Awesome try: Julien Malzieu
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Wings Hosea Gear, Julian Savea, Bryan Habana and Julien Malzieu have been shortlisted for International Rugby Players' Association (IRPA) Try of the Year award.
This quartet of tries was selected by an esteemed panel of All Blacks Test centurion Mils Muliaina, South Africa's Try of the Year 2009 winner Jaque Fourie, former IRB Player of the Year Shane Williams and Japan's Daisuke Ohata, the leading try scorer in Test Rugby.
The panel, which between them boast more than 300 Test matches and 195 international tries, now has the unenviable task of deciding which of these tries should be named the IRPA Try of the Year 2012.
Click here to view the shortlisted tries.
First, though, Rugby fans around the world have a chance to nominate their favourite try from the shortlist with an interactive format used for the second year in a row.
Nominations can be made from now until 17:00 UK time on Wednesday, November 28 and can be submitted via the Rugby World Cup Facebook page.
Flying the flag for Europe in the Try of the Year shortlist is France wing Malzieu. The tall and rangy wing fended off two would-be tacklers before stepping inside another in a mesmerising run on his way to Italy's try-line in the Six Nations encounter in Paris.
All Blacks flyer Gear's effort in the third Test against Ireland in June was all about power and pace, too. The speedster got on the end of a tremendous offload from Conrad Smith following an overthrown Ireland line-out, and raced down the left touchline, leaving his opposite number for dead. Gear then bulldozed his way past Keith Earls to score in the corner.
Habana's try stemmed from a line-out move bang on the All Blacks' 10-metre line during The Rugby Championship match in Dunedin. While off balance South Africa scrum-half Ruan Pienaar was able to get his pass away to the onrushing Habana, who took the ball at pace and then gathered his own chip ahead for a marvellous score.
Rounding off the nominations is Savea's second try for New Zealand against Scotland at Murrayfield earlier this month. Dan Carter's deft kick over the Scottish defence was caught on the bounce by Savea, who stood up his man before sprinting over in the left hand corner.
The IRPA Try of the Year 2012 winner will be announced on Thursday, November 29.
Previous winners:
2011 - Radike Samo (Australia) - Australia v New Zealand
2010 - Chris Ashton (England) - England v Australia
2009 - Jaque Fourie (South Africa) - South Africa v British & Irish Lions
2008 - Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland) - Australia v Ireland
Comments
rboy4 says...
I'm a big fan of Gear's great team try in true AB styles. Malaprade you need to check your rules mate, a player cannot obstruct from behind a ball carrier. Running behind a player with possession is entirely legit as long as you don't obviously change direction to take out a potential tackler. Agree Malzieu's was also class and had the nice combo of good teamwork and silky individual finishing skills. Any NZers wanting to view the tries go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNcncFY6-qQ
Posted 05:33 26th November 2012
malaprade says...
Mine goes for the Frenchman. The 1st NZ try was helped by an obstruction just before he went over the line. Brian H was too easy to deserve it. The last NZ try could not compare wrt difficulty. Julian had to see off 4 italians.
Posted 12:52 24th November 2012
Euskadi says...
Gears try. Off opposition lineout ball, through the hands, round the back pass into space from Smith, Gear gasses his defender then runs over the cover defence and scores whilst being tackled...class. As for individual effort then Habanas by a mile
Posted 11:27 24th November 2012
GoWalesGo says...
What's the point of this award?
Posted 09:12 23rd November 2012
masar says...
agree on the landajo try, way better than any of these, and if you take unto account the level of the oppsition even better.
cdn_content it was amorosino by the way
Posted 14:53 22nd November 2012
Ramage says...
Does one choose an individual's brilliance as the best try or one that contains teamwork and individual brilliance of more than one player?
Posted 12:37 22nd November 2012
Cdn_content says...
I Agree with you dutchwing, landajos try beats all of these hands down. Starts with a nice set piece move, which rarely comes off, beautiful running by one of the worlds best open field runners in imnoff, Great offload and continuity, followed by an audacious Finnish by an amateur against the best team in the wOrld!
Posted 12:17 22nd November 2012
Phill_Moore says...
All worthy contenders, but Gear's is just the best combination of team and individual brilliance.
Opposition throw stolen, ball beautifully passed between four men from side to side of the field, including an awesome one-handed, behind-your-back offload from Conrad Smith. Gear then beats both opposition wingers, one by just smoking him with angle and pace and the other with the good ol' Maori side-step!
("yeh boy, c'mon, have a go at me... Boom!)
Poetry
Posted 10:12 22nd November 2012
DutchWing says...
I liked Landajo's try against the All Blacks in Argentina for the Rugby Championship 10-times better than any of these on display: team work, quick phase-play and against the best team in the world
Posted 09:47 22nd November 2012
PREEST says...
I liked the Savea try but I would have to go with Bryan Habana or Hosea Gear.
Posted 07:24 22nd November 2012
curlymac says...
this is a joke. We are unable to view the tries in New Zealand and have to have pay t.v in order to view them. Stupid irb how can we vote?
Posted 05:46 22nd November 2012
ferdie says...
No Quade Cooper? - he has had many 'tries' this year. Try-ed to get Deans thrown out, try-ed bar boxing at 2am with KB, try-ed to get a bigger contract. May try rugby league. He's a try-machine!!
Of ther four chosen, Malzieu then Gear.
Posted 23:43 21st November 2012
Wallaroo says...
The best 2 were Habana and Gear. While Gear scored a great try and fended off 2 tacklers on the way through, Habana's try was a classic cutting through NZ's line and then a chip and chase at high speed.
As Rockman said Habana's try was against the best team on the planet which makes it even better.
Posted 23:34 21st November 2012
Zandberg says...
Agree with everyone. Habana's was the only try scored against a top team, when there wasn't already a cricket score in favour of the try-scoring team!
Posted 23:26 21st November 2012
TVaddict says...
My vote is for Habana, though Gear's try was a damn close second.
Posted 23:05 21st November 2012
damo says...
poor selection I thought the best international try was Tuilagi vs Australia
Posted 22:09 21st November 2012
mlbp says...
I love the Malzieu try, great work by Picamoles and excellent fend-offs. The Savea try is really good because of the kick and his speed. The Gear try is fantastic because of the whole play by the New Zealand backline (Conrad Smith is superb, the best 13 in the world). Habana's try is a great individual effort. I would rank them like this: Gear-Malzieu-Habana-Savea. But surely there must be better tries than these. Nyanga's try against Argentina should have been included, or both tries by Clerc.
Posted 22:05 21st November 2012
grizz says...
I think there were far better tries scored this year. As rugby is a team sport, a mixture of teamwork and individual brilliance should win. These tries are far too much down to one individual's brilliance.
How about considering the following:
Cory Jane's try vs Scotland (slick passing, moving from one side of the field to the other)
Ma'a Nonu Vs South Africa in Joberg ( Excellent regather from the kick off, quickly passed out to the sideline, great run down the touchline by Read before being offloaded to Nonu
One of Argentina's tries against Australia in the Gold Coast was a beauty.
I encourage others to put forward better tries than what the IRB panel has offered.
Posted 21:57 21st November 2012
mattlalor says...
Let's be honest, they are all pretty yawn worthy. If anything, Gear's showed a bit of razzel. Running rugby, not the chip, kick etc yawn a thon...
Posted 21:54 21st November 2012
Lucasrg says...
In terms of use-of-the-body the Malzieu's try is my favorite. In terms of build up, Gear's one. He reminds me Lomu in many ways. great finisher.
Posted 20:38 21st November 2012