Twelve tries to remember

Who scored the year's best tries? There were plenty of them, and CHRIS RATTUE sorts through the pile to come out with his personal top 12 of the season.

Scott Robertson, New Zealand v Argentina, Buenos Aires, December 2.

The All Blacks' reputation was about to take a giant stab through the heart before little Ben Blair, in his first test start, skipped past a couple of Pumas and sent the wide-ranging Robertson a perfect final pass at the River Plate Stadium. Whew. After a couple of dodgy seasons, a first-ever test loss to Argentina would have been too much to bear ... and put an ugly dent in John Mitchell's new regime.

Toutai Kefu, Australia v New Zealand, Sydney, September 1.

Goodbye John Eales, and goodbye Tri-Nations trophy - again. With the All Blacks doing Keystone Kops impersonations at lineouts, Australia prevailed in the series decider at Stadium Australia. Eales held his nerve and turned down three penalty kicks at goal in the last six minutes as he sought to overhaul a four-point deficit. Kefu obliged his captain by ploughing over from, quite fittingly, a lineout.

Glen Jackson, Bay of Plenty v Counties Manukau, Tauranga, October 13.

A history-maker which ultimately kept Bay of Plenty in the NPC first division and dumped the Steelers into the second. Counties Manukau were headed for a try to level the scores midway through the second half against a Bay side reduced to 14 men. But Jackson took a punt on a pass from his old mate Blair Feeney, grabbed the intercept, and scampered 90m for more than just another try.

Joe Roff, Australia v Lions, Melbourne, July 7.

An average try maybe, but crucial in a much-awaited series. The omens pointed to a Lions win - even their supporters were dominant - until Roff intercepted a lob from Jonny Wilkinson and beat Rob Howley down the touchline after halftime in the second test, at Colonial Stadium. That levelled the scores and settled the Wallabies' nerves. They led for the first time in the series soon after, strolled to victory, then claimed the decider in Sydney.

Penalty try, Australia v New Zealand, Dunedin, August 11.

The All Blacks had never conceded a test penalty try until No 8 Ron Cribb's lunge at Joe Roff led English referee Steve Lander to point to the goalposts at Carisbrook. Doug Howlett may have beaten Roff to Stephen Larkham's grubber kick, but Lander saw it otherwise. At 20-8 down, with 18min left, the All Blacks had turned a molehill into a mountain ... and the handle began to turn on Australia's trophy cabinet again.

Jason Robinson, Lions v Australia, Brisbane, June 30.


Robinson made a monkey out of fullback Chris Latham - and those who thought even a composite Northern Hemisphere side could not foot it with the might of the south. Robinson brilliantly stepped Latham near touch in the second minute of the first test to set the Lions towards victory, and it was series on. Australia prevailed in the series, but Robinson's try was a portent for world rugby in 2001.

Ben Blair, Canterbury v Wellington, Christchurch, September 29.

It's a photograph that will hold a special place in the increasingly impressive history of Canterbury rugby - Jonah Lomu and Christian Cullen unsuccessfully grabbing at a jubilant Ben Blair charging over the goal-line. The last-second score kept the Ranfurly Shield in Christchurch, and ignited Wellington protests about referee Steve Walsh's 24-6 penalty/free kick count. All that mattered to Canterbury was the 31-29 on the scoreboard.

Kele Leawere, East Coast v Hawkes Bay, Napier, October 21.

The time-warp try of the year belonged to East Coast, who only just failed to win the second-division title. The country's smallest union outscored Hawkes Bay five tries to two in the final, the last finished by Fijian lock Leawere after a 45m rolling maul. You don't see many of those these days. And East Coast, backed by an extraordinary army of fans, continued to roll out the smiles despite the defeat.

Rupeni Caucaunibuca, Northland v Auckland, Auckland, September 28.


This was the moment generations of Northlanders had been waiting for, as Caucaunibuca's late try secured their first-ever NPC win over Auckland. The home side paid for their cockiness, giving up a 20-point lead as they chased bonus points. Caucaunibuca, a star of the season, outpaced Doug Howlett to the winning touchdown from a kick through by fellow Fijian flyer Fero Lasagavibau.

Jonah Lomu, New Zealand v Argentina, Buenos Aires, December 2.


There's always a special quality to the best of Lomu's tries - leaving that image of the big kid in the playground pushing away a bunch of pesky youngsters. So it was at the River Plate Stadium, as Lomu flicked off four defenders in a rare moment of quality from the All Blacks in that game. Lomu might have his weaknesses, but there really is only one bloke who can score a try like that.

Austin Healey, Lions v Brumbies, Canberra, July 3.

One British writer called it the try of the year, and it was a beauty created under pressure, although mid-week Lions games probably don't hold that much actual significance in this neck of the woods. The move involved 12 players and 28 passes as the Lions snatched a last-gasp victory against the Super 12 champions. Healey finished it to level the scores, and Matt Dawson kicked the winning conversion.

Mark Robinson, North Harbour v Wellington, Wellington, October 12.

One commentator mentioned the words Sid and Going after observing this try from the North Harbour captain, and even Super Sid would have been proud of the effort. Robinson robbed his opposite, Jason Spice, at the back of a Wellington scrum, regained his feet, and beat two players en route to a remarkable try.