In Part 2 of this revolutionary series, Digger’s Demons picked a canny thinking man’s light and mobile pack with phenomenal speed at hooker, lock and loose forward.

Rob’s Rhinos were made up of old and bloodied legends who love the battle. Ben went with behemoth berserker beasts in his Humbug pack.

Biltong’s Bulldogs are all pro-era stars with much heft, and Harry’s Harrier pack consists of eight guys who all might be carded or knighted, but none will leave any food on the table.

Now it’s time to read about the backlines. As expected, the Aussie selector picked more backs sooner than anyone else, while the Saffas only had a couple of backs as the draft entered the third round. The Kiwis tried to find that annoyingly effective balance they seem to have naturally. Also, we named coaches, themes, mascots, and muses.

Here are the glamour boys:

Digger’s Demons:
Aaron Smith (NZ), Jonny Wilkinson (ENG), Rupeni Caucaunibuca (FIJI), Frank Bunce (NZ), Mike Gibson (IRE), Ben Tune (AUS), Christian Cullen (NZ).

Order picked: Wilkinson, Cullen, Bunce, Tune, Gibson, Smith, Caucaunibuca.

My first player picked was my general, Jonny Wilkinson. I picked him because he is money. He is guaranteed points from the tee, a pinpoint drop kick off either foot, resolute in defence, the most accurate tactical kicker in the game and has a vastly underrated running and passing game.

Wilko is an all-time great first five. His cool, calm demeanour fits in with my tactically astute squad; his good looks will lull the opposition into a false sense of security before he nails them to the post.

After bolstering my forwards, I reverted to my backline before all the quality was snapped up. I chose my fullback, Christian Cullen. To be perfectly honest, it offends me that I would need to justify his selection. I lose all objectivity when it comes to this great man. He was the best 15 full stop, and there is nothing that anyone can say to change my mind on the matter. He could do it all. No one cuts up carpet like he can. He is my lethal injection.

Pickings were getting slim in the backs now as others, most notably a certain South African selector who likes dried meat sticks and the other Kiwi, both of whom shall remain nameless, snapped up my preferred midfield.

Like the All Blacks, I adapted. I found a little treasure of a centre on the list: Frank Bunce. What I like the most about Frank is his defence. Opposing backlines will wonder where he is coming from. He is my rubbish man and he will take the trash out. He was also a big time player. He can dominate his opposite and unleash his outsides with precision, accuracy and tenacity.

I was pretty sure I would be safe with my second five pick so I quickly moved to get my right winger before Rob snapped up yet another Aussie and so I selected Ben Tune. I always admired this bloke for the style he played, 100% into everything. He had pace and aggression in spades, both with ball in hand and on defence, and it was this physicality which is why I added him to my list and was a nice complement to Cullen at fullback.

Suddenly there were a few picks from back in the day and I lost my nerve and immediately swooped on my inside centre, Mike Gibson, the only pick I have made of which I did not have the pleasure to watch play but, through my parents’ generation and numerous others with more wisdom than I do, I didn’t need to.

The book on Gibson is that he was a “versatile player” who started in four different positions for Ireland. Contemporary rugby writers noted the “perception and timing of his attacking play, the focus and anticipation of his defence, and the rare dedication and commitment with which he applied himself across a 15-year international career in which he appeared in a then-world record 81 Tests.”

He was a mainstay in the Lions’ sole series victory over the All Blacks. Gibson scored 112 Test points (9 tries, 16 penalties, 7 conversions and 6 drop goals) for Ireland, and scored five tries for the British andamp; Irish Lions. He is a deadset legend and a perfect mix and match of skills with Bunce in the Demons midfield.

At this point I felt a little downcast as the halfbacks I had wanted were gooooone.

But my luck turned as a fellow selector asked to change out his earlier selection and into my lap fell Aaron Smith. I wanted Smith for one reason, his pass. The length, accuracy and speed of his pass (in either direction) gives my Demons a distinct advantage in terms of time and space. Add in his accurate boot, super support play and his über-competitive nature (he would suffer a heart attack before being beaten in a yo-yo Test) he was a perfect acquisition for the Demons.

Jonny and Mike will have so much time and space, they would both be able to catch the ball, assess their options, make a cup of tea, have another honour bestowed upon them by the Queen, decide what they are going to do, put the tea bag in the rubbish, then cut the opposition to pieces. My Demon 9-10-12 axis was formed and it is glorious.

With my fifteenth pick overall I was struggling as the best picks had been already snapped up and at first I was scratching to find an answer. With the control I already had in my backline I decided to look for out and out speed and attack.

I found my left wing: Rupeni Caucaunibuca. This Fijian excitement machine poses a massive threat to any defensive structure and provides the Demons with more pace out wide than any competitor. My demonic backline was now complete.

The Demon backs had everything I could want, intelligence, accuracy, tactical awareness, numerous kicking options, defensively sound, physicality, clinical finishing, counter attack, and speed, glorious and unadulterated speed. The overlords in my backs, Smith, Wilkinson and Gibson would control, set up and dismantle the opposition while the remaining four horsemen would sweep all before them.

Their individual skills complement each other and coupled with the magnificent Demon pack, this fifteen could play any style they choose and counter any style thrown at them. This fifteen was perfectly balanced and ready to sack and pillage a couple of small canines, a pointy mammal and a humming bug.

Demons’ Coach:
As with any team the finishing touch is needed with the Coach and not just any old whiteboard pointer, I wanted experience, I wanted a bloke who knew how to get maximum benefit from his playing stock and most importantly, I wanted a coach who knew how to bring together numerous players from different backgrounds and mould them into a cohesive unit.

There is only one man: Sir Ian McGheechan, a legend and mastermind of the game.

‘Geech’ would maximise this team’s ability and bring them together in for their one sole purpose, to crush and snatch the will from all before them.

For the record, if we were choosing assistants it would be Wayne Smith at his side. Unstoppable.

‘The Apocalypse is now here and Damnation has never been sweeter.’

The Humbugs (also known as Genius Richie and the Honest Humbugs):

9. George Gregan, 10. Stephen Larkham, 11. Johan Lomu, 12. Brian O’Driscoll, 13. Tana Umaga, 14. Shane Williams, 15. Serge Blanco

Order Picked: Jonah Lomu (5), Tana Umaga (6), Stephen Larkham (15), George Gregan (45), Shane Williams (55), Brian O’Driscoll (56), Serge Blanco (60).

The Halves:
This is where the Genius Richies (or Humbugs) really start to shine. At halfback, one of the greatest Wallabies of all time and the third most capped player in history, the one and only George Gregan. I selected his Wallabies and Brumbies teammate, arguably the greatest Aussie flyhalf ever, Stephen Larkham. Is there a better combination to unleash size and pace out wide? I don’t think so.

Combined Cap: 248 – Two World Cups

The Centres:
To explain the centre combination I will do it in reverse. At outside centre I chose Tana Umaga who will be my captain. Outside centre is regarded as the toughest position to play in the backline and Umaga is one of the best ever. Tana will also lead our hybrid haka.

At inside centre I have chosen the greatest Irish player of all time, and second most capped player of all time, Brian O’Driscoll. While O’Driscoll is playing out of position I couldn’t resist seeing two of the greatest centres of all time playing together.

Combined Caps: 207

The Back Three:
Starting with the left wing; my first pick went to the most damaging rugby player of all time and the greatest winger to play the game (sorry Digger). Lomu is simply an anomaly, and will most likely never be seen again. He could ruin a team by himself and so often did – incredible thinking that he did it all at 70 per cent.

On the right wing I have the mercurial little Welsh flyer Shane Williams. Williams is the third most prolific Test try-scorer of all time (an incredible 58) and the 2008 IRB Player of the Year.

Finally, to round of a stellar XV one of the most skilled and elusive fullbacks ever to play the game, Serge Blanco. Serge sums up all that is great about French rugby, simply the greatest French player of all time.
Combined Caps: 243

Total Team Caps (1400), World Cups (6).

Coach
To organise this bunch of misfits I have selected the winningest (and cuddliest) coach of all time, Ted – or as he prefers to be called Graham Henry. With a win ratio of 85 per cent (88 from 103 Test) Henry is the most successful coach of all time and naturally he has won literally every trophy that you can think of… and even some secret trophies that you haven’t.

He is the obvious, logical and correct choice to coach the Honest Richies to consistent 40+ point victories.

Harriers:
Joost van der Westhuizen (SA), Henry Honiball (SA), Joe Roff (AUS), Philippe Sella (FR), Danie Gerber (SA), Julian Savea (NZ), Mils Muliaina (NZ).

Order picked: van der Westhuizen, Savea, Muliaina, Gerber, Sella, Roff, Honiball.

With the undisputed best pack assembled in the competition, I know my backline will have plenty of front foot ball, but I still wanted dangerous counter-attackers to punish errant exit kicks and aimless punts, and exploit all those turnovers the nightmare tandem of Vermeulen and McCaw win.

True to plan, I have Samoan-born All Black strike runners (a big bus and the smoothest running fullback in history), an Aussie speedster who captained Oxford, and a Gallic playmaker in the midfield. The rest is pure South African beef, cured, dried, and delicious.

This backline would finish chances, and is without a doubt the best defensive backline, starting with the halfbacks, who are really forwards with speed. My philosophy with the inner four backs is they must all be able to play interchangeably; and the back three must also be able to fill each other’s roles seamlessly.

My first back was the most dangerous, opportunistic, cocky, and physical scrumhalf ever to enter the IRB Hall of Fame: Joost van der Westhuizen. He won 89 caps for the Boks, captained his country, played in three World Cups, stopped Jonah Lomu in his tracks in the World Cup he won, and using his superior size, strength, speed, and vision to score 38 Test tries.

What stands out about Joost when you see him play is how decisive he was: he spotted gaps, varied his pass, and found his opponents’ weaknesses. And he had passion. He gave everything he had, every second of every game.

I think it’s important for numbers 9 and 10 to communicate easily, so my flyhalf is ‘Lem’ (‘blade’ in Afrikaans): Henry Honiball, a crash-tackling playmaker who won 75% of the Tests he played in and brought his loose forwards into the game because he fearlessly took the ball into contact close to the rucks but over the gainline.

He will set the perfect ruck target for Bakkies Botha and Eben Etzebeth to clean and Richie McCaw or Duane Vermeulen to pick and go or offload to Ian Kirkpatrick and the other backs. Honiball beat the All Blacks in Wellington in 1998 with a slick inside pass he designed on a cocktail napkin. Honiball’s only competition for flyhalf tackling is Jonny Wilkinson, but his athleticism was unrivaled. At a lightning quick 98 kg, he could play every single position in the backline.

At the back, Mils Muliaina, my favourite All Black – every time he touched the ball, I was worried. I have decided to take the position that he is innocent until proved guilty, and my pick is solely based on his rugby, as is my other All Black back selection.

Muliaina is an All Black cap centurion (with three as skipper), an IRB World Player nominee, New Zealand player of the year in 2009, a starter at every level (U19, U21, seniors) and he scored 165 Test points. Kicking to him in space was idiotic. He will join my backline at speed, but cover the field in defence.

His back three mates are Julian Savea (30 tries in 33 Tests) and Joe Roff (249 points in 86 Tests for the Wallabies). Both are tall (1.93 m) so they cannot be done by the high ball. Both are at least 100kg, so they can steamroll tacklers and finish. Both have blistering pace with heavy muscle builds like proper sprinters, but are comfortable under the Garryowen (Roff was a fullback).

Not many tacklers can bring the Sevens veteran Savea down in the open field without the assistance of the touchline. Roff made the 1995 World Cup team at age 19; and went on to win a philosophy degree at Oxford. I like a contrast in my wings (Savea niggles while Roff is the tactician); but both look for work, can kick, are comfortable scavenging at the breakdown, and know how to finish in space or in the tackle.

In the midfield, I have paired the 111-capped Frenchman Philippe Sella, who could create, intimidate, and finish with the Maestro of the Midfield, Danie Gerber. Sella had ‘the strength of a bull but the touch of a piano player.’ He was instrumental in Les Bleus winning the Five Nations six times; his pace, his handling skills and explosive running lines opened up the field for his teammates.

And who would capitalise better on the space that Honiball and Sella would create than Gerber? He was not captain material, but he could not be tackled one-on-one. The unluckiest of Boks in the boycott era, Gerber makes almost every World XV team (for example, Martin Johnson’s, Bill McLaren’s, the Telegraphs’s Top 10 Players Ever, and on and on) because his pace, power, and aggression with the ball or in the tackle were breathtaking.

He scored 19 tries in only 24 scarce Tests; one of his secrets was his training regimen: boxing, weights, swimming, ultra-distance running, and circuit training. But he was naturally explosive and if he broke the line, he took it to the house and scored.

My backline is just pure aggression: Joost and Honiball don’t know any other way than knifing through defences, Sella and Gerber can’t be contained or beaten, and my back three are punishers.

When I looked at my foes, I saw limitations. I saw one team with a formidable pack but only at set pieces. Another team had a good lineout, but smallish forwards who will struggle in the tight-loose exchanges. One scrum has a weak link. And the two other teams with top class backlines might struggle to win front foot ball.

Nobody will enjoy playing my team. Bakkies, Etzebeth, and Vermeulen are joined by the greatest player in history, McCaw, and a front row that should not be allowed to roam free in public. This is a bad group of bad guys and they need a bad man to coach them.

Jake White has won wherever he coached. You don’t want him to coach your team for four years, but we’re not doing that. This is just one big KO tournament of dreams. Give Jake players like Richie, Thor, Ayerza, Savea, and Mils and he will find a way to beat anyone. He won’t sleep, eat, drink (oh wait, delete the last one) until he wins and he will find every edge he can.

Biltong’s Bulldogs:
Fourie du Preez, Dan Carter, Bryan Habana, Ma’a Nonu, Jason Little, Joe Rococoko, Ben Smith.

There is no doubting the credentials or ability of my forward pack. It would be a travesty if you weren’t able to reward their hard work. I picked a backline to provide them with the territorial and tactical game to optimise their prowess.

My first pick was always going to be Dan Carter, no tale of the tape necessary on the greatest flyhalf to ever play the game. I doubt I need to list his abilities or his achievements, but suffice it to say this man is a winner and the best looking player in the draft.

His partner in crime might be a surprise to many. However it made complete sense to me. Carter’s game is so advanced that he needs a calculated, unexcitable, and calm halfback, someone who knows what his general can do, and only needs to take control and execute perfectly when it is necessary.

To that end I selected Fourie du Preez, a man who is equally capable of playing the territory and tactical game and the perfect complement to Dan Carter. These two selections added to my pack would provide me more than 50% territory and possession any day on any ground. These ten players are my foundation.

Now for the players that can make the most of the tactical and territorial advantage they would have.

I doubt we have seen any inside midfielder complete his game as much as Ma’a Nonu, at 1.82m tall and 106 kg, Nonu can punch you through the advantage line at will, but you would sell him short if you think that is his only strength on attack.

He has developed an astute boot and his little grubbers have become one of his trademarks, his offload is well known and defensively Nonu stands back for no one

To complement Nonu you need a skilled, pacey outside centre. I picked Jason Little, who was used to playing in a fast-decision Australian backline, and could react fast enough to feed off Carter-Nonu attacks, and understand the lines needed to run off Nonu’s shoulder, or chase grubbers.

My back three has tries written all over them.

Bryan Habana has scored 59 tries for his country, Joe Rococoko scored 46 (in 68 Tests), and Ben Smith 17 (in only 40 Tests). Imagine how many tries Habana would have scored had he the opportunity to play in a Carter-ignited backline for his entire career, instead of waiting for Morne Steyn and Jean de Villiers to pass the ball wide?

Overall:

Taking a step back, after the draft was done, I saw the team I wanted.

There is a truth I believe in. Forwards must play with passion and intensity; backs must play with cool, calm and collected minds. While your pack needs to have high energy levels and high intensity at all times, the backs must be able to switch on and off like a pro golfer ready to sink that final 14 foot putt to win the open.

Alternatively you could liken your forward pack to long distance runners. They need to maintain their energy for longer periods, whereas your backs are the sprinters, relaxing their core muscle groups when waiting, but switching them on at a moment’s notice.

If you look at my team, this is what you will see: a pack that will fight to the death, and backs that will silently slice you up, because it’s just their job and they do it like assassins. Bridget Fonda in the movie “Point of No Return” is being taught to be the ultimate assassin. In order for her to focus on good, clean assassinations she is taught “I don’t worry about the little things” and that is exactly how I see my backline. They can execute under high pressure as they don’t worry about little things.

My game plan is simple, with my pack capable of dominating anyone, my backline is there to get them inside enemy territory, and then off the back of the set piece finish the moves to score the tries.

It is not rocket science, just pure unadulterated adrenaline pumping, carnal instinct invoking pleasure to support this team.

Bulldog Coach:
Imagine it is late in 1994. The Springboks have struggled under Ian McKintosh. They’ve won only 33% of their Tests. SARU is desperate. In less than nine months, they must host the World Cup. So SARU appoints a coach who had won the Currie Cup, the Super 10, and tells him: “work a miracle, man.” And that man took the reins, won 14 consecutive Tests and a World Cup in those nine months.

Kitch Christie. A soft-spoken thinker, and one hell of a man and one hell of a coach.

Rob’s Rhinos:
Gareth Evans (WAL) Mark Ella (AUS) Israel Folau (AUS) Tim Horan (AUS) Daniel Herbert (AUS) David Campese (AUS) Matt Burke (AUS). Coach: Joe Schmidt.

The Rhinos have the best pack in the business. That means even the Malaysian Saracens’ U-15 backs will have no problems scoring. But in case the referee forgot his contacts, the Rhino’s backline will pick then slice the soft underbelly of the pretenders.

They will score a tonne of points. 1,674 points to be exact: the haul of Wallaby greats, joined by a player widely regarded as the best ever – Rhino scrumhalf Sir Gareth Edwards. His intellect, speed and uncanny nous for killing off competitors is unparalleled. He amassed almost 90 points during low scoring amateur days – a higher rate than current scrumhalves.

His greatness is exemplified by scoring the greatest try ever.

He captained his national team from 20 years old to retirement, never missing a game. His skill is compounded by toughness, tough-mindedness and ability to lead his team to slay the devil in hell and everyone else, then come back for more.

Behind the Rhino’s pack and Sir Edwards, the Wallabies ensemble backline will rule the paddock, like how Britannia ruled the sea.

The key players are the centres. In the history of Rugby, Tim Horan and Dan Herbert was the only centres pair in the world, who dominated all teams including the All Blacks. They possessed and drank from the Bledisloe cup regularly, like they owned it. Because they did.

The greatest winger who ever lived is the Rhinos’ winger: David Campese. Like a skilled Seal commando, he finishes off enemies in seconds. He turns defenders into gooses.

What do you get when you combine Julian Savea, Ben Smith and George North in one person? Israel Folau. Together they lay waste to all opponents. As people say it will be ‘Izzy – Campese’.

Rhino Matt Burke, is the Wallabies’ best fullback ever, scoring half of the 1,600 Rhino tally. Penalties will be punished. Tries will be scored and saved. Midfield defence will be protected, and searing plays will be started. Burke will score at least another 800 points against the pretenders.

Finally are the brains of the business: only the best. One chap sparked, then lead, a Rugby nation from underdog status into a global force that could not be reckoned with. The other one, continues to defy belief of all his opponents by slaying them and reaching second place – and rising.

Mark Ella was the man who sparked the global backline arms race. He was ground zero. Tough, smart, and skilled, he pushed his scrumhalf to pass faster and humanly possible. He dared his opposing backrowers into his midfield. The amount of time, space he created defies the natural laws of time and gravity, creating wormholes that his backlines pour through for points.

After Ella, the backlines around the world raced to emulate his speed, strength, skill and shrewdness. But they cannot replicate the original. With the Rhinos, he returns to teach the pretenders a lesson: do not mess with Master Ella.

There you have it, the complete Rhino players. The forwards diamond are reinforced by Fitzpatrick, Eales, Thorn and Shelford. The props exist only to punish opponents scrums. The Rhino flankers are the pretenders’ worst nightmares. The backline are unstoppable deadly strike force, armed to the teeth with scoring skill, brains and speed.

The final maestro, controls them all. Joe Schmidt took a ragtag Irish team from the mediocrity and lifted them to lift cups, trophies and rankings. He is the best coach in the world today.

He will take this elite team, and unleash them.. He will ensure Rhinos will terrorise, win territory, and win and even more trophies. Rob’s Rhinos. Come and get some.

Which team gets your vote?