Rugby Moment of The Year....

[Muttonbird]

Final whistle in the RWC2011. It signalled the close of a very, very long chapter reaching much further back than the beginning of this year.

Here's a picture.

 

[Swat]

So he did have a whistle? I thought he lost it in those last 15 minutes.... hahaha, only joking. Well done boys

 

[Ruggo]

Final whistle in the RWC2011. It signalled the close of a very, very long chapter reaching much further back than the beginning of this year.

Here's a picture.

That must of been a tough night. I bet you were shitting bricks up until that final whistle.

 

[Muttonbird]

That must of been a tough night. I bet you were shitting bricks up until that final whistle.

Yep, there was a pile of bricks in the corner the next morning.

Watched at home with the family. Didn't sit down the whole game, paced the room, wife in my ear about how useless the ABs were, and the kids were looking sideways at me till the final whistle when I went down on one knee, fist-pumped and whoop-whooped, Brett Lee style.

You see, I'd watched them all, '91 to '07, and that moment, because it was so close, was both the culmination and release of all that disappointment.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Probably not going to be a popular one here on an Aus board. But my favourite was Stephen Ferris in the RWC when he decided to pick up Will Genia and use him to swat JOC (James O'Connor). Not because it was against Aus or anything, simply because it was great to see Ferris coming back to his best after such a bad injury. Also it a moment of release from the months of frustration at Ireland's performances in the months prior to the game.

Other one isn't exactly a moment but Leinster's 2nd half performance in the HEC Final will live long in my memory.

With you on the Ferris moment especially as he is a player we will have to make the most of because of his chronic knee problems; would say he is the form player in Ireland at the moment, if he stays fit think we could win another GS. Sexton and Leinster were great although Mike Ross turning the scrum on its head will be an abiding memory as well. My other highlights would be Bull's penalty try in the Magners League final in May and more recently, the miraculous 41 phase 40+metre Drop goal by ROG to break Saints hearts in round one of the Heineken Cup. Gwan Munster!!! Well done NZ as well I suppose!?!??!!

 

[Cutter]

Cat_A - thanks for posting. It puts our own posts in context.

It's a world cup year, so my "rugby moments" gravitate to that as it is, whether we like it or not, the focus of international teams on a four year cycle...

For me, it was the ABs winning the RWC. As I mentioned at the time, there are some warriors in that team and, given their historical dominance, it was an appropriate way to crown their career achievements. I'm talking, of course, McCaw, Thorn, Mealamu, Woodcock, Muliaina, Carter (I'm sure there are others) who have been part of a very dominant ABs team for close to 10 years. Thorn is, of course, a sporting behometh and a genuine role model who I'd prefer my children gained inspiration from than almost any other rugby player I can think of.

Honourable mentions:

Dan Carter's dignity and graciousness following his injury. Massive respect. QC (Quade Cooper) and others could learn from him off the field as well as on it.

Sam Warburton's sending off. I took no pleasure in seeing it, in fact, I thought it was the wrong decision entirely. But, given the momentum Wales had and given the way the ABs tightened up in the final, I wouldn't have put it past Wales to win had they got through. So, not a good rugby moment, but an important one, particularly for Wales and the RWC.

 

[waratahjesus]

Mine was Tonga v Canada in the RWC, a minnows match that if played between "a list" sides with the same passion execution and outcome would be hailed as one of the most entertaining ever. It was afantastic fun, what sport should be.

 

[Knuckles]

It is hard to go past so many of the RWC moments mentioned here, however for me, sometimes it's the little things that sport delivers that make it SO special. I ventured down to my neighbours on a cold, wet, windy easter saturday to see Warringah host Parra.

Being at this match was one of the highlights of the season for me......and I am not a fan of either club by any stretch of the imagination. Seeing Parra post their first win in 1st grade, away from home, at a place that's hard to win at the best of times, for 2 years was something special and I am glad to have witnessed it.

 

[Ruggo]

The sheer guts Drew Mitchell showed to fight his way back for the RWC. When he did that hammy would have to be the lowest.

 

[Ruggo]

The Reds goat count. I think they did a great job on putting a fun and unique aspect on what is a very serious cause. I hope they do it again in 2012.

 

[rugbysmartarse]

the GAGRTAHS v Rebel Army touch game. felt good to throw a footy around again.

 

[crangs81]

Yep, there was a pile of bricks in the corner the next morning..

Only a pile? Mate, i could've built a wall bigger than China

 

[crangs81]

Watching The King lift the Cup was my favourite moment of the year

 

[Garry Owen]

I'm still savouring those two runner-up speeches by Sir Ritchie McCheater. "We just weren't good enough tonight."

Mmmmm, aaah!

 

[Bullrush]

The Manu beating the Wallabies v the All Blacks winning the RWC......bloody hard to pick between those two.

 

[Toddy]

Not to mention Spies continuing to play the man while lying on his back.

Playing the man that isn't supporting his own body weight...

 

[Ignoto]

For me it's a tie between;

• Reds winning the Super competition
• Australia beating New Zealand to claim the Tri-Nations

Being at both of these games was like a breath of fresh air, especially after turning up to the games from 2004 - 2009. Looking around a packed Suncorp decked in Red and then Gold was just an amazing sight!

 

[Swat]

Not sure how many people read the intro but I was trying to find some of the smaller moments, the ones that won't be recorded in the history books... ah well

 

[cyclopath]

Playing the man that isn't supporting his own body weight...

Yeah, 'cos that is much worse, someone actually trying to play rugby, and being marginally on the wrong side of the law, and the other not even bothering to try.

 

[Swat]

I think the point about that was not the infractions themselves but just to let south africans know that the refereeing wasn't skewed in favour of australia... It was just rubbish...