Rupeni Caucaunibuca (Agen via Fiji)

The freakish Fijian may have his detractors, and he has definitely had his fair share of controversies, but nobody can deny that in full flight he is one of the most awe inspiring sights in the history of the game. Unfortunately the world has not seen nearly enough of Caucau in his prime. He bewildered defences during his time at Auckland, and he stunned France, in particular, at the 2003 World Cup, despite appearing to be glaringly unfit. He has barely togged out for Fiji since but in the meantime he has lit up the Top 14, the European Challenge Cup (or at least its predecessor) and the Heineken Cup. A side like Leicester, Toulouse or Munster would probably not put up with his maverick ways but at Agen he has been treated with a slack leash, and his talents have come to the fore.

Brock James (Clermont Auvergne via Australia)

It is amazing to think James has never been capped by the Wallabies. Such is the quality he has shown in the yellow of Clermont Auvergne that he would walk into the squad of any of the Six Nations' sides. Earlier this year he set a new Top 14 record by kicking 41 place kicks in a row. It was this kind of accuracy that helped Clermont to win the European Challenge Cup in 2007, as they beat Bath 22-16 in the final at The Stoop. James kicked two conversions and a penalty that day as well as scoring a salient try. He has displayed his undoubted quality in the last two season's in the Heineken Cup as well. If Clermont picked him and their other top players for every round then the mid France based club would be serious contenders. Pity he did not have an Irish grandmother eh!

Trevor Leota (Wasps via Tonga)

Blonde 20 stone Samoan hookers are hard to miss and Trevor Leota was certainly unforgettable during his time at Wasps. A devastating ball carrier and bone crunching tackler, he was signed for Wasps in 1997 and played a major role in Wasps Challenge Cup win of 2003, when they defeated Bath on a huge scoreline of 48-30 at the Madejski Stadium. He came off the bench to score one of Wasps' six tries that day. He also played a significant role the following year when Wasps followed up this win by winning the Heineken Cup in a historic final over Toulouse at Twickenham with that last minute Rob Howley try. He was famously assigned a minder for the two weeks leading up to that final in order to prevent him from binging on buckets of chicken at KFC. Wasps might not have got to that final at all were it not for Leota's late try in the semi-final at Lansdowne Road that broke Munster hearts. (Ed: Leota played Rugby League for a local club in London throughout the summer months, just to keep fit. It became known as the Leota Factor, opposition players would cry off in vast numbers when he was playing so they had to keep his schedule a secret!)

Byron Kelleher (Toulouse via New Zealand)

When Kelleher moved from the Crusaders to Toulouse it seemed a strange signing considering that the French aristocrats already possessed a prince of a scrum half in Jean-Baptiste Elissalde. But the All Black has made the move an unbridled success. Toulouse fans can celebrate Agen's relegation from the Top 14 in 2007 in retrospect as Kelleher was all set to join them until they went down. Kelleher joined Toulouse instead and helped them win the Top 14 title in 2008, and he was also voted the Top 14 player of the year that year. Unfortunately it wasn't all champagne celebrations as they lost the 2008 Heineken Cup Final to Munster, but it may not be long before he gets a shot at redemption as Toulouse will undoubtedly be in the mix again this year, particularly with this year's final in Paris.