By Zolton
June 6th 2007 @ 2:40pm
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The Greatest Try Ever
This try from 1973 is often put forward as the Greatest Try ever scored. It’s a big call. But it’s one hell of a team effort. What do you think? Any others spring to mind?
Update. James has sent us the link to the French 1994 try. Enjoy watching.
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Phil Coorey said | June 6th 2007 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
While I think the above is a great try, it came in an exhibition match.
I think the greatest try ever, was by the French against the All Blacks in the last minute at Eden Park (??) in 1994 (??)
jimma said | June 6th 2007 @ 3:25pm | Report comment
Great try.
Fortunately on topic I happened to see a better one than that on replay last night, it was the 1994 French try in the second test against the AB’s, in Auckland I think it was. Get that one on you tube if you can. Magnificent.
Also of course Campo’s flick pass to Lynagh simply because of the importance of the game. The final try against the Irish in Ireland as well.
What is it about the poor old AB’s? Bring out the best in everyone?
jimma said | June 6th 2007 @ 3:30pm | Report comment
PS. I love seeing the ‘old’ footage. Look at the bodies on those boys and compare them to the muscled behemoth of today.
Good to see that aimless kicking got punished back then too. What a shambles
jimma said | June 6th 2007 @ 3:30pm | Report comment
PS. I love seeing the ‘old’ footage. Look at the bodies on those boys and compare them to the muscled behemoth of today. Compare the R&M breakdown and how quickly the ball comes out of tackles, it doesn’t happen like that anymore (although that area still had rucking?)
Good to see that aimless kicking got punished back then too. What a shambles.
Ziggy said | June 6th 2007 @ 3:46pm | Report comment
The French try in last minutes - test vs ABs in Auckland 1994 - have to agree you can’t go past that.
Zac Zavos said | June 6th 2007 @ 3:54pm | Report comment
James has kindly sent us a link to the French match - which is on the article now. What a thrilling try!
sheek said | June 6th 2007 @ 5:59pm | Report comment
A couple of favourites:
1. Aus v NZ 1st test SCG 1980. Several minutes left, score 9-9. Aussies running towards Oxford St. Ball came out right from a scrum. Cox to Ella, Ella to Hawker, back to Ella on the run around, Ella to O’Connor, O’Connor to Martin, Martin dives for a try in the corner. Breathtaking in its precision.
2. Aus v Fra 2nd test SCG 1981. Late 2nd half, can’t remember the score at the time (24-14 fulltime). Almost identical scenario, except that Hipwell was scrumhalf, & O’Connor didn’t need to pass to Martin. He dived over himself. Obviously, they had improved their precision!!!
3. NZ v Aus 2nd test Wellington 1982. Wallabies scored an almost length of the field try with the ball passing through about 10 hands for campese to score & a 19-3 halftime lead (19-16 fulltime). Right up there with the French effort of 1994, without the dramatic finish to the game.
The Aussies produced another similar effort during that series, 3rd test I think. But the last pass or 2nd last pass was called back for forward.
There are probably others better, but they’re the ones off the top of my head.
So very, very, very, very sad that Mark Ella (25T), Mike Hawker(25T) & Mick O’Connor (12T) only played 4 tests together in the 10-12-13 positions (that’s right, only 4 tests in those 3 positions together)!
They did play all 3 together in two other tests. But on those occasions, both O’Connor & Hawker played a test on the wing.
Ella & Hawker played together 19 times (1980-84), Ella & O’Connor only 6 times (1980-82), & Hawker & O’Connor 10 times (1980-82).
Well, I guess it’s better than them never playing in any tests together. One can only wonder if they had come along 20 or 30 years later in the professional era, & if you add Wally Lewis & Tony Melrose, the catfights they would have had, competing for Wallaby jerseys at 10-12-13.
O’Connor & Hawker might both have ended up on the wing again, as happened on the 1977-78 schoolboys tour. Sorry, the reminiscing got to me!!!
Bob Thomas said | June 6th 2007 @ 7:04pm | Report comment
Watched the French try from 1994. Anyone notice that the French ran around the ref (Derek Bevan?) twice in that footage and appeared to use him - clever stuff.
The best try I have ever seen was by Mike Hudson who played outside centre for a team I started my rugby with in the UK. We were playing Blackheath and should have lost by bucket loads but we were still in it late in the second half when Mike took a pass in our 22 and stepped around 2 Blackheath players, ran inside the full back, put the wing cover on his arse then stopped on their try line and waited for our winger who was following up about 10 metres behind, gave him the ball to score the try. Classic stuff - Mike declined to trial for England on a couple of occasions. Amateur days how strange.
Wets my appetite for the World Cup this year regardless of how we do - I know our Australian boys will give it their all. Also really looking forward to some of the minnows games as I found them interesting when they were over here. The IRB should organise a plate competition and make it cheap to get in therefore more people watching the game.
Phil Coorey said | June 6th 2007 @ 8:09pm | Report comment
Wow, those tries from the early 80’s are amazing! My Dad was here as I read those and remembered them all.
I am sure there are some people who saw the amazing try that Jeff Wilson scored vs. The Australian Schoolboys in 1992 at Aussie Stadium. He ran straight through the team and scored the match winner. Showed amazing balance and power then as a preview to an amazing career.
6 months later, he hit a six to win a one day match vs. Australia in New Zealand off Craig McDermott, I think.
patrick said | June 7th 2007 @ 1:40am | Report comment
you kidding me It did look spectacluar, but that last pass was yard and half forward, but that is typical of union,sorry cant get excited about it
Terry Kidd said | June 7th 2007 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
My memory is hazy but I seem to remember a try Fiji scored against the ABs in the 80s …. was it 15 a side or sevens? … can’t remember.
But do remember 2 amazing no look passes between the legs as the Fijians tossed it wide, then a long run by the winger and a pass back inside for the try to win the game after the siren.
Exhilarating stuff.
Barry Boyle said | June 7th 2007 @ 4:33pm | Report comment
The French one is no2 in my book.
I consider a Christian Cullen one at i think H\Kong in his early days the best I have seen.
Think he beat about 5 opposition players behind his own goal line to start it. Fijians???.
Only sevens but a classic.
Barry.
Alumni Man said | June 8th 2007 @ 1:06pm | Report comment
Brilliant, both tries. I liked those jinks/side steps inside the Baa Baas 22, pure footballing magic. And the way the French threw the ball so unselfishly to the next man. Keep them coming…. (more classy footage that is!)
grahame Thorne said | June 12th 2007 @ 2:02pm | Report comment
Team tries that come to mind are the Hika the Hooker try in Brisbane in 1980, that great French try in 1994 and the French one that beat Australia in the 1987 RWC at Concord.
grahame Thorne said | June 12th 2007 @ 2:06pm | Report comment
If you look closely at the footage you will see that Gareth Edwards was not in the hunt for that try when suddenly he sensed that it was “on” and put the foot down and appeared right where he knew the ball would be !!! That is the mark of a great rugby player. Another try that NZ scored was in 1969 v Wales at Lancaster Prk which went from right to left and back again before Malcolm Dick scored in the right hand coner !
Zac Zavos said | June 12th 2007 @ 2:44pm | Report comment
Great to have your contributions to this, Grahame. I believe you were playing in the match that Dick scored in the right hand corner (http://stats.allblacks.com/teamsheet.asp?MT_ID=1581).
Would this be the best try you witnesses as a playing All Black?
jimma said | June 12th 2007 @ 2:54pm | Report comment
Graham:
I am sure all roar regulars wish you and the family all best and sincere condolences after your sons injury playing the game played in heaven.
MADDO said | June 17th 2007 @ 4:04pm | Report comment
The best try was by Brayan Habana heres the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dvb57AjBG1Q
grahame Thorne said | June 17th 2007 @ 6:09pm | Report comment
Jimma
Thank you for your thougts,. We are lucky to have so much support David is not that good. He cant say more than about 5 words and the clinical pychologist believes he will never speak properly again We will see about that ! He has also had two seizures in the last 6 weeks !
Luckily Hamish the only Thorne boy left playing rugby ( Bruce retired at 29 just as the Boks called, Gareth at 18, David at 20) is playing very well for Christchurch club here in NZ.
grahame Thorne said | June 17th 2007 @ 6:23pm | Report comment
Sunday night here in little old NZ ( having an Aussie Cab Sav but after NZ lamb!) and thinking about tries and thinking of Test tries only - Keith Jarrett scored one against England in 1967? which came from a lucky bounce and all the English players caught off guard. That night he was trying to get home and his mates thought they would pinch a Cardiff City bus. They were caught climbing over the fence but when Keith was recognised they said Mr Jarrett we’ll get you a double decker in case you want a smoke !!!
john ponger said | September 18th 2007 @ 8:26pm | Report comment
Grahame (Thorne) you are being modest. The greatest try (individual) that was ever scored was by you yourself, 1967 for the allblacks versus West Wales, if my memory serves me correctly. You ran from one end to the other eclipsing all the opposing players who came at you.I recall seeing it then on TV , the filming was great and would love to see a clip of it again. (Has anyone got it.) By the way went to Auck Grammar in your years there, John
Grahame thorne said | September 19th 2007 @ 5:09am | Report comment
Thank you John Per Angusta Ad Augusta ! Yes have video of West Wales try and no it isn’t on a look and played continually at our house !! Also have the four tries my son David scored at Mexted international Rugby Academy in 2003. Will try and get my non Luddite son to put them on U Tube. RWC although not the most complete tournament has hads some good moments and Georgi effort against rleand the best but Georgia let down by inexperience ! Cant but that!
Grahame thorne said | September 19th 2007 @ 5:10am | Report comment
Thank you John Per Angusta Ad Augusta ! Yes have video of West Wales try and no it isn’t on a loop and played continually at our house !! Also have the four tries my son David scored at Mexted international Rugby Academy in 2003. Will try and get my non Luddite son to put them on U Tube. RWC although not the most complete tournament has had some good moments and Georgi effort against Ireland the best but Georgia let down by inexperience ! Cant but that!
Alphonse said | September 19th 2007 @ 10:10am | Report comment
I can’t split the Baa Baa’s and the 1994 French. Combined they marginally shade Campo’s try at Wellington in 1982. More recently one of the great team tries came from the All Black’s, at the caketin, from a set piece against the Wallabies in 2000. From a scrum outside of the Australian quarter the ABs ran a play of great deception that saw the ball shuffled to the left, held up, turned inside (?) to a galloping Cullen who went over untouched. The Australian outside backs were left like deers stuck in the headlights. Sadly I can’t find a weblink.
While much of the discussion has been about team tries there are a number of individual tries that deserve recognition.
1) Chris Latham’s return-kick effort against Wales in Cardiff last year was simply amazing. No team should ever have allowed the try to be scored. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4tBqgCRE_E)
2) The South African Richard Bands scored one of the great long distance front rower tries against New Zealand in 2003 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiYNA2PPJB8). His don’t argue on Carlos Spencer won’t be forgotten by too many who saw it.
3) Jonah Lomu’s 60m “1995 repeat” against England at Twickenham when he left another four POMs in his wake (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlD1fk4blV8).
4) Campo against Samoa in 1994. At one point in the second half Campo left the SFS in absolute awe of his talents with what looked, at first glance anyway, to be a fairly straight forward score. Essentially Campo regathered a chip ahead to score in the corner however when the try was replayed on the big screen there was an audible gasp from the small crowd as it became clear that Campo had gathered the bouncing ball just inches from the ground, while running at full pace, before diving over for the try.
5) Campo had a big hand in this one. Australia played the Baa Baas in 1984. Campo turned the Welshman Richard Ackerman inside out so many times over the course of his 50-60m run that the centre - who had been highly critical in his appraisal of Australia’s backline talent - didn’t know if he was coming or going. By the time he worked it out Michael Hawker had already scored the try. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzucOihZdfI)
6) Toutai Kefu scored a wonderful try against France in Paris back in 1998. From a back of the scrum pickup 40-plus metres out he literally dragged three Frenchman for about half that distance to score what was a decisive try just before half time and get Austalia back into the game.
This RWC(and the warm up matches) have delivered some wonderful tries. Brian Habana’s first half effort against Samoa; George Smith’s stunning tackle and steal without the ball hitting touching the ground against Japan, and Chabal’s 50m charge against Namibia (which was similiar to his excellent effort against England a few weeks prior) are just a few that come to mind. Long may it continue.
john ponger said | September 19th 2007 @ 5:16pm | Report comment
Thanks Grahame, for your answer. Great to know a copy of your try exists. I hope you will get it onto utube for all to see. as its is the best. Best wishes to your son David from John