By Simon Wright, (Sporting piece)
My selection of the best; the top ten from the Rugby World Cup.
1. France stun the All Blacks, Rugby World Cup Semi-Final, 1999
FRANCE had stuttered into the semi-finals of the 1999 Rugby World Cup and came in as massive underdogs against formidable New Zealand at Twickenham. Many pundits before the match thought it would be no contest, with the All Blacks predicted to score more than 50 points against their opponents. It went to form in the first half, with Jonah Lomu looking as formidable as ever. However, Les Bleus ripped the best side in rugby apart in a devastating 30 minute spell in the second half, scoring three tries and scoring 31 unanswered points to produce the biggest ever upset in the whole of Rugby World Cup history. The final scoreline; 43-31. The rugby world was shaken by what France did on this day; undoubtedly the best ever match in the game of rugby union, let alone World Cup history.
2. Johnny drops England home, Rugby World Cup Final, 2003
TELSTRA stadium was the setting for the 2003 final between the hosts Australia and the favourites, England. Australia made the dream start, as Lote Tuqiri scored a try after only five minutes. Johnny Wilkinson’s reliable boot pushed England into the lead, before they ripped up pre-match critics of ‘boring’ rugby, by producing a great teamwork try for Jason Robinson. At 14-5 up at half-time, silly errors from Clive Woodward’s side in the second half allowed the Wallabies back into the match. Elton Flatley kicked the match into extra-time under intense pressure. With the scores at 17-17, the prospect of sudden death loomed when a final surge from England allowed Wilkinson his moment. At the fourth attempt of asking, he hit a sweet drop goal to ensure victory for a Northern Hemisphere side for the first time in this prestigious final. England’s first major sporting success since 1966 was sealed by the golden boot of Johnny.
3. ‘We did it for 43 million South Africans!’ Rugby World Cup Final, 1995
HAVING been released from exile in sporting competitions after Apartheid, South Africa staged a colourful and spectacular Rugby World Cup in 1995. They came into the tournament ranked tenth in the world, but by beating defending champions Australia in the opening match, they set out their stall. Chester Williams became a national hero for his four tries against Samoa in the quarter-finals and the late Ruben Kruger dived over to win the swamp of a semi over France. In the final, the Springboks had a plan to stop Jonah Lomu and New Zealand’s formidable frontline. It wasn’t a great match, but the spectacle made up for it and it was the right result, as Joel Stransky kicked the winning points with a brilliant drop goal in extra-time. The hosts had won the Webb Ellis Trophy, with delighted captain Francois Pienaar getting the cup from President Nelson Mandela, who was wearing a Springbok rugby top! Afterwards, Pienaar claimed that his team had won it for the incredible support the country had shown throughout, but not just lucky enough to be in Ellis Park on the day, but for the 43million South Africans worldwide.
4. Lomu destroys England, Rugby World Cup Semi-Final, 1995
HE DESTROYED Wales, Ireland and Scotland in the preliminary stages and Jonah Lomu simply dismantled a shell-shocked England in the 1995 semi-finals. His first try, which saw him shake off the attentions of Tony Underwood and Rob Andrew, before trampling all over Mike Catt to reach the try line. For me, it is the greatest try in Rugby World Cup history. He scored four in the match and Will Carling, England captain later admitted he didn’t ever imagine conceding four tries in the first fifteen minutes as worst case scenario. The final 45-29 scoreline flattered England, as they were simply outclassed by the powerful All Blacks and the fearsome Lomu.
5. Gordon Hamilton’s Try, Rugby World Cup Quarter-Final, 1991
WITH skipper Nick-Farr Jones injured and watching from the stands, Australia looked on the ropes at Lansdowne Road in a quarter-final with Ireland. In the last ten minutes, the Irish sensed an opportunity and Gordon Hamilton, not a prominent try-scorer, produced the greatest moment in Irish Rugby World Cup history. The ground erupted in joy as the underdogs had just taken the lead. Unfortunately for Ireland, Michael Lynagh scored a late try which took the favourites through and broke the crowd’s hearts. Nevertheless, Hamilton’s moment of magic has remained in Irish folklore.
6. Serge Blanco’s last-gasp try, Rugby World Cup Semi-Final, 1987
AUSTRALIA must have fancied their chances of a final with New Zealand in the inaugural tournament, when they came up against the unpredictable French in a pulsating semi-final. The game ebbed and flowed throughout, with David Campese breaking the all-time rugby point’s record during the match. Seconds remained, when a mix-up in the Australian backline allowed the French a final chance. Serge Blanco managed to find the corner to send France into the final, which they ultimately lost. However, it goes down as the most iconic moment of the 1987 world cup.
7. Hastings blows it, Rugby World Cup Semi-Final, 1991
LET’S face it, England and Scotland don’t like each other and never will. The 1991 semi-final was always going to be very personal and tight, as England wanted to seek revenge for a Grand Slam nightmare at Murrayfield the year before. With nine minutes to go, the game was deadlocked at 6-6, when Gavin Hastings, a trusty penalty kicker, had an easy chance to put Scotland infront. Amazingly, he sliced the kick and it sailed wide. Even the English couldn’t quite believe what Hastings had just done. Minutes later, Rob Andrew’s drop goal took England through to a final with Australia and Gavin Hastings was left to ponder what might have been.
8. England’s revenge at Table Mountain, Rugby World Cup Quarter-Final, 1995
THEY lost a narrow final on home soil in 1991, so England were desperate to settle the scores in a quarter-final at Table Mountain against Australia four years later. The Aussies defeat to South Africa in the pool stages had given them a harder route towards the final, but with a team full of talent such as John Eales, Michael Lynagh, George Gregan, Tim Horan and David Campese, the Wallabies were still expected to go through. The game didn’t disappoint and extra-time beckoned when Rob Andrew kicked a stunning drop goal to win the quarter-final. English fans overjoyed, Australian fans desolate and for the likes of Lynagh and Horan; the end of an era as both legendary players retired from rugby after this devastating defeat for the holders.
9. Super Shocking Saturday, Rugby World Cup Quarter-Finals, 2007
ON PAPER, Australia were expected to steamroller England and New Zealand should comfortably put the French away, but when was rugby ever played on a piece of paper! On ‘Super Saturday,’ Johnny Wilkinson’s boot once again did for Australia in a heroic English display in Marseille. Following an embarrassing defeat to South Africa in the pool stages, English rugby had been seen as a game and a team in steep decline, so this must have made Australia look very poor. Hours later, Yannick Jauzion crossed the line in Cardiff to seal a sensational 20-18 win for France over New Zealand. The favourites by a mile had choked again. They had gone out at the quarter-final stage on this ‘Shocking Saturday,’ for the first time in history and Coach Graeme Henry lost his job.
10. Argentina’s mammoth breakthrough, Rugby World Cup, 2007
OPENING night nerves really showed up on hosts France in 2007. It was a match where they never looked strong enough and believed they could win. As a nation toiled, Argentina rejoiced in its biggest moment in RWC history and their momentum continued. The Pumas had been knocking on the door of the elite nations for a while, and they finished off Ireland’s shambolic tournament in the final Pool D match to top the pool. The South Americans overcame a stiff Scotland challenge in the last eight and only an error-strewn performance against eventual winners South Africa in the last four blunted their hopes. Nevertheless, this was a tournament where Argentina made a mammoth breakthrough.
WHETHER you are supporting the All-Black Haka, the Emerald Isle of Ireland, the English Rose, the stunning Springboks, the Welsh Dragon, the hard-hitting Pacific Island nations or the Walloping Wallabies, RWC 2011 promises to be another fantastic spectacle.
To New Zealand, South Africa, England, Australia, France, Argentina, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Fiji, Italy, Tonga, Samoa, Japan, Canada, USA, Romania, Georgia, Namibia and Russia, I wish you all a great tournament over the next six weeks and I’d like to unofficially declare the battle for the 2011 Rugby World Cup officially open!!
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