Stat by stat
Bars are scaled to the leader in this list.
The verdict
Richie McCaw leads 3 of 3 categories. Our all-time ranking places Richie McCaw at #1 and Bryan Habana at #8.
Head-to-head FAQ
Who leads more shared metrics?
How do the published ranks compare?
Are these live stats?
The case for Richie McCaw
The most successful player in the history of the game, and the defining openside flanker of the professional era. McCaw captained New Zealand to back-to-back World Cups in 2011 and 2015, won a record three World Rugby Player of the Year awards (2006, 2009, 2010), and finished with 148 Test caps — a world record for a forward at his retirement. He led the All Blacks a record 110 times and won 131 of his Tests, an astonishing win rate near 89 percent. His genius lay at the breakdown, where his mastery of the jackal and his reading of the referee's tolerance let him win turnovers and slow opposition ball more effectively than anyone before him, so much so that opponents and lawmakers alike shaped their thinking around him. Durable, ruthless and relentlessly competitive, he combined statistical dominance with two of the sport's biggest prizes — the twin pillars, peak and achievement, that make his case for the top spot.
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.