“Johnno would be first on any team sheet, like a lot of people here. And that’s not because he’s my boss now!” says Rowntree, now England’s scrum coach and looking forward to a summer with the British & Irish Lions coaching team.
“He was fantastic as a player and as a captain. You knew that, whoever the opponents were, he was going to play to the same high standards week in, week out.”
And after nearly 400 games ‘at the coal face’ in the Tigers pack, Rowntree also has no hesitation in identifying who he would want on the other side of the front row.
“Darren Garforth was the guy who set the tone for the whole team in training and in matches,” he says of his former Tigers and England colleague.
“You knew that you had to follow his lead in terms of attitude and application, and that was a great strength of his game. He was also a tough nut in the front row and a tremendous player.”
Who is your pick at tighthead prop? You can vote now through the Leicester Mercury website from a shortlist of Steve Redfern, Darren Garforth, Julian White and Field Walton. The poll is found in the Have Your Say box on the homepage. Voting closes on Monday.
You can also join the Walk of Legends, which will be located in the approach to the next Caterpillar Stand, by buying an exclusive commemorative brick complete with your own message. Pick up a leaflet from Welford Road or download an order form by clicking here.
