Dream Team: Freddie Burns – Leicester and former Gloucester fly-half

1. Nick Wood – A great friend and he’s become a Gloucester legend over the years. For a prop, he knows the game inside out.
2. Andy Murphy – Simply put, the highest scoring hooker I have ever played with. A Combe Down RFC hero.
3. Dan Cole – I know nothing about scrums but I know that Coley is a world class tighthead. The scrum is staying strong when he’s in the No.3 shirt.
4. Big Jer Burns – I was fortunate enough to play with my old man when I was 17. The fact he is still playing at the tender age of 57 warrants his selection.
5. Brad Thorn – The Enforcer. Great to have such a player at Tigers last year. A true legend of the game who has done it all. He’s won everything there is to win at Test and club level and even in Rugby League.
6. Victor Vito – I made my debut during that famous win against the All Blacks in 2012 and I remember playing against him very well. He’s big, athletic and has an incredible skill-set.
7. Matt Kvesic – For me, he’s made from the same mould as Australia‘s breakdown master David Pocock. A nightmare for any fly-half to play against and I think he’s England‘s long term answer at openside.
8. Ben Morgan – Morgs has size, power and most of all, a great work ethic. That was proved by him making the England World Cup squad despite a horrendous leg injury back in January.
9. Ben Youngs – Lenny has it all. He makes life easy for anyone playing at fly-half. Luckily, that’s me!
10. Andy Goode – I had some great battles with Goodey over the years. A great bloke on and off the field and I think we all agree that rugby has a loss with his retirement a few weeks ago.
11. David Strettle – One of the best finishers around. He complements that all-attacking Clermont back three nicely alongside Nick Abendanon and Noa Nakaitaci.
12. Carlos Spencer – It’s not every day you get to meet your idol let alone play your first senior game with them. It was for Gloucester in 2009 – I played at No.10, he played outside me at 12, the rest is history.
13. Manu Tuilagi – He would walk into any international team in the world. Not just a ball carrier but an incredibly intelligent rugby player.
14. James Simpson Daniel – He is, hands down, the best player I have ever played with. Some of the things I saw him do simply blew my mind.
15. Olly Morgan – The King of the Skies. Unbelievably brave under the high ball and had so much more to his game besides.