John Eales was nicknamed "Nobody" because nobody's perfect - but he came close. A lineout genius who could also kick goals, he was the complete modern lock before modern locks existed. He captained Australia to World Cup glory in 1999, adding to the winners' medal he'd won as a 21-year-old in 1991. Elegant, intelligent, and devastatingly effective, Eales could dominate a game from the second row through lineout steals, rampaging carries, and tactical kicks that most backs would envy. He led with a quiet authority that inspired rather than demanded, and when he retired, Australian rugby lost not just a great player but its moral compass.
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