LONG READ 25 Six Nations Memorable Moments: 15 to 11

As this year’s men’s Six Nations enters the home straight over the next fortnight, RugbyPass highlights some of the championship’s most iconic and outlandish moments, 25 years after the old Five Nations became Six. We are counting down with contributions from Bryn Palmer (BP), Jamie Lyall (JL), Owain Jones (OJ), Pat McCarry (PM) and Neil Squires (NS).

15. Antoine Dupont defies gravity by holding up Mack Hansen – 2023

The jack-of-all-trades skill-set Antoine Dupont brings to a rugby pitch is the stuff of modern-day rugby legend, but one moment in the bulging highlights reel of the best player in the world showed a less celebrated side to his jaw-dropping game.

In the 2023 Six Nations in Dublin, in what was effectively a title decider in Round Two, Ireland led 19-16 and looked set for their fourth try before half-time when Hugo Keenan galloped down the right flank and nudged a grubber inside towards the French goal-line.

Neither Keenan nor Thomas Ramos could collect it but the ball sat invitingly for the supporting Mack Hansen to dot down from barely a metre out. The Ireland wing duly picked the ball up and pivoted towards the line – his head was virtually hanging over it – but he hadn’t counted on the freakish power of Dupont, 14cm smaller and weighing around 6kg less.

Facing his own try-line, the scrum-half maestro planted both feet firmly in the turf, and with one hand on each side of Hansen’s waist, held the Irish winger upright, treading water, before escorting him to the touchline where help arrived to complete the salvage job. “That’s almost impossible!” roared one commentator. But Dupont doesn’t do impossible. (BP)

14. ‘That’s when we knew he was a genius’ – O’Driscoll hat-trick floors France – 2000

Ireland’s first game in the expanded Six Nations was a 50-18 shellacking by England that forced coach Warren Gatland into a raft of changes, handing out Test debuts to Shane Horgan, John Hayes, Simon Easterby, Peter Stringer and Ronan O’Gara. Gatland’s gamble paid off with a 44-22 win over Scotland.

Newcomers Italy were thumped 60-13 next and Ireland headed to Paris convinced they could trouble the French. Brian O’Driscoll had turned 21 eight weeks earlier and was in inspired form in his first Championship campaign.

His first try came was a simple finish under the posts to put Ireland 7-6 up. But Bernard Laporte’s side rallied and almost put the contest to bed when Marc del Maso was put clear by Abdelatif Benazzi. O’Driscoll made up 10 metres, over 40, on the hooker and combined with Denis Hickie on a try-saving tackle, inches from the Irish line.

France led 19-7 approaching the final quarter when Rob Henderson’s line break and offload gifted O’Driscoll his second try. But the anticipation, after Stringer was scragged and the ball fell loose, the pick-up and the speed to race clear for his hat-trick score hinted at the magic to come over the next 14 years.

Eddie O’Sullivan, then Gatland’s assistant coach, observed: “At that stage, Brian probably believed he could walk on water because he got two before that.” O’Gara put it even better – “We all knew O’Driscoll was good, but that’s when we knew the guy was a genius.” (PM)

13. Sensational Scotland comeback denied at death in thrilling 38-38 draw – 2019

Two years after a record 61-21 rout at Twickenham, decades of Scottish nightmares in south-west London came coursing back as another embarrassment beckoned. England were hammering along with 31 unanswered points in as many minutes. And they were showboating too, Henry Slade tossing a cat-flap offload for Jonny May to canter home. ‘We want 100!’ some punters bayed. Nothing about Scotland suggested a comeback was possible.

Even when Stuart McInally charged down Owen Farrell before half-time to score from halfway, it felt like a minor note of defiance. At least it wouldn’t be a nilling. But the second half put this game among the great, perhaps even the greatest, Six Nations contests.

Staring down the barrel, Russell and Gregor Townsend had what prop Gordy Reid later called a tactical ‘domestic’ at half-time. And from stupefied to stupendous, Scotland began to motor with Russell, as though unshackled, at the heart of it.

Darcy Graham ran England ragged. Belief grew, offloads stuck, substitutions worked and five exceptional tries were scored. Russell intercepted from Farrell, the conversion levelling it at 31-31. Then Russell’s ‘lies with his eyes’, peering along the backline before thrusting a short pop pass to Sam Johnson, who hurdled past flailing English defenders to score. Suddenly Scotland led 38-31 with three minutes left, the most extraordinary comeback complete.

Twickenham watched in a state of dread and disbelief. Then, salvation, George Ford sniping under the sticks in the final minute. The spoils shared, the greatest comeback win in Six Nations history expunged, and most spectators in need of a stiff drink. (JL)

12. Courtney Lawes’ rib-tickling tackle on Jules Plisson – 2015

England were chasing a 26-point victory against France at Twickenham in the last match of a riveting final day of the 2015 Six Nations (*spoiler alert – you may hear more about that anon) but after scoring a try in the opening minute, were trailing 15-7 by the 25^th.

Perhaps sensing it was time for a momentum-shifting moment, after a scrum just inside the French half had broken up, Courtney Lawes shot out of the defensive line, with Jules Plisson squarely in his sights.

France’s callow stand-off was splintered like plywood by one of the England lock’s greatest hits. ‘Tackle’s fair…timing was good,’ immediately called referee Nigel Owens.

There was a collective intake of breath from the awed Twickenham crowd as the slow-motion image showed the full impact. It felt like rubber-necking at the scene of a car accident with Plisson left in a gasping heap by the human missile launch.

Lawes’ tackle sparked a mini dust-up as four French players confronted him while play continued. Owens blew his whistle and took a second look but still deemed it fair.  As the French piano shifters dusted themselves down incredulously, the shaken Plisson, thankfully, was able to continue after treatment, but stayed well away from Lawes. (NS)

11. Croke Park powers Ireland to stirring win over England – 2007 

Much of the pre-match talk revolved around the reception Brian Ashton’s England – and their ‘God Save the Queen’ anthem – would get at Croke Park. This was the venue that in 1920, the Black and Tans – a mercenary force working for the Royal Irish Constabulary during the Irish ‘War of Independence’ – opened fire on a GAA-watching crowd and killed 14 civilians.

The Gaelic Athletic Association had long deemed that non-Gaelic sports would not be played on their grounds. However, Lansdowne Road’s rebuild saw the IRFU needing a temporary home. Imbued by the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement, a sway in public opinion and changes to the GAA’s ‘Rule 42’, the 82,000-seat stadium was opened for rental.

Ireland had lost their first match there to a late try from France’s Vincent Clerc. Full-back Girvan Dempsey recalled what captain Brian O’Driscoll told his team before the England game: “We do not leave Croke Park without a victory… We cannot leave Croke Park after our stint is over and have the history books stating that we have lost our first two rugby matches here.”

There were legitimate concerns the English anthem would be drowned out in a chorus of boos and protests, but it rang out to vast pockets standing in pitched silence at a sold-out Croker. Most supporters saved their lungs for Amhrán na bhFiann, then Ireland’s Call. Paul O’Connell, John Hayes and Jerry Flannery were in tears. The roars could be heard across Ireland’s capital.

That game was effectively over by half-time, with a possessed Ireland leading 23-3.  The stand-out moment was Ronan O’Gara lofting a cross-field kick to the right wing and Shane Horgan – a fine GAA player in his younger days – plucking it from the air like an inter-county midfielder before diving over to score.

Andy Farrell was in the England side. Current interim head coach Simon Easterby was playing for Ireland. A few years ago, he recalled being part of that historic occasion. “To produce that kind of performance was very special. That would live long in the memory, that Saturday.” (PM)

Tomorrow we will reveal numbers 10-6, and count down before revealing our most memorable Six Nations moment on Friday.