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Classic tackles in Test rugby

15th June, 2014
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The Wallabies need to remember their proud, winning history. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
Roar Guru
15th June, 2014
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On Saturday, All Black Ben Smith pulled off one of the all-time great tackles when he stopped Manusamoa Tuilagi from scoring towards the end of the first half of the second Test.

England was up 10-6 and Tuilagi intercepted the ball. Had he not been caught by Smith in a dramatic chase-down, England may well have gone on to win the game.

Smith’s tackle will be talked about for years alongside these classic rugby tackles.

1994: Australia v All Blacks, George Gregan on Jeff Wilson, 1994
Perhaps the most famous tackle in rugby history occurred in the last play of the 1994 Bledisloe Cup Test at the Sydney Football Stadium.

New Zealand was down 20-16, but Jeff Wilson was flying towards the corner for the match-winning score. Unexpectedly he was smashed by the smallest player on the field, a flying George Gregan!

1995: South Africa v All Blacks, Japie Mulder on Jonah Lomu
In the 55th minute of the World Cup final, South Africa was ahead 9-6 when star of the tournament Jonah Lomu finally made a break.

However all 77kg of Japie Mulder managed to pull down the 120kg Jonah Lomu.

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Mulder played 34 Tests for South Africa, but life hasn’t been great post rugby. In 2007 he pled guilty to the indecent assault and attempted rape of a South African schoolgirl who was the daughter of a close friend. On 29 December 2009, Mulder and his wife and children were hijacked in the East Rand. Mulder was forced into the boot of a car while his hijackers stole money from his bank account.

Lomu scored 37 tries in 63 Tests but none in 12 Tests against South Africa.

2000: All Blacks v Australia, Jonah Lomu on Ben Tune
The first Test match between the All Blacks and Australia at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington is most famous for John Eales’ last-minute penalty to win the Bledisloe Cup for the Wallabies. However another famous incident occurred when Jonah Lomu smashed Ben Tune.

Lomu was on the bench for the Test and midweek Tune suggested that Lomu was their because of his defensive frailties. Tune, who scored 24 tries in 46 Tests for Australia, learned that revenge is a dish best served cold.

The Tune hit is the last on this sequence of three super hits by Jonah.

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2002: England v All Blacks, Ben Choen on Ben Blair
Two tries by Jonah Lomu ensured the All Blacks had a chance to win at 31-28. All Black fullback Ben Blair then broke and was headed towards the corner for the match-winner when Ben Choen, who had scored a try earlier, pulled off a stunning match saver.

2003: All Blacks v Wales, Jerry Collins on Colin Charvis
Colin Charvis was a tough blindside flanker who played 96 Tests for Wales and the Lions and scored 22 tries. In 2003 he was met by the equally tough Jerry Collins in a devastating tackle in Hamilton.

The All Blacks won the game concerned 55-3. Daniel Carter scored 20 points on debut and Tana Umaga earned an international fair play award for putting Charvis in the recovery position!

2003: Samoa v South Africa: Brian Lima on Derick Hougaard
No list of the greatest tackles in international rugby would be complete without an entry from Brain ‘The Chiropractor’ Lima. Consistently one of the most brutal hitters in the game, Lima appeared in five World Cups and though Samoa got a hiding in this game by South Africa, Lima left his mark on poor old Derick Hougaard.

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2011: All Blacks v Australia: Jerome Kaino on Digby Ioane
In full flight, Digby Ioane is one of the hardest wingers to stop in World Rugby. In the semi final of the World Cup at Eden Park, Ioane made a great break and looked certain to score, until he was actually pulled back from over the line by Jerome Kaino.

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