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Zinzan Brooke played rugby in an era when international matches could become brutally physical very quickly.

During his years with the All Blacks, he came up against some of the hardest and most respected players in the game. Dean Richards made every contest uncomfortable. Serge Blanco could punish you from anywhere. John Eales never seemed to lose his composure. Martin Johnson brought a physical presence that was impossible to ignore. And Willie Ofahengaue was the sort of opponent you felt long after the match was over.

In this video, we look back at five unforgettable opponents from Brooke’s era and the qualities that made each of them so difficult to face.

For fans who remember when rugby was raw, physical and wonderfully unpredictable, this is a trip back to a very different game.

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