Sun 2 Aug 2015 | 02:28
THROWBACK: These are surely the Top Three Try Saving Tackles ever

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Comments

As rugby fans, there's nothing we find more satisfying than a good try saving tackle. Sky Sports and Dewi Morris have come up with three superb efforts featuring Fiona Pocock, Alesana Tuilagi - this time on the receiving end - and George Gregan. 

Plagued by two serious knee injuries which threatened her playing career, Pocock made a try-scoring return to competition in England's 42-13 Six Nations win over Scotland a few months ago. Four torturous years had passed while the winger recovered from a fractured knee sustained in the 2010 World Cup semi final against Australia.

It was in this match that Pocock copped a thumping tackle from opposite number Nicola Beck as the try line beckoned. England won the match 15-0 and progressed to the final, albeit without the stricken Pocock.

Pocock initially made a comeback in 2013, but ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament in her first match back. The heart-breaking significance of this further setback was that Pocock was unable to compete in England's World Cup in 2014.

Now back in the Premiership with Newcastle Falcons, Samoan Alesana Tuilagi is renowned for his ferocity in the tackles. But back in 2007, the 19st juggernaut was stopped brilliantly by Stade Français' Juan Martin Hernandez.

"To be honest I don't know why he didn't come inside with a quick change of direction," Hernandez said a few years later. "Everybody was already celebrating the try, but I dived with all my strength to tackle him, and we crashed against each other, and went flying into the air."

At 14-14 in the Heineken Cup Quarter Final, it was a crucial tackle that had to be made. Leicester were undeterred and went on to reach the final, eventually losing 25-9 to Wasps.

The final try-saver looks back to 1994 and a tense Bledisloe Cup affair. Australia, leading 20-16 but sustaining a fierce All Blacks attack were cut open by thrilling winger Jeff Wilson with just four minutes remaining.

Slicing through several would be Australian tacklers, Wilson only had to touch down to give New Zealand the win. Gregan demonstrated why a defender should always chase down, by striking the ball out of a bewildered Wilson's hands to prevent the score.

credit: kakokappa

24 Comments

  • drg
    7:26 PM 04/08/2015

    That was a brilliant video pumpkin! As you said, came in for the cover tackle! Sort of 2 try savers in that video!

  • 5:58 PM 04/08/2015

    The best try saving tackle, is from Leigh Halfpenny against Luther Burrell,in a match against England.
    There are no videos about it, but he run in diagonal all the field and broke his shoulder hitting Luther and took him out.

  • facepalm
    3:32 PM 04/08/2015

    Poor Andy. Although to be fair to him, if it weren't for his sensational work as a speedbump it looks as though Big Seb could well have been in. Perhaps Gomarsall should be on this list?

  • benny
    12:39 PM 04/08/2015

    Plus one on the Barrett try. For starters, it's the best game I've ever seen in my life and could have sealed the result for the ABs. But also so many factors - that Barrett had 15 minutes earlier been smashed by JdV on his way to the try line, that the ref blew for a try before going upstairs and then needed physio work on his leg, which showed how intense the game was.

  • jimmy23
    10:35 AM 04/08/2015

    I think his shoulder was okay? To me it seems to be more the result of Matt Banaha-hanahan deciding to breaking his fall with his knee's on JW's ribs that hurt him there.

  • stroudos
    9:55 AM 04/08/2015

    I really should have paid proper attention to the music warning......

    Knackered his shoulder in the process of that one didn't he? I was never quite sure if that happened as a result of the tackle itself or when big Matt Banaha-hanahan fell on him...

  • whiteafrican
    9:54 AM 04/08/2015

    @ Muzi - Good call. Great tackle there.

  • stroudos
    9:48 AM 04/08/2015

    It was a beautiful tackle by Worseley but Clerc still had a couple more England players to beat, so not sure it quite qualifies as a try-saver...

    Funny part in that video clip is Gomarsall getting bulldozed by Chabal...

  • 7:45 AM 04/08/2015

    Definitely up there.

    Here's the link:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMg9ox-O1oc

  • jimmy23
    1:22 AM 04/08/2015

    Good old Jonny W on an Italian player I can't quite remember the name of;
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLttC-PUJsA
    At the end of the video, would recommend you mute the music though, *shudder*

  • jimmy23
    1:19 AM 04/08/2015

    Blimey, that was sheer power that knocked him over. Impressive!

  • stroudos
    9:18 PM 03/08/2015

    From the vaults!! Nice one. Can't be many times Umaga's been smashed like that.

  • drg
    7:10 PM 03/08/2015

    Best thing about this top 3 try saving tackles video is that it's brought everyone together to remember the many other great efforts! Thanks for all the links guys, they're brilliant!

  • drg
    7:09 PM 03/08/2015

    7 years ago was TSRB 8 :/ yikes!

    There isn't enough biff batted about these days :(

  • rememberthemer
    6:18 PM 03/08/2015

    The best I've seen was John Kirwan on Ieuan Evans in the 1987 RWC semi-final. Evans had broken on the outside at half waly and was haring free for the corner. Live on tele you heard a "got him" out the speakers. Then a black blur came hurtling up out of the bottom of the screen and smashed evans into touch.

    JK had run 60m across from the opposite wing like an intercept missile. Perfect geometry.

    There aren't any videos on the interweb any more, but this old rugbydump thread has the end at about 1:20
    http://www.rugbydump.com/2007/12/281/try-savers-rib-breakers-8-pain
    Doesn't really do the whole thing justice though.


  • vladimir
    5:02 PM 03/08/2015

    A bit of 'finesse' is needed here: Stringer's tackle legacy
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6JiO6sDAOU

  • katman
    2:06 PM 03/08/2015

    Surely this list needs Chris Paterson on Ben Foden?

    http://www.rugbydump.com/2011/03/1873/chris-patersons-fantastic-try-saving-tackle-on-ben-foden

  • 10stonenumber10
    1:24 PM 03/08/2015

    If we are going for distance covered... the Badg put in a solid effort

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N-gVOcKsNY

  • stroudos
    12:35 PM 03/08/2015

    Phenomenal effort by Dagg, but if I were the TMO I'd have given the try! Also I'm not especially keen on seeing blokes tackled round the neck like that.

    Lewsey on De Villiers was far more conclusive and comprehensive and a superior feat of athleticism. Throw in a spot of David v Goliath size mis-match and Lewsey wins. ;)

    Personally I think the Gregan one is a very deserving #1 on this list.

  • stroudos
    11:59 AM 03/08/2015

    Good old Bakkies, helping out with a headbutt to the kidneys!!

    Fantastic tackling technique by Pietersen there.

  • whiteafrican
    11:07 AM 03/08/2015

    I see your video and I raise you Dagg on Osborne, Dunedin 2014. Link here, from about 6:10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlZBnA3cUcM

  • facepalm
    11:27 PM 02/08/2015

    All fantastic player thwarting takedowns, but my all time favourite will always be Barrett on Le Roux. Or, from an English perspective, THAT Joe Worsley tap on Vincent Clerc?

  • drg
    8:00 PM 02/08/2015

    I love that chair he's in!

    All brilliant tackles many more can be added in Lewsey tackle definitely, but these 3 were great!

  • finedisregard
    5:07 PM 02/08/2015

    Outside of a pushover try the try-saving tackle is the greatest moves in rugby! Great clip.