Dream Team with Tom Bristow

Tom Bristow, the former Hong Kong, Leicester, London Welsh, Narbonne & Sale prop chooses the best XV he has played with or against…

1. Ceri Jones – Instrumental in my rugby development and it was through his help I got an opportunity to play A-League rugby and a step on the pro ladder. Incredible scrum knowledge. It was a great moment when we played against each other in the Premiership.

2. Jamie Tsang – Great bloke on and off the field. I made my Hong Kong Test debut alongside Tsangy. Experienced campaigner who gave it his all with a broken body. Never took any shortcuts, will be a great coach.

3. Salesi Ma'afu – Beers, Baguettes and Scrums! Had a great season in Pro D2 together at Narbonne with a plethora of scrums every week. Surreal playing week in week out with a legend of the game. Cor nerstone of the pack.

4. Jonathan Mills – Took me under his wing as a freshfaced, 21 year old at London Welsh. Great rugby brain and captain – led the charge during the 2012/13 Aviva campaign losing a tooth or two!

5. Kear nan Myall – Dr Lineout! The smartest lineout tactician I know. The hours he put in analysing the opposition every week helped us (Wasps) enjoy set-piece dominance.

6. Courtney Lawes – Has the ability to swing the momentum of a game with a trademark tackle or carry. Unbelievable work ethic, leaves everything out on the field. Would rather play with him than against.

7. Julian Salvi – Put his body on the line week in week out, 80 minutes at a time for Leicester. Incredible cardio and toughness. Off the field, he's an Australian constantly defending his Italian heritage saying ‘Bon jour no' every mor ning. Honourable mention goes to George Smith.

8. Guy Thompson – Agood friend to this day. A dangerous balll carrier who had the ability to make a game-changingg run. Monumental in saving Leicester from relegation. Always delivered on the big stage.

9. Faf De Klerk – World Cup winner and internation-nal superstar. A ridiculous skill set that gives any game plan that wow factor. Contributed massively to Sale's success in moving up from the lower end of the table to top six.

10. Jimmy Gopperth – Aconstant perfectionist who's always wanting to improve his craft by that 0.1 per cent. The amount of hours put in behind the scenes is immense. The match-winning kick against Exeter in the Champions in the Champions Scotsman always lookin Cup quarter-final was inspirational.

11. Nick Scott – One of my greatest rugby moments was London Welsh beating Bath at the Kassam Stadium in the last minute, with Scotty's interception try 80 metres out. The never-give-up mentality Lyn Jones instilled in the team started to show along with Scotty's pace!

12. Nick de Luca – Agritty Scotsman always looking for a big hit. A constant pro- fessional who helped me de- velop aspects of my game. Humble off the pitch with his environmentally friendly electric car and bowl of quinoa.

13. Manu Tuilagi – Apowerful ball carrier who put fear in the defence. Still playing at the highest level despite the long list of injuries is a testament to his character and mental fortitude.

14. Hosea Gear – Aman with few words unless perfor ming the haka. Showcased his speed, strength and skill in ProD2. Had the presence of a back rower with the way he dominated collisions.

15. Charles Piutau – X-factor on the pitch with some outrageous world-class finishes made him a Premiership star over night. Inspired me to add the goose step to my game. Always brought questionable music to the D Block changing room.