Mike Brown names the fastest players he's played with and against

The Olympics is in full flow and the Athletics is hotting up. With the 100m sprint just on the horizon, the age-old question has popped up, who’s the fastest rugby player in the world?

Well, we asked former England fullback Mike Brown about the faster players he’s played with, and he’s given us a few interesting answers!

Fastest players you’ve played with

“Early on in my career, I had David Strettle and Ugo Monye, they were rapid. Jonny May for top-end speed would have been right up there as well. Anthony Watson was rapid off the mark and was incredible at changing direction, like one step and he’s gone, whereas Jonny has a pure sprinters style in the sense that his straight-line running is immense.”

Fastest players you’ve played against

“In terms of who I played against, Louis Rees-Zammit would be one. You don’t realise how quick he is when you see him on TV, but when you experience it in real life it’s like ‘jeez he’s quick, this guy is gone’.

“Also, Bryan Habana. When I first got in the England team and played against South Africa, he was so quick, and you’re just like ‘Oh my God’ you don’t realise until you see it up close and personal.”

Best back three you’ve played in

“Jack Nowell had his different strengths and he knew how to use them, and you had Anthony Watson on the other wing, that’s probably the most balanced back three I’ve played in. I had my strengths and those two had their strengths, it was really well-balanced.

“Both of them were amazing at the basics which is a massive bonus at international level, so if I found myself at the bottom of a ruck they could easily drop to fullback and I could stand there on the wing and vice versa. That’s why I enjoyed playing with them.

“We were super successful with a Grand Slam and the Australia tour and I had great fun, so those two would probably be my pick for the two wingers.