World Cup: Top 10 most memorable moments
Friday 18 September 2015 11:51, UK
The countdown is on to the start of the Rugby World Cup. So we're going to count down and look back at some of the tournament's most famous moments...
10. From whitebait to white-knuckle kick…
Stephen Donald settled down to watch the 2011 World Cup on home soil, safe in the knowledge if New Zealand were to win the tournament for a second time, it would be the mercurial Dan Carter who would do the damage in the 10 jersey and not him. But Carter tore his groin and was ruled out during the tournament.
And then the groin curse struck again, ruling back-up 10 Colin Slade out as well. Donald was called into the squad, having been whisked away from a whitebait fishing holiday before his move to Bath, though he was still back-up to Aaron Cruden.
But when Cruden hyper-extended his knee 34 minutes into the final, the man known as 'Beaver' got thrown off the bench. And inevitably, it fell to the Beaver to burst France's defensive dam.
He kicked the match-winning penalty to seal a 8-7 triumph, ending 24 years of hurt for the All Blacks.
9. Flying stars and stripes
The minnows make the Rugby World Cup a special affair and although the USA haven't had too much to sing about in their adopted sport of rugby, there is one particular moment that still gets everybody off their feet.
Back in 2007, South Africa were cruising to a comfortable win over the Eagles in a pool game in Montpellier. 24-3 down, USA, quite understandably, hadn't had much to shout about.
Step forward Takudzwa Ngwenya. USA intercepted the ball near their own try line and broke before Mike Hercus flung the ball out wide to winger Ngwenya.
With Bryan Habana, supposedly the fastest man in world rugby in front of him, there didn't seem much on. Habana showed Ngwenya the touchline. And the winger took it.
With fleet of foot that stunned everybody, he flew past Habana, leaving him for dead, before dotting down under the posts to score perhaps the best try in World Cup history.
8. De Beer's drop-goal-a-thon
England and South Africa headed to Paris for a World Cup quarter-final showdown in 1999. But there was one man ready to write his name into the history books.
When Jannie De Beer pulled on the green No 10 jersey that afternoon, it's unlikely even he could have predicted what was about to happen. The game was tight until the second half when De Beer intervened.
And he delivered some memorable kicking. Five drop goals in 31 second-half minutes followed, and they weren't exactly dibbly-dobblers either. None were inside the 22, and three were from round about 40 metres out.
England and Sir Clive Woodward, having planned so meticulously, were left shell-shocked by what happened and had no answer to stop it.
De Beer ended the game with 34 points and South Africa won 44-21. A fine moment for the fly-half, who disappeared from the game, retiring just three years later because of injury.
7. Campese's knock-on
England battled to make the final on home soil in 1991, but Australia stood in their way of lifting the trophy at Twickenham.
For some reason, England decided to abandon the attritional forward-dominating style of play, that helped them get this far in the first place, for a more free-flowing, adventurous game.
At 12-3, it looked like England had failed. But finally, they created some space and worked an overlap for flying winger Rory Underwood. But, as Peter Winterbottom shifted on the ball for what seemed a certain try, David Campese shot out of the line and deliberately knocked the ball on.
The referee acknowledged the foul play and awarded a penalty, but England were left clamouring for a penalty try that would have swung the game back in their favour. It wasn't given and England lost 12-6.
6. Hastings' horror show
England, on home soil in 1991, had edged out France in Paris, only to be rewarded with a trip to Murrayfield in the semi-final to play Scotland, the ground where Will Carling's side saw their Grand Slam hopes dashed just a year before.
A tense, dramatic battle followed, with defence most certainly on top. With the scores tied at 6-6, Scotland rumbled into the opposition 22 and won a penalty with the English pack killing the ball. And it was bang in front of the sticks.
Up stepped full back Gavin Hastings, normally so metronomic with the boot.
England gathered under the posts, fully expecting to fall three points behind. But Hastings crumbled under the pressure and pulled the ball wide.
Rob Andrew later dropped a goal to send England to the final whereas Scotland have never been so close since.
5. Andrew's hammer blow
After playing out the final in 1991, England and Australia were to do battle four years later - this time in Cape Town in the quarter-finals in South Africa. The sides played out a nervous encounter that turned out to be a battle of the boots of Rob Andrew and Michael Lynagh.
Deep into injury time, the sides were level at 22-22. England had a lineout just inside Australian territory and Martin Bayfield leapt highest to claim it. The pack rumbled on, making priceless metres as England looked to work Andrew an opportunity.
And 45 metres out, Dewi Morris fed the No 10 the ball. He let fly. The ball sailed between the points, leaving the Australians barely time to kick-off again, and ensuring England would go on to meet New Zealand in the semi-final.
4. Warburton sees red
In 2011, Wales met France in the semi-final at Eden Park in Auckland, and Warren Gatland's side were favourites given their form through the tournament. France, in contrast, had struggled, losing to Tonga in the pools, but sneaking through.
But it was referee Alain Rolland at the centre of controversy. France were 3-0 down after 17 minutes. However, they won a lineout in Welsh territory, and a set move sent Vincent Clerc through the middle, but the winger was upended by Wales captain and talisman Sam Warburton, who turned him in the air and brought Clerc down on his back.
The tackle, while illegal, looked more misjudged than malicious, but out came the red card from Rolland's pocket. Warburton and Wales were stunned, but the skipper had to leave the field. Wales played the rest of the game with 14 men, but came up short and lost 9-8.
3. Lomu the steamroller
In 1995, England travelled to Newlands confident after beating Australia in the quarters, despite the fact the All Blacks lay in wait in Cape Town. And four minutes into the contest, England were brought back to earth with a bump in the shape of a 6'5" steamrolling 20-year-old called Jonah Lomu.
The giant winger gathered a pass 30 yards from the line, went around Tony Underwood, stepped through captain Will Carling before trampling over a startled Mike Catt for an early try. England never recovered and rugby's latest superstar crashed over for another three tries before the final whistle.
No 8 Zinzan Brooke also dropped a goal from 45 metres out and England found themselves on the end of an astonishing 45-29 hammering. Lomu and co. would be halted by South Africa in the final, but his semi-final display remains one of the greatest rugby has ever seen.
2. Nation united
1995 was so much more than a rugby tournament. Post-apartheid South Africa had the chance to prove to the world that things had changed. And what better way to do so than by making a statement in the final and lifting the Webb Ellis Cup.
They had to find a way to stop Jonah Lomu and New Zealand in the final, but Francois Pienaar's side did just that. It took extra-time to separate the sides, but eventually Joel Stransky dropped a goal to swing the final South Africa's way in a 15-12 victory. The poignant moment came after the final whistle.
President Nelson Mandela, complete with Springbok shirt and cap, handed the trophy to Pienaar, helping unite South Africa in a post-apartheid era.
1. He drops for World Cup glory…
Sir Clive Woodward's meticulous preparations had all paid off in guiding England to the final of the 2003 World Cup. They were the favourites and the best team in the world, but between them and glory stood the hosts Australia, surprise victors over New Zealand in the semi-final.
However, England failed to kill off their opponents in normal time, pegged back by the boot and the nerve of Elton Flatley. All square at 17-all, with a minute left on the clock at the end of extra-time, England created one last opportunity. Off a lineout, Mike Catt took the ball up the middle.
Matt Dawson then made a half-break before Martin Johnson took it into contact once more. With Jonny Wilkinson, the talisman and star No 10 back in the pocket, England held its breath as Dawson delivered the pass.
Wilkinson let fly with his right boot and… Boom! Straight through the middle. Cue wild celebrations from everybody in white as England finally broke the southern hemisphere stranglehold on the Webb Ellis Cup.
