Bradley Carnegie Thorn (born 3 February 1975 in Mosgiel, New Zealand) is a professional rugby union player. He has in the past represented Australia at rugby league, and New Zealand in union. A lock, Thorn is a former All Black, plays for the Fukuoka Sanix Blues in the Top League.

He previously played rugby league for ten years for the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League competition and has also represented Queensland in the State of Origin series. His preferred position in rugby league is second row. In 2000 Thorn was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to Australia's international standing in rugby league.

Relocating from New Zealand to Australia at age eight, Thorn's junior football was rugby league played in Queensland with Aspley and Wests Arana. He was signed as a junior with the Brisbane Broncos in 1994 and that same year represented Australia in the Junior Kangaroos side.

Thorn made his first grade debut in the NSWRL for the Brisbane Broncos, who were then defending premiers, in the 1994 Winfield Cup season's 12th round against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. At season's end he was awarded the club's rookie of the year award.

John William Smit (born 3 April 1978 in Pietersburg, South Africa) is the 50th captain of the South African national rugby union team, the Springboks, and currently playing professionally in England with Saracens. He has played most of his career as a hooker, but played twice for the Springboks off the bench as a prop prior to the South Africa coaching staff's decision to use him as a tighthead prop for the 2008 end of year Tests. On 22 November 2008, he surpassed prop Os du Randt as the most-capped forward in Springboks history. He retired from international rugby following the 2011 Rugby World Cup as the most-capped player in South African history, with 111 appearances.

While still active at club level, Smit was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame on 24 October 2011, alongside all other Rugby World Cup-winning captains and head coaches from the tournament's inception in 1987 through 2007 (minus the previously inducted John Eales).

Smit went to Pretoria Boys High School where he was head prefect in 1996 and played in the First XV from 1994 to 1996.^{[citation needed]}

Sonny William 'Sonny Bill' Williams (born 3 August 1985) is a New Zealand rugby union player, heavyweight boxer and former rugby league player. He is only the second person to represent New Zealand in rugby union after first playing for the country in rugby league. In rugby union he usually plays as a centre. He is particularly known in rugby league and rugby union for his ability to offload the ball in the tackle and, in rugby league, for his shoulder charges.

He started his professional rugby league career with the Canterbury Bulldogs in the Australian NRL. In 2008 he controversially left the Bulldogs mid-season to play rugby union with French club Toulon. In 2010 Williams signed with the New Zealand Rugby Union in an ultimately successful bid to play for the All Blacks at the 2011 Rugby World Cup. He played for Canterbury in the 2010 ITM Cup before being selected for the All Blacks' end of year tour in 2010, making his debut against England at Twickenham. He played for the Crusaders in the 2011 season of Super Rugby and plays for the Chiefs in the 2012 Super Rugby season. He was a member of the All Blacks squad that won the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Ma'a Allan Nonu ( /ˈmɑːʔɑː ˈnɒnuː/; born 21 May 1982 in Wellington, New Zealand) is a professional rugby union player from New Zealand. Nonu plays for the Blues in Super Rugby and All Blacks internationally. He also plays for the Wellington Lions in the ITM Cup. He plays in the second-five eighth position (called inside centre in Europe), but can also cover (outside) centre and wing.

Nonu has been known for his blonde-streaked dreadlocks and former penchant for wearing eyeliner on the field. He is equally well known for his explosiveness and powerful attacking runs and regularly breaks the defensive line at will. All Blacks coach Graham Henry has described him as "probably the best linebreaker in this game in this country."

Nonu has a similar attacking skillset to former All Black centre Tana Umaga. Like Umaga, he is an exceptional crash ball runner who excels at breaking the line and creating space for outside backs. In 2005, Henry described Nonu as "young Tana," underlining the impression that he was being groomed as a potential successor to Umaga. This comparison has been confirmed in recent times by Wayne Smith.