Tue 17 May 2016 | 08:45
Adam Zaruba's unbelievable one handed catch to score for Canada!

9
Comments

We've probably all dreamt of pulling off slick one-handed catches in a match, and while there have been a few who have done it in the lineout occasionally, it's safe to say that we've never seen it done quite like this before! Enter Canada's Adam Zaruba at the Paris 7s.

Zaruba stretched up, barely leaving the ground, and took the catch with casual aplomb. He looked almost as shocked as everyone else, but brought it down easily and actually only touched the ball with two hands when it came to placing it for a very well deserved try.

The beauty of this was it was a genuine catch, it wasn't just resting on his hand or pulled in from a drifting pass in the backline. He got his mit around it and held on. This type of thing just doesn't happen with a rugby ball, and certainly not from a restart kick travelling from that height.

Gilbert, the ball manufaturers, of course took a bit of tongue in cheek credit for it, using the moment for a great bit of marketing, tweeting: "Gilbert Synergie XV-6 + Adam Zaruba = 7's Heaven"

It was an outstanding, miracle play that you probably won't see again for a while. Haters might find a way to bring this down (they do that), but give the man his dues - he took a chance and it stuck.

And for those of you who didn't quite get the commentator's reference, he's talking about the great sport of cricket, where one handed catches are a bit more common, but also impressive.

9 Comments

  • dancarter
    11:33 AM 19/05/2016

    If it helps, I have only ever caught my own team's restart once, and I was smashed into next week because I was running forward with my arms in the air to make the catch.

  • dancarter
    7:59 PM 18/05/2016

    It's not normally glue that makes my pages stick together...

  • danknapp
    2:58 PM 18/05/2016

    Wouldn't the pages stick together?

  • tjjankowski
    1:03 PM 18/05/2016

    I cant do that with two hands

  • dancarter
    12:57 PM 18/05/2016

    I think I remember Jonny Wilkinson saying he used this glue spray stuff in one of his books.

  • pire
    11:05 AM 18/05/2016

    If he can do it again, then it is skill...but likely that he had assistance as mentioned by Connachtfan in the form of griptech
    http://www.rugbystore.co.uk/equipment/player/spray-and-wax?page=1&itemsperpage=500

    Enhancing skills is almost like enhancing performance. "Steroids" for your hands?

  • danknapp
    7:20 PM 17/05/2016

    "That's great, but can he catch one-handed against a big second row"
    Every Courtney Lawes hater.

  • danknapp
    7:19 PM 17/05/2016

    "Haters might find a way to bring this down"

    Challenge accepted. Gentlemen, start your [hating] engines:

  • drg
    2:11 PM 17/05/2016

    Gluegate, nuff said....