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Thu 22 Nov 2012 | 11:08
Shortlist for IRPA Try of the Year 2012 announced

39
Comments

The IRB have announced their shortlist for the International Rugby Players Association (IRPA) Try of the Year award for 2012. While a lot of it is subjective, they've arrived at four tries, with the winner being influenced by the public vote.

Last year the winning try went to Wallaby forward Radike Samo for his great try against the All Blacks, but this year it will be a wing that wins it, as flyers dominate the shortlist.

Julian Savea and Hosea Gear of New Zealand, Bryan Habana of the South Africa, and Julien Malzieu of France have been nominated after a selection process that involved a few players who know a thing or two about scoring tries.

Try of the Year winner in 2009 Jaque Fourie, Welsh wizard Shane Williams, Japan's try scoring machine Daisuke Ohata, and All Black Test centurion Mils Muliaina all made up the panel.

They will select the winning try, but fans can also submit their favourite via the Rugby World Cup Facebook Page. The winner will be announced in a week from now, Thursday 29 November.

Previous winners:
2011 – Radike Samo (Australia) – Australia v New Zealand
2010 – Chris Ashton (England) – England v Australia
2009 – Jaque Fourie (South Africa) – South Africa v British & Irish Lions
2008 – Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland) – Australia v Ireland

The quality of the official video isn't great but you can use the links above or the Related Posts below to get a better look at each one of the tries, and some of the previous winners.

Posted By: Grant Constable

39 Comments

  • stroudos
    9:54 PM 25/11/2012

    Totally agree. To be honest, I don't think there's really any place in rugby for man-of-the-match awards, given how much of a team game it is. I much prefer to see try-of-the-whatever awards given for tries that feature a high number of players of the scoring team. Like that awesome Scarlets try a year or so ago, which I think won bugger all in terms of awards.

  • ron_mexico
    8:55 PM 25/11/2012

    I read that a selection panel consisting of Shane Williams, Mils Muliania, Daisuke Ohata and Jaque Fourie is responsible for this.

  • 4:19 PM 24/11/2012

    Hey rugby dump, why don't u do your own compilation, including landajos and Williams and set up a vote. That'd be fun and more street than the IRB allakadoos.

  • 4:15 PM 24/11/2012

    U sure? I don't c france in there my friend.

  • 4:14 PM 24/11/2012

    In complete agreement. More IRB incompetence, oh well.

    Ps; I like malzieu but if we don't consider the quality of the opposition, chabals try vs Namibia at the 2007 rwc was the try of the decade

  • jeri
    12:54 AM 24/11/2012

    For spectacle alone, Gear's try wins without contest

  • cheyanqui
    9:25 PM 23/11/2012

    That's because to be eligible for try of the year, the player must come from eight "core nations" -- ENG, WAL, SCO, IRE, RSA, NZL, AUS.

    Supposedly, they are going to change the by-laws, but must wait for the next sponsorship cycle to turnover before they can recognize tries by lower Tier players.

  • reality
    7:25 PM 23/11/2012

    Actually, in reading the comments here, I've come to realise that all of the rugby awards except ERC player of the year are complete travesties. The Six Nations has that crazy rule whereby only men-of-the-matchs can win, the IRB player of the year has become a bit of a shambles (looking at the list of nominees from 2008+ makes me laugh), this try of the year is clearly not very reliable (based on effectively every comment here). They're kind of meaningless now.

  • mattthemauler
    3:04 PM 23/11/2012

    Out of this list, it's Gear for sure.

    But I agree this list does not reflect the best tries this year. It seems people reward individual rather team success. I'd far rather see a team try win rather than individual (unless of course it was a result of brilliance, which none of the above are). It was the same as last year Radike Samo's try - good try but certainly not the best.

    At this stage I'd say the Argentina try is superb and has to be the real contender - though I'm sure there are others.

    Rugbydump, why don't you do your own top 5 (relfecting the comments from the users on what constitutes a good try) and get us lot to vote!

  • pretzel
    2:39 PM 23/11/2012

    Anyone know the process in which these tries were selected? I think we can all agree that the try finished off by Landajo was the best "try" or at least up with the best tries of the year. I just don't understand how some of these which were above good, but not spectacular could be selected... unless it's been a pitiful year for tries...

  • felipeg
    2:05 PM 23/11/2012

    I like Malzieu's even if I must agree the italian defense was poor. But this also happens thanks to Picamoles (which is definitely a great great n8) he attracts every italian to him then passes. The italian have to refocus on Malzieu who s at full speed, straight ahead.
    Given that, they're all 4 pretty individual tries. And THE individual try of the year is Nyanga's Vs argentina imo.
    Back to Malzieu, I don't remember him doing much more than this try during last 6nations.

  • welshosprey
    1:26 PM 23/11/2012

    Hosea gear every time
    Theres loads of great tries missing though

  • frenchie
    9:02 AM 23/11/2012

    If there were only great tackles you would not have any tries...

  • facepalm
    12:24 AM 23/11/2012

    Agree. So many good tries have been missed out. The tries shortlisted are all incredible but why can't there be a larger shortlist?

    By the way I think that Gear's try is in fact the try of the year.

  • pretzel
    12:15 AM 23/11/2012

    Lol was that a handoff or a forearm off?

  • pretzel
    12:15 AM 23/11/2012

    Totally agree with you there Reality, I felt that Habana's was "good" but it's not the first or the best "run, chip, catch, try" out there... Gear and Malzieus respective tries were "above good", but don't head massively into "awards worthy" imo...

    I'd say that Pyrgos (the Scottish 9) had a better try than some of these through the lineout move and all he did was catch the ball and have a clear run in.. but of course none of them top that try by Landajo!

  • colombes
    11:59 PM 22/11/2012

    These 4 tries are good ones, but i'm quite astonished of this selection as i have the impression to have watched some others better tries such like Landajo one.
    If the IRPA selection is based on internationals, i would have update a shortlist with:

    Ben foden try vs France (6N)
    Nyanga last try vs argentina
    Pisi finish vs Wales
    Landajo vs AB's (4N)

  • ron_mexico
    11:14 PM 22/11/2012

    I'd vote for Gear's try, the handoff alone is a beauty.

  • magnit0
    11:02 PM 22/11/2012

    Gear
    Savea
    Habana

  • stroudos
    10:46 PM 22/11/2012

    On the linked videos, it shows in 2009 there were 15 shortlisted tries. This year only four and none of them *that* special... I'm sure there are at least another 11 that could have been added to this list. Landajo would get my vote.

  • stroudos
    10:45 PM 22/11/2012

    100% agree. And for the benefit of anyone who hasn't seen the Landajo try, here it is:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tovD6K_AyE0

    It's an absolute beauty, good set-piece off the lineout with a decent backline move, cracking run from Amorosino beating a few decent players, good support play and a tidy offload, finally some great speed and quality finishing by Landajo.

    Five times better than any of the four shortlisted tries, but I suppose the Argies will just have to wait until they are *officially* a top-tier team before their tries get the recognition they deserve...

  • prestywesty
    10:38 PM 22/11/2012

    What about Richie Gray's try against Ireland ??

  • stroudos
    10:30 PM 22/11/2012

    Well as far as I'm aware, Gear's is the only one from this list that has already featured on Rugbydump for traditional RD reasons, so that has to be the winner.

    I did enjoy the way he seemed almost to deliberately slow down allowing Earls to attempt a tackle, just so he could bump him out of the road...

  • jacobbutler10
    9:23 PM 22/11/2012

    Jonathan Davies's try against Ireland was brilliant, so much admiration surrounding it at the time. It was a perfect set piece ball and combined power and skill.. I'm amazed how it isn't even on the short-list. In my eyes it's try of the year all together.

  • stubby
    9:09 PM 22/11/2012

    none of those are better than Samo's from last year.
    Gear or Malzieu

  • chogan
    7:54 PM 22/11/2012

    Not that it matters really. It was Contepomi's once in a career double touch pass for that try that deserved a mention last year.

  • reality
    7:47 PM 22/11/2012

    Actually, it wasn't Vergallo now that I think about it. It was Cabello.

  • donkeyballs4000
    7:29 PM 22/11/2012

    Gear's try is most impressive as it comes from a defensive lineout. Great adjustment by the ABs backine.

  • will.f
    7:21 PM 22/11/2012

    I'm with curates: there have to have been better tries this year. The Gear one is a very well executed play, but the others are just good solo efforts like the type we sort of expect from guys like Savea and Habana.

    Maybe the panel explains this list? I think 2 wingers, a fullback, and a center, all known for moments of magic like these.

  • facepalm
    6:25 PM 22/11/2012

    Why is Jonathan Davies' try vs Ireland not on here? One of my first thoughts when I saw it was "this could well be try of the year".

  • reality
    5:35 PM 22/11/2012

    Yeah, I thought these 4 all looked a bit average. Habana's was lucky more than anything, Malzieu's was just appalling defending, Savea's was just a cross-field kick that you see every week.

    That Landajo one though was superb. Come to think of it, why didn't Vergallo's one against New Zealand in the world cup win it last year? That was sensational.

  • 5:29 PM 22/11/2012

    Well said, pretty much exactly what I was thinking. I think Gear's was much more a team effort so I'm inclined to go with that one. And as you mentioned, luck could have perhaps been on Habana's side for his try.

  • browner
    5:16 PM 22/11/2012

    Habana wins.... all the other try's are against 2nd tier italy, or third tier ireland or 4th tier nations ...scotland



  • curates_egg
    4:34 PM 22/11/2012

    Gear is the only one with more than one pass! This is not exactly champagne rugby, more a celebration route one. Surely there were more expansive tries, with offloading, turnovers, phases in some combination or other?

  • chogan
    4:28 PM 22/11/2012

    The omissions from this list guarantee the award is now void of any credibility.

    Landajo v New Zealand gets my vote. Whoops!

  • d-matt
    3:52 PM 22/11/2012

    1st : Malzieu
    2nd : Gear
    3rd : Habana
    4th : Savea

  • 3:12 PM 22/11/2012

    As an individual try I'd vote for Malzieu or Gear, they were both tries that only a handful of players could have finished off. (most of the handful is in this clip, but hey!)

  • threma
    3:12 PM 22/11/2012

    I'd vote for Gear or Malzieu as their tries have a team build-up.
    - NZ wins an Irish line-out and nicely gets the ball to the Gear who puts on a great solo effort.
    - France wins an Italian scrum and Picamoles gets the ball to Malzieu who breaks four tackles.

  • granite
    2:56 PM 22/11/2012

    My vote is for Habana. If not Habana, then Hosea Gear. Each try is pretty good and deserving of being considered, but no great forwards tries this year?

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