TRY CELEBRATIONS ARE probably the area of rugby that is the weakest compared to other sports. When a player crosses for a try – no matter how glorious – the most you will usually get from them is a quick fist-pump followed by some back slaps from their team-mates.
Flashy celebrations are so alien to people in the sport, that Shaun Edwards and Rob Howley struggled to execute a simple high five after Wales won in France in 2013.
Some fans love this understatement (and certain coaches like Mr Schmidt) but there is nothing wrong with mixing it up now and again.
Nobody wants people to swandive after every score like a certain Englishman, but who doesn’t like Aussie wing Digby Ioane’s caterpillar?
The Pro12 saw a slick enough celebratory reaction last weekend, as Stuart Hogg managed to strike a bit of a pose for the camera as he slid over the line in Glasgow.
Of course, when you score a delightful chip-and-gather try like this, you should really be allowed to celebrate any way you like.
Hogg’s effort was pretty stylish, and we now have a real contender to usurp Gareth Thomas’ clubhouse leader as best northern hemisphere rugby celebration.
Brian O’Driscoll’s Big O from his Parisian hat-trick in 2000 is dead last.
What is your favourite rugby celebration?
How’s Ian nagle getting on in Newcastle and is Tony Buckley still playing for sale, anyone no?
Hi Eamonn, Nagle hasn’t played for Newcastle’s senior team since joining. Not sure if he is carrying an injury, but there is some strong competition at lock there. Buckley is struggling to get into the Sale squad this season when fit, has played only four times off the bench in the Premiership, as well as a handful of appearances in the Amlin CC and LV= Cup.
Yeah hes injured.
Murray any chance you can start doing a roundup of ‘foreign Irish project players playing in Ireland’, it’s getting more and more difficult to keep up with them. Maybe you could include a countdown as to when their eligible.
Bring back Gareth Steenson to Connacht.He could really do a job for them and add cover for the World Cup squad.
What about Danny Barnes? How’s he getting on?
Charlie Mulchrone has signed for Worcester for next season.
Nice one Rory. I have added that into the piece now.
Why has Gareth Steenson not been called up to the Irish squad? He is far better than paddy Jackson and seems to be our second best 10 from a poor pool. He is also in the mould of ROG which would be a great asset off the bench to close out a game (I’m thinking of you NZ).
Steenson is a rubbish defender
“Matt Jarvis, the Irish-qualified former Connacht player, was at out-half for Nottingham, from where he kicked three penalties and three conversions. The 23-year-old spent two seasons with the western province, having previously represented Wales at U20 level.”
Wales’s second team is their U20s, meaning that because Matt Jarvis has played for them, he is not Irish qualified. Which is part of the reason why he didn’t stay in Connacht.
Was there not an appeal to the IRB about that which IRFU won?
Hi BallHandling, my understanding is that the IRB cleared Jarvis to play for Ireland following an appeal by the IRFU. Part of the issue was that he played for Wales U20 without having been informed that it could tie him down to them in the long-term.
Furthermore, his cap for Wales U20 came against France, who fielded an ‘A’ team in the Churchill Cup later that year. That meant that the U20 fixture hadn’t taken place between two sides who were designated as being their country’s second national team.
I may have that wrong, but that is my reasoning for tagging him as “Irish-qualified”, as you have quoted from the piece above.
You’re spot on Murray. …
I think you are correct Murray! Read that before a whole back.