It's probably the debate that these exercises generate that makes them so fascinating and in Irish terms, Leinster have the biggest representation with three players, Brian O'Driscoll, Leo Cullen and Jamie Heaslip, Munster one, Tomas O'Leary, while there's no Ulster or Connacht player selected.

O'Driscoll earns his selection on the back of just seven starts out of 18 games while O'Leary, Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins squeeze in having both started eight matches. Heaslip takes the number 8 slot pipping Xavier Rush apparently by one vote, the Leinster man started in nine games, Rush fifteen times.

Munster's recently elected Player of the Year Mick O'Driscoll fails to make the side, Cullen and Ali Kellock preferred, even though O'Driscoll started in fifteen  of Munster's games as opposed to ten by the Leinster lock.

Magners League Dream Team 2009/2010: Ben Blair (Cardiff Blues); Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Brian O'Driscoll(Leinster), James Hook (Ospreys), Tim Visser (Edinburgh); Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors), Tomas O'Leary (Munster); Geithin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Adam Jones (Ospreys); Leo Cullen (Leinster), Ali Kellock (Glasgow Warriors); Jerry Collins (Ospreys), John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster).