Unusual Tries

Here are a few unusual stories about rugby tries:

The Enthusiastic Try – In the late 1950s, George Nepia, recognised as probably New Zealand’s greatest fullback, was well into retirement although he continued to play in social matches. In one of these games, the ball hit him perfectly in the chest. Noticing a gap straight in front of him, he sprinted for the line and grounded the ball right under the posts. There was only one problem – he was the referee.

The Fastest Try in Test History – This was scored by Scotland’s New Zealand import, John Leslie. With only 9 seconds on the clock, Leslie scored a try in the test against Wales at Murrayfield in 1999.

The Held-up Try – This try was scored during a game in Builth Wells, in Wales during the early 1900’s. The visiting fullback kicked the ball into some tree branches that were overhanging the pitch. Surprise, surprise – the ball got stuck in the branches. While officials went off to find another ball and the players had a rest on the field, the ball suddenly fell from the tree. A quick thinking player grabbed the ball and scored under the posts. The opposition naturally complained but the referee awarded the try because, under local rules, the ball had not gone out of play…

The Joint Test Try – This was the only jointly awarded test try being scored by Welsh players Howie Jones and Harry Peacock. The try was scored in a test match against Ireland in 1930. The referee was unable to sort out which player grounded the ball, so the only joint try in an international game was awarded.

Rugby Heaven

The serious rugby enthusiast is sure that the sport played in heaven is rugby! Rugby Union is a game of passion and creates strong emotions that you will see surface among crowds during and after a game. All serious rugby enthusiasts will be up to watch their favourite rugby team play, and make sure the players are performing. And Rugby League supporters are a bit similar. They are also a passionate bunch with strong emotions, a different style of game although similar in lots of ways.

After any rugby game you will find supporters at the local bars dissecting the game and explaining what the players ‘should’ have done. In Rugby Union when you look at it, you have 15 players in each team racing up and down a paddock after an oval piece of leather. The test is to get the ball down the opposite end of the field and over the line. The team who can do it the most wins! Simple? No, not so simple…

This is where the game gets technical. Although I have been attending rugby games since I was first able to walk, I would not dare to talk technically about the game! Most Rugby Union buffs are quite serious about the game. Rugby enthusiasts are among the most passionate, most one-eyed people and when they start talking about Rugby others soon get bored or tired of the subject. The serious Rugby buff will talk for hours and hours about one game. For many of them it becomes their life and things revolve around Rugby. So naturally they take it that Rugby will be played in heaven…

Rugby Heaven is also the leading Australian Rugby web site.