Rugby Union quotes of the year

Richie McCaw, Sam Burgess and everyone's favourite referee Nigel Owens feature in our rugby union quotes of the year.

"Deep down, I didn't want it to end." 

Nor did we Richie, nor did we - Richie McCaw hangs up his boots after leading New Zealand to back-to-back World Cup titles.

"We play a similar style of rugby to England but we have better-looking players."

Schalk Brits urges England fans to get behind the Springboks after England crash out of the World Cup.

"You talk about the player that he is and the person that he is... he typified having heart and standing up for what he believed in, but also having everybody's back."

Jonah Lomu, speaking at the funeral of Jerry Collins earlier in the year

"Burgess lacks the sense of timing, in attack and defence, required to be effective at international level. His naivety embarrassed those around him and severely damaged England's chances of reaching the quarter-finals. Stuart Lancaster picked a league convert who doesn't know how to play inside centre for the biggest match England have played since the 2007 World Cup final."

Gordon D'Arcy does not hold back in his Irish Times column after England lost to Wales in the World Cup

You have a guy who comes from rugby league and you ask him to play in two completely different positions - how silly is that? No one can play in those two positions, and no other teams in the world of rugby try to do that.

"Why not try and make a young fella's night? Hopefully, he'll remember it for a while. I know he will appreciate it, and when he gets older, he will be telling his kids. That is more special than it just hanging on a wall."

Sonny Bill Williams after giving his World Cup medal to schoolboy Charlie Line at Twickenham

"Don't swear now, you're on telly, mun."

Referee Nigel Owens gives Dan Carter some advice during the World Cup final

"It was embarrassing. It won't go on the mantelpiece at home."

Joe Launchbury was not happy after receiving the man of the match award after England were knocked out of the World Cup by Australia

"It is like kissing your sister."

Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer on having to play the World Cup third-place play-off game

My overriding feeling on hearing that Sam Burgess, after all the rumours and conjecture of the past three weeks, will definitively be quitting Bath to return to Australia? Sadness. Complete and utter sadness. Sadness that we will never find out how far Burgess could have gone in union. In my opinion, he could have been a huge star in 2019. Now we will never know.

"It's just nice that Danny is tweeting about someone other than himself. He's a good bloke and I enjoy his selfies a lot. He can say what he likes, he wouldn't ever be a part of our team."

Adam Ashley-Cooper's response to Danny Cipriani's comments that no Australia player would make the England team