Sun 25 Mar 2012 | 02:03
Dean Mumm's huge hand-off on the Sharks' Marcel Coetzee

19
Comments

The Waratahs came from behind to beat the Sharks 34-30 in Sydney on Saturday in one of many close finishes in Super Rugby this weekend. One of the more memorable moments of the game was this huge fend from Dean Mumm late in the second half.

Last weekend promising Sharks flanker Marcel Coetzee was on the other side of a Digby Ioane tip tackle in Durban, the result of which was actually a five week suspension for the Wallaby winger. This time Coetzee was unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end yet again.

With only about seven minutes left in the game and trailing 30-27, lock Dean Mumm's big charge proved the difference between the sides as he set off down field, given the home side the impetus needed to create a late winning try for winger Tom Kingston.

"If you look at all the other games in the Super Rugby, it's been won in the last 10 minutes. We knew that and the Tahs snatched it at the death," said Sharks prop Jannie Du Plessis.

"We tried our best, it was a great rugby game, unfortunately we couldn't pull it off."

Mumm's fend on Coetzee will go down as a thing of legend, purely for the spectacular nature of it, and of course the fact that it led up to the winning try. Coetzee went way to high on a tall man, but the acceleration and balance of the big second rower was probably the most impressive factor.

19 Comments

  • red-love32
    8:02 AM 06/05/2012

    hand of of the century of any ball running game. PERIOD.

  • quins1
    5:09 PM 11/04/2012

    HUGE

  • hendogo
    6:20 PM 28/03/2012

    Haha, Damn I never seen someone get B slapped like that before in a game. He should of just went home after that, hung up his boots, and started his new hobby fishing.

  • bnations
    1:50 AM 27/03/2012

    Tis true, tis true. Having a lump the size of Mumm land on your stomach was no doubt unpleasant. And funny ... ;-)

  • jwall
    12:41 AM 27/03/2012

    Yeah and he had a great game as well. He scored a great try off a maul, just shrugged off Wycliffe Palu, who is a beast himself.

  • nicoasm
    11:44 PM 26/03/2012

    Very true.

    In Du Plessis' defense however, his landing was pretty brutal, and justifies his being dazed.

  • bnations
    5:38 PM 26/03/2012

    By the end of Mumm's run, the Sharks were actually short two players: Coetzee and Du Plessis. If you watch, Mumm landed on Du Plessis who promptly rolled over and played dead. With a 15-13 advantage, a try was almost a surety.

    What a brutally effective individual effort.

  • jwall
    12:43 PM 26/03/2012

    Haha, Coetzee's in the wars! That's gotta be some justice for his dive when Ioane tackled him.
    Crazy hand off, great stuff from mumm. Mumm has always been a mobile, running second rower, it's just a shame that he's not quite big enough to be a top international player. But that was some strength.
    It'd be cool if RD put up highlights from the game, it was a cracker.
    Also, what happened to trys of the week? i miss those.

  • jeri
    10:12 AM 26/03/2012

    Lol at Coetzee on the floor, scratching his head.

    "Dafuq just happened?"

  • 3:44 AM 26/03/2012

    Huge!

  • 11:22 PM 25/03/2012

    Also, and sorry for the double-posting, LOVE the pumped up fattie in the background after the handoff

  • 11:19 PM 25/03/2012

    Have to agree with stroudos. Almost as impressive as the handoff is the fact that Mumm really can move!

  • pretzel
    10:59 PM 25/03/2012

    HAH, you have to be kidding right?!?!?!? 5 weeks for that???
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    Purchase a pair of spectacles, that should be at least a 5 month ban!

  • stroudos
    9:17 PM 25/03/2012

    Jesus, that is the biggest hand-off I have ever seen, by a margin.
    Mumm's pretty mobile for a lock too isn't he!? Cracking run.

  • guy
    8:14 PM 25/03/2012

    NOW Coetzee has a reason to stay down and act like he is hurt... That's called justice.

    Why the hell does he jump into Mumm in the tackle anyway?

  • fettsack
    7:00 PM 25/03/2012

    Absolutely unbelievable!

  • ramrugby10
    6:51 PM 25/03/2012

    Digby Ioane: "Yesssssssssss!"

  • ando
    6:37 PM 25/03/2012

    Brilliant! Had a good laugh at this one. Classic when Coetzee gets his face buried into the turf.

  • 5:17 PM 25/03/2012

    I expect Dean Mumm to get five weeks off for that one as he clearly tossed the other player in the air way past 90 degrees, with malicious intent, and onto his neck. IRB please take a stand!