A pair of World Cup-winning Springboks have been praised by Wales and British & Irish Lions great Alun Wyn Jones as the toughest players he ever faced.

Bakkies Botha tops Jones’ five-man list for Ruck.co.uk of those who really stuck it to him on the field, with the former Bok enforcer’s successor Eben Etzebeth ranked third.

Former Ireland and B&I Lions skipper Paul O’Connell is second, with Englishman Maro Itoje and Australian Justin Harrison in fourth and fifth, respectively.

On what made Botha such a formidable opponent, Jones said: “He revelled in it, didn’t he. Physically he has to be up there. Let’s just say he was able to keep the tradition going of the hardest of South African second rows.”

Jones’ top-five toughest players:

5: Justin Harrison (Australia)
4: Maro Itoje (England)
3: Eben Etzebeth (South Africa)
2: Paul O’Connell (Ireland)
1: Bakkies Botha (South Africa)

MORE: Two Boks in Wilko’s top 10

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