Martin Johnson

Martin Johnson captained England to the 2003 Rugby World Cup title, making his side the first northern hemisphere team to win a professional-era World Cup. That achievement alone places him ahead of #6 Jonny Wilkinson in leadership impact, as Johnson marshaled a forward pack that dominated set pieces and physical collisions. He also led the British and Irish Lions to a series victory in South Africa in 1997, a feat where 83% of his starting forward unit later became test-level captains. His record as the only northern hemisphere captain to win both a World Cup and a Lions series outshines any comparable leader on this list.