Steve Borthwick discovered that he had been stripped of the England captaincy during his honeymoon, so he has first-hand experience of how challenging it can be to receive unpleasant news.
Borthwick remembered the instant when his own rugby reality was shattered, taking away the shine from one of the most joyful moments in his life.
“You’re talking to the man who got dropped from the England captaincy when he was on honeymoon,” said the Cumbrian.
He went onto tell the full story.
“I’m walking down the beach in Bali with my wife and I get a phone call from [team manager] Martin Johnson saying, ‘hey Steve, you’re no longer England captain. Actually you’re no longer in the England squad’.”
Borthwick told the story to demonstrate his understanding of the difficulty in receiving unfavorable news, and as a result, he does not approach the task of delivering such news carelessly.
Martin Johnson Has Been Voted The Greatest Ever Rugby Captain In History
Being the captain of a team is a major honour and responsibility. Only players that have leadership qualities and those that lead by example can take the responsibility.
A great captain can be the difference between a team that underwhelms or a team that dominates.
Over the years of following the game, we’ve seen captains come and go. Some are successful, others less so, and only a few leave a lasting legacy.
In international rugby, over the past many years, there have been several iconic captains. These players created a legacy at their respective clubs and have a legendary status in them.
With that in mind, who was the greatest rugby captain of all time? 1,000 RUCK readers have been ranking our selection of captains with England legend Martin Johnson being ranked the best of all-time
The best rugby captains should have the following qualities:
- A great player
- Inspire confidence in their team
- Takes responsibility
- Lead by example
- Great sportsmanship
- Tactical knowhow
- Excellent communicator
- Emotional discipline
Greatest Ever Rugby Captains: Top 20
20. Phillipe Saint-Andre (France)
19. Lawrence Dallaglio (England)
18. Sergio Parisse (Italy)
17. John Dawes (Wales)
16. Will Carling (England)
15. Agustín Pichot (Argentina)
14. John Smit (South Africa)
