Top 3 drop goals in international rugby history
With teams becoming fitter, stronger, and more evenly matched, it is not uncommon for teams to be within just a few points of each other as the final whistle approaches.
Those last few minutes of a rugby game are quite often the most intensive of the entire match.When two sides are battling it out at the business end of the game, a three point score can quite literally change the result.
Below we look at the three greatest drop goals in international rugby union history:
1: Jonny Wilkinson – Rugby World Cup 2003
Why does it find its way to the top?
The pressure of the occasion, the fact he used his weaker foot, and the fact it is quite possibly the most famous of all drop goals.
Ask any England rugby fan what the greatest moment in rugby history was, and they are almost guaranteed to be unanimous in their responses. Without hesitation, it is likely to be England’s Rugby World Cup victory over Australia in 2003, and the kick that won it for them.
England had progressed through the tournament strongly, with some bruising wins along the way. Jonny Wilkinson had been a vital part of the campaign right up until the final, with his boot keeping the English side moving forward both on the field and the scoreboard.
The final was a typically tense affair. With no love lost between the two foes over the years, it was always going to be a tight one.
Disappoint us it did not, with an exchange of scores all throughout the game, the two sides found themselves level on points at full time.
With mere minutes left to play in extra-time, Jonny held his nerve and slotted the most famous of drop goals.
Jonny explains how he felt at the time:
“I can feel my leg going back but it’s not me kicking it, it’s a knowing of it. As I hit the ball the sensation is what I knew it was going to be.
“It’s only when the ball gets a few yards past the post I then realise what the hell has happened and I do this half-hearted celebration which is almost disbelief because I hadn’t been there to really see it.”
2: Dan Carter, Rugby World Cup 2015
You can’t really have a list with Jonny Wilkinson on, without mentioning Dan Carter, can you?
The three time world player of the year, Dan Carter, has been described as the perfect ten. He was able to do it all.
This was epitomised in his grand All Blacks finale at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Carter had been unfortunate to have picked up a pretty serious injury during his side’s last campaign four years prior, which had led to him missing out on the latter stages of the tournament.
Although New Zealand went on to win the competition in 2011, missing out on playing would have hurt him. So, when Carter’s New Zealand lined up against Australia in the all southern hemisphere final in 2015, it was his chance for redemption.
A man of the match performance from the ever accomplished Carter, his actions in the 70th minute really showed the quality and the maturity of the man.
With Australia still within touching distance, Carter read the situation and delivered a forty metre drop goal to extend the All Blacks lead to over seven points. This of course forced the Aussies to chase the game, and as a result lost rather heavily in the end.
Playing some of his best ever rugby, Carter was able to help his side win back to back world cups for the first time in history.
3: Johnny Sexton, 2018 Six Nations Championship
Former world player of the year Johnny Sexton has to get a mention in this list. Not just renowned for his impeccable game control and the ability to play at such high standards for so many years, he also has a very handy boot.
This particular drop goal in question came in 2018 whilst playing for Ireland against France in the Six Nations Championship. The game had been nothing remarkable up until that point, dominated by mistakes and sub-par play. As the game drew to a close, the Irish found themselves 13-12 down with two minutes to play.
This led to some of the most controlled play we have ever seen on a rugby field. With the stakes as high as they come, the men in green put together a remarkable forty-one phases, hammering against the French defence.
Despite going down with cramp a few phases earlier, Sexton rallied himself to slot over the sweetest of drop goals from just over the forty metre line in the 83rd minute.
With Ireland going on to win the grand slam that year, that piece of individual brilliance proved ever so important.
Comments on RugbyPass
Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to comments