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Jamie Wall trawls the vast unsorted Super Rugby archives to count down the best tries the competition has ever seen.
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10. Joe Roff takes the piss against Northern Transvaal (1997)
https://youtu.be/ZUWtxNOLLgk?t=3m24s
Australia’s top Super Rugby try-scorer of all time shows us he’s probably a handy soccer player too, his first touch landing the ball up against the goal post padding for an easy touchdown.
9. Dillyn Leyds turns and burns the Blues (2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO7rhw4Sk6c
Never mind the stunning turn of pace to go 60 metres to score this one, how about how calm Leyds is when Charles Piutau almost kicks his head off contesting that high ball?
8. Matias Moroni gives us all false hope about the Jaguares (2016)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tRDPJryFTc
Los Jaguares have been disappointing so far in their maiden Super Rugby season, but seeing this shows their potential and also why we should say ‘Si! Si! Si!’ to getting the Spanish commentary feed.
7. Eroni Clarke showcases everything the Blues used to be about (1998)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx1Oh5a5eek
Auckland rugby supporters: this is what your team used to be like. If it seems like a long time ago, it’s because it is. You’d need to be in your mid-20s now to remember this happening in real time.
6. Quade Cooper gives everyone another reason to hate him (2011)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvkcDynkTrI
When you score a try like this it’s probably fair you can celebrate like this too. Even if it completely catches the commentators off-guard.
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5. Sam Whitelock shreds the Reds (2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsoAIGPBmVE
“Please tell me this isn’t happening!” … words uttered by both commentator Scotty Stevenson as a joke and the entire Reds team in all seriousness.
4. Malakai Fekitoa announces himself to the world (2014)
https://youtu.be/J-DCzL7HZPQ?t=37s
Fekitoa is now a well-established All Black, but it was this jinking run against the hapless Sharks that got everyone talking about him in the first place
3. Bryan Habana performs a sidestep vivisection on the Sharks (2007)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6130DtEtuv4
Easily the most important try on the list, Habana’s change of direction not only fooled (count them) SEVEN defenders, but also won the final for the Bulls.
2. Christian Cullen makes future list-makers jobs slightly easier (1996)
https://youtu.be/itLgOOtft3c?t=4m55s
The one try every single Super Rugby fan remembers and regards as one of the best ever. So therefore it’s the first one that comes to mind when you have any sort of conversation about the greatest Super Rugby moments.
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1. Carlos Spencer takes the soul of the Crusaders; devours it (2004)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8btfw32h-w
To fully appreciate this try, consider what the score is and how long is left. Then see where the Blues are on the field. Then realise that Spencer starts off this movement by passing the ball dangerously close to his own posts, for no reason other than to show off. 100 metres later and he arrogantly strolls to the corner to infuriate not only the Crusaders players, but their entire fanbase. Sometimes, just sometimes, this is how rugby should be played.
Comments on RugbyPass
I think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
61 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
61 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to comments