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Sylvain Marconnet played for Stade Français for thirteen seasons. In doing so, the French prop won titles and played with some a range of elite players. He has noted just who he deems to have been the best in his Perfect Stade Français XV. The prop with 84 caps for France has included multiple Pumas in his line-up.
Marconnet named two forwards from Argentina in his Perfect Stade Français XV. One was Rodrigo Roncero whom he described as a butcher who was an outstanding fighter whose tackles would hit players like a sting.
The second was Sergio Parisse who moved to Italy aged 17 and shortly thereafter was playing professional rugby and capped by his parents’ country. Marconnet said Parisse was a class player an highly talented. He named Parisse at flanker so that he could fit both he and Christophe Juillet in the side.
Diego Domínguez was named as the fly half. Italy’s all-time leading point scorer is from Argentina and was capped by Argentina in 1989. The former eligibility laws enabled players to switch countries, which saw Domínguez qualifying for Italy. Marconnet calls him a cerise player and a tremendous worker.
Named out of position at outside center is Juan Martín Hernández. Marconnet said that Hernández was a legendary player and the most gifted athlete he ever played with. He notes that he was able to play in many positions and that fullback may have actually have been his best position. The fullback spot went to another Argentine, Ignacio Corleto whom Marconnet deemed to be a hard man.
Marconnet named some players who would be on his bench. One of them was Canadian Mike James.
Perfect Stade Français XV
1 Rodrigo Roncero, 2 Mathieu Blin, 3 Pieter De Villiers, 4 David Auradou, 5 Hervé Chaffardon, 6 Pierre Rabadan, 7 Sergio Parisse, 8 Christophe Juillet, 9 Christophe Laussucq, 10 Diego Domínguez, 11 Christophe Dominici, 12 Mathieu Bastareaud, 13 Juan Martín Hernández, 14 Julien Arias, 15 Ignacio Corleto
