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.
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.
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.
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.
firstxv
Guest
looked like he had two?
firstxv
Guest
thats always been my fave tackle. For me JK has scored the best ever individual try and has made the best ever tackle in all world cups...still recall the commentary..."The Ballymore crowd stands to its feet to a man...you would not see a better tackle than that in a month of sundays"...whatever that means...
stillmatic1
Guest
quade had help with that tackle sprigs, but a good effort nonetheless. the wife and I were at the ire v wb game and couldn't believe that joc ran him down. hopeless from bowe really. gave the wb a chance to pinch an unlikely win.
stillmatic1
Guest
yes yes yes. we were sitting right on the goal line on that right side when gerard was racing for the line and couldn't believe that Richie got to him. then it was a frantic finish to hold our line on not let the wbs in. magic.
Sandy B
Guest
RWCfinal 1991 at twickenham. John Eales in cover defence on Guscott(?). Just as he was in the clear good ol Ealsey mowed him down. Only minutes to go as well. I think it was about the time that Bob Dwyer yelled in the presence of the queen " kick it to the sh*thouse".
Michael Lee
Roar Rookie
Motu Matu'u was insane last year.... ironed out some Waratahs from memory. Agree with O'Conner's chase of Tommy Bowe as well. Worth a watch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJqc8JGwWXY
kiwi
Guest
You're right Rotuma. That's as good as any of them!
kiwi
Guest
Motu Matu'u (Hurricanes hooker) had a couple of good ones last season! I also enjoyed O'Connor's chase-down of Tommy Bowe against the Irish. Can't deny his talent. I also seem to remember a great goal line tackle by Duane Monkley on (Willie Ofahengaue?) a number of years ago. (Warratahs vs Chiefs?) Not many would have stopped Willie O from there!
Jereme Lane
Roar Guru
nathan grey on brian o driscoll in the 2001 lions tour was another. it started the switch in momentum that australia wouldn't relinquish again. gregans on wilson was a cracker. he also had a great hit on one of the props in that game. picked him up on the fringe of the ruck and drove him back a few metres. the one that hurts the most is kaino on digby. who knows what would have happened in that game if the wallabies got a bit of confidence from that try
WhoDis
Roar Rookie
Derrick hougaard is still winded.
WhoDis
Roar Rookie
Agreed. The Wilkinson v Ntamack for me cemented Jonny's status as all round genius. Ntamack is no small guy and Wilko poleaxed him. I still hate him though for that bloody field goal.
Chan Wee
Guest
Jerry Collins is the legendary HIT MAN !!! 1 hit on Thinus Delport http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqITcgnaKHg 2 hit on Chabal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro28FcNXbM0 3 hit on Nathan Sharpe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgJCu701wqw
Chan Wee
Guest
Tuilagi clothslines JDV ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9Da2LIZ3dU
Sylvester
Guest
Yes
english twizz
Guest
yes he is there id six brothers all like rocks
Charl
Guest
Bismarck on Dan Carter
Rotuma Island
Guest
http://youtu.be/T9r2gKV_v30
Rotuma Island
Guest
u missed Josh Lewsey's try saving tackle on de Villiers.
Jerry
Guest
Well to be fair to Buck all he saw was a Welsh bloke laying into Gary Whetton from behind (it looked like Whetton had given him a sneaky elbow to set it off but Buck wouldn't have seen that).
jeramiah
Guest
Barrett on le roux was good to