Mon 23 Apr 2012 | 04:44
Sam Vesty butchers try as Tom Varndell chases him down

10
Comments

Sam Vesty was badly shown up on the weekend as his premature showboating may prove signicant to the outcome of the Aviva Premiership relegation battle, as well as Bath's European ambitions. It brought back memories of Robbie Fleck, and others.

Bath won the game 17-12 but Vesty should have denied Wasps a losing bonus point, as well as picked up the four-try bonus point, which would have helped his side towards a Heineken Cup spot.

Instead he saluted the crowd with his blinkers on, unaware of Wasps speedster Tom Varndell rapidly approaching. The winger somehow pulled Vesty down, as well as brilliantly got underneath him, resulting in a held-up adjudication from the TMO.

"Sam's been apologising ever since," said Bath's Sir Ian McGeechan.

The permutations of the result now read that Wasps will face Newcastle Falcons in the final round with a four-point cushion, needing just a win to be safe, while the Falcons will need to overcome a 24 point margin to avoid relegation. "It's going to be one hell of a game," added McGeechan.

It was a brilliant piece of play by Varndell, and a shocker from Vesty, but it's not the first time we've seen such a thing happen.

Have a browse through the related posts below the video and you'll find some absolute howlers, including the Kayser-Fleck incident, a nightmare moment in the NRL, and that infamous Juan Leguizamon celebration, which you know you want to watch again.

10 Comments

  • hrybrn123
    6:23 PM 13/01/2013

    Beautiful tackle, idiot for dropping the ball.

  • marpleshark
    3:10 PM 24/04/2012

    He wont be welcome in Newcastle any time soon!

    If it comes down to it Varndell might be able to dine out on that tackle for a while, textbook!!

  • coops
    2:24 PM 24/04/2012

    This is bizarre - Sam Vesty, one of the nicest blokes in rugby, celebrating?!
    Tom Varndell, making a try saving tackle?

    The world flipped upside down for a moment there. Superb by Varndell. If he could get more aggressive in both his tackling and his carrying, I'd love to see him challenge for an England spot again.

  • 9:14 PM 23/04/2012

    For that tackle alone Wasps deserve to stay in the Premiership!

    If they can stay up this season then the furure looks very bright, especially when you consider that 7 players were under 21!! pushing a very experinced Bath team!

    With the signings of Ashley Johnson, Haskel and Palmer the second row and back row postion will be very strong!

    4. Palmer
    5. Wentzel (c)
    6. Launchberry
    7. Haskell
    8. Johnson

  • fettsack
    8:16 PM 23/04/2012

    Great tackle, he knew he was not going to catch him before the line but still went for it and successfully held him up, regardless of his own head getting "uncomfortable". Brilliant!

  • 7:57 PM 23/04/2012

    This pratting about has potentially put the nail in Newcastle Falcons' coffin. Fair play Varndell, not many players would have bothered but you may have saved your team's bacon!

  • moddeur
    7:37 PM 23/04/2012

    Great tackle. I had some fun looking at the related bloopers too!
    This is why you should never celebrate a try (before, or even after scoring it). I played an amateur sevens tournament this Saturday and our captain kept on scolding us after each try that we scored: "stay in the game! stay focused!". We didn't have a single chance for celebration there :)

  • guy
    7:32 PM 23/04/2012

    All credit for Tom Varndell for never giving up the chase.

    For Vesty: I guess this will haunt him for a very, very long time.

  • paimoe
    7:11 PM 23/04/2012

    LOL

    The head of Varndell looks a bit uncomfortable in that roll too

  • stroudos
    7:06 PM 23/04/2012

    What a tackle!!

    Bit of a shame for Vesty, that would have been a nice try.

    OK he's been a bit of a knob celebrating too soon, but that is a phenomenal tackle by Tom "constant question marks over his defence from armchair pundits" Varndell.