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Ex-England and Toulon star Delon Armitage names his Dream Team XV
Delon Armitage enjoyed one heck of a career, the full-back spending nine years in the London Irish first team before embarking on a seven-season adventure in France which took in four glittering years at Toulon before a switch up the country to Lyon.
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The 39-year-old also won 26 caps with Martin Johnson’s England, culminating in a trip to the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.
Now retired, he has been keeping himself busy with some English grassroots coaching at Dorking but is still fondly remembered across the Channel where he was recently inducted into the hall of fame at Toulon, the club where he won three successive Heineken Cup titles as well as a Top 14 championship.
Ahead of Men’s Health Week, which runs internationally from June 12 to 18, he has been promoting the Real Men Relax campaign in the UK on behalf of Spabreaks.com.
At the end of a soon-to-be-published RugbyPass interview reflecting on the numerous ups and downs in his stellar 16-year career, including his devastation this week that London Irish were suspended by the RFU, he was asked to name a Dream Team XV consisting of players he had played with.
This month we are bringing awareness to men's health ?
There are a lot of things that the world tells us ‘real men’ should be doing, in reality what everyone, including all real men need, is time to relax ???? #realmenrelax #menshealthawareness #mensmentalhealthawareness
— Spabreaks.com (@spabreaks) May 31, 2023
“It was quite a tough team to pick,” he explained prior to listing off his choices. “I was so fortunate to be able to play with these guys. There were so many. At 10 there was (Freddie) Michalak, Quade Cooper. There were a lot of guys I had to leave out.”
Delon Armitage’s Dream Team XV
15. James O’Connor – Toulon
It’s hard to look past yourself but I’d have to go with James O’Connor. After he was at London Irish, he came to Toulon and maybe didn’t get as much game time as he should have, but I thought he was outstanding. His footwork, his kicking, a hard-working full-back. I had Leigh Halfpenny in there as well.
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14. Drew Mitchell – Toulon
I have had the best in the world on the wings. Drew was so skillful, deceptively really quick. People didn’t realise this, and he loved the squat machine so that was probably why he was so explosive and quick.
13. Mathieu Bastareaud – Toulon
He is one of my best friends and if I didn’t say him, didn’t put him in there, he would be upset. I’ll go with Bastareaud. During those Toulon years, he was dominant. He was such a real threat in the midfield that guys [the opposition] had to wait for him, which gave us space on the outside.
12. Matt Giteau – Toulon
A tough one because I have had (Seilala) Mapusua, I have had Matt Giteau and Ma’a Nonu. Looking back at my years, I’ll have to say Matt Giteau. That partnership with him and Jonny Wilkinson was brilliant. I thought they had a great understanding and gave us a lot of ball from it. It was great.
11. Sailosi Tagicakibau – London Irish
Another tough one because I had some really good boys, David Smith, (Alexis) Palisson, Sailosi Tagicakibau and (Bryan) Habana. It’s a tough one… but because I played with him over so many years and saw all the stuff, I’ll have to go for Sailosi. I played with him for seven years at London Irish and that was amazing. He changed the Premiership. He was outstanding.
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10. Jonny Wilkinson – Toulon and England
That’s an easy one, for me the world’s best No10 on and off the field, attitude, everything that rugby should be about.
9. Paul Hodgson – London Irish and England
It’s quite a tough one but I have to go with Paul. The reason for that is he was a hard worker and he saved me a couple of times for being out of position at full-back with last-ditch tackling. He was one of the best at nine. Was always brilliant one-on-one five metres from the line.
Bonne journée!? pic.twitter.com/2ziV8q4hl9
— Delon Armitage (@delonarmitage) April 19, 2023
1. Clarke Dermody – London Irish
Great leader. He was at London Irish, came from New Zealand. Was a great professional in everything he did. Worked hard and he changed the way we trained at London Irish.
2. David Paice – London Irish
He is actually one of my best mates. He was unlucky not to get more England caps. It was just the timing with the other players that were there. I met him at a young age, we came through the academy together, made it all the way up to the Irish first team. Lovely guy. Came over on a gap year from Australia and got on really well. Loved my time with him.
3. Carl Hayman – Toulon
I have got some big choices. I don’t even know if he is a one or a three, I have got no idea (about the front row), but he is up there. Dominated the Premiership with Newcastle, and with the All Blacks. A really great guy to have on your team and also a really nice, chilled guy off the field. I spent a lot of time with him.
4. Nick Kennedy – London Irish, Toulon, England
A lot of choice here but this guy, when it came to stealing lineouts, was one of the best in the world. Again, unlucky he didn’t have more England caps, but we were making cool plays in the backs with someone else’s lineout. We knew he would steal the lineout and would get it, so that was brilliant.
5. Bakkies Botha – Toulon
When you have got a lineout stealer, you have got to have a heavy hitter in there pulling rucks down and smashing rucks back in the day when we were allowed to, so Bakkies is definitely in there. Was also my neighbour. He always looked after me in France.
6. Juan Martni Fernandez Lobbe – Toulon
Now we are getting into the business side (in the forwards), and I have got to go with Lobbe. He was brilliant, Argentinian. A great captain as well. So skillful and he also gave me that pass for the try in the European Cup final in Dublin, so he has to be in there.
7. Steffon Armitage – London Irish, Toulon, England
It has got to be my brother. Most people didn’t see the hard work he did, but he saved us. The times he stole the ball five metres from the line when top teams in the European Cup were dominating play, the Leinsters, Munsters. He used to get that steal at the right time, get us a win under pressure. So he is in there.
8. Chris Masoe – Toulon
Big, physical, an All Black. A hard hitter, hard runner and awesome barbeques around his house, so he is definitely in there.
Comments on RugbyPass
The World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
1 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
19 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments