In our new Top 20 feature, Brendan Gallagher rates the magic moment when defence thwarted promising attacks.
Before we get things underway with Part Two, read who preceded this list.
Here, Brendan counts down from 15 to 11…
11 Hadyn Mainwaring – on Avril Malan Barbarians v South Africa, Cardiff February 1961
Another yellow card and penalty these days but what a tackle. Mainwaring was a huge man for a full-back in those days and as Malan escaped down the right he was the last line of defence. Picking his moment perfectly Mainwaring hit Malan shoulder to shoulder and sent him flying. It was fully two minutes before the Springbok could catch his breath. Barbarians won 6-0.
12 John Kendall Carpenter – on JV Smith for Oxford v Cambridge in the 1949 Varsity match
As a No.8 Kendall Carpenter, who eventually found fame as the first chairman of Rugby World Cup, was always known as the ‘king of the corner flaggers’ and never more so than in the ‘49 Varity match. With Oxford leading 3-0 and a couple of minutes left, Cambridge centre Smith sidestepped two defenders and looked certain to score until Carpenter found another gear and dragged him down, forcing him into touch a yard short of the line. Oxford won 3-0.
13 Alexander Obolensky – on JR Rawlence for Cambridge v Oxford in the 1935 Varsity match
Obolensky is best known for his two tries against New Zealand for England just a couple weeks after this tackle which ensured unfancied Oxford escaped with a draw. A break from Wilf Wooler sent Kiwi wing JR Rawlence heading flat out for the line from 25 yards. Nothing could stop him except Obolensky was covering across from the opposite wing and in his specially made lightweight rugby boots was covering the ground at a phenomenal rate. A yard short of the line he pulled Rawlence to earth and the match-winning try was thwarted.
14 Ben Cohen – on Ben Blair for England v New Zealand, November 2002
Ben Blair was a hugely promising New Zealand full-back but Cohen had already skinned him en route to a cracking try earlier in the game and then, at a crucial stage of the game, got the angle on Blair and hauled him down a yard short of the line when a try had seemed certain. England ran out 31-28 winners, a huge morale booster which heralded their annus mirablis of 2003. Blair only played one more Test for the All Blacks.
15 George Gregan – on Iain Balshaw Australia v England 2006
Australia were leading 6-0 on the half hour in Sydney when Olly Barkley stabbed the ball through 15 yards out and it sat up perfectly for his Bath colleague Balshaw who gathered safely and plunged to ground to complete the ‘touchdown’. Except Gregan, in the act of tackling him, somehow managed to wrap his right arm around him and under the ball and then flipped the Englishman on his back to ensure he didn’t have a second try.
