Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: John Bentley wonder try vs Gauteng in 1997

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

John Bentley wonder try vs Gauteng in 1997

Since I posted the British & Irish Lions Behind the Scenes clip, featuring Rob Howley's injury against Natal in 1997, there were a number of requests for this brilliant try that was scored by John Bentley on the same tour of South Africa.

Despite footage being surprisingly rare, we've managed to get a version of the try to share with those who have fond memories of it, as well as those who’ve never seen it before but really need to.

It was a special try scored by a man who off the field was quite a character. He was the life of the party, a real entertainer. Famed for being the joker on the tour, he did wonders for the team spirit amongst the boys from the British Isles on their historical tour back in ’97.

Bentley started in Rugby Union, being capped by England way back in 1988. He then took up League, which was professional in those days, and soon made the Great Britain team. When Union turned professional itself, he then came back, playing for Newcastle in 1996 before being selected for the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa.

He wasn’t necessarily a first choice player, so took his chance with open arms when given it against the Gauteng Lions - now just called the Lions.

His 70 meter effort where he seemingly ran through and around virtually the whole team, will go down in Lions history as one of the most memorable tries ever scored.

It was a special moment on the tour and a great solo run from a long way back. For those who witnessed it live 11 years ago, myself included, it is a try that will never be forgotten.

Note: If anyone has longer/better footage of this try please don't hesitate to send it our way.

Shiver by Coldplay

Labels: British and Irish Lions

ClASS try never heard of him and to be honest u ont see a better try.. rugbydump.. it makes me wonder where u get all these video's from?

By Anonymous, at June 10, 2008 11:37 pm
greeeeeeaaaaat try!!!!
11 years ago? dude how old were you then?
what luck to have witnessed it live...

By Anonymous, at June 11, 2008 12:00 am
HAHAHA. Look at McMeeckhan!!!!!!

By Anonymous, at June 11, 2008 12:02 am
i just love watching this try over and over again...it's really one of the best this game has offered so far...
keep em' comin' RD!!!!

By Anonymous, at June 11, 2008 12:03 am
RD is the hippest 65 year old you'll ever meet! ;)

Superb try. Fantastic speed and agility from a guy who was actually pretty bulky.

By Anonymous, at June 11, 2008 12:04 am
Great Try Wel Done Rd On Finding This Clip!!

By Anonymous, at June 11, 2008 12:16 am
A great piece of running skills with a great ending...

By Anonymous, at June 11, 2008 12:47 am
That was amazing!!

I agree with italianscrummy - I can't stop watching it again and again...great stuff!

By Anonymous, at June 11, 2008 4:13 am
amazing try i'm very envious. what is the song?

By Anonymous, at June 11, 2008 4:53 am
you've outdone yourselves RD. way to pull a true rabbit out of a hat. that is an absolute gem from a phenomenal tour. for those who have never seen it, try to get your hands on the Living with Lions documentary from that tour. best insight into a rugby tour you will ever see.

By sacricketer, at June 11, 2008 7:17 am
agree with sacricketer the "Living with lions" dvd is a must for any one who likes rugby.

Bently played for england then went to rugby league, he was one fo the first people to make the swicth back.

there was quite a large "rugby league" collection on that tour, they took them as they had the professional attitude and helped the squad deal with that aspect.

John Bentley
Alan Tait
Dai Young
Scot Quinnell
Scott Gibbs

were all guys who went one way then back and played on that lions tour.

By Anonymous, at June 11, 2008 7:56 am
I love how quickly McGeechan claps as he watches the try - he looks like a 10 yr old watching his first game of rugby with his dad.

By Anonymous, at June 11, 2008 9:39 am
Awesome try, from a great player.

Never mind McGeechan's reaction, it's Creamy Telfer's reaction that really shows how good a try this is. He is normally not excitable at all, but is going nuts for this one.

By Anonymous, at June 11, 2008 10:55 am
He backed himself all the way on that one, great try. Just to echo what was said about Telfor seeing him get so animated is very rare. Thats brightened my day, thanks Mr Dump.

By Anonymous, at June 11, 2008 11:59 am
Did you see the guy who tried to ankle tap him, he got a boot in the face LOL
great try.

By Anonymous, at June 11, 2008 1:40 pm
John Bentley was a speaker at my club dinner a few years back. Great try and a funny bloke. He also made a huge tackle on a winger from a gary owen aswell, thats worth a look if you can find it! cant remember who it was on though!!

By Anonymous, at June 11, 2008 3:29 pm
John Bentley is a legend. There is a great section in the 'Living with the Lions' documentary where the squad is training in the gym and Bentley is filming the session using the players' camera.

He spends most of his time prowling the gym, filming women, zooming in on tits and arses and chatting up married women.

As mentioned before, this documentary offers a brilliant insight into a proper Lions tour. (i.e. not like the farcical 2005 one)

By Anonymous, at June 11, 2008 5:22 pm
Priceless.

By Don, at June 11, 2008 8:19 pm
fantasic try i remember watching this live on sky all them years ago (im only 26 lol) hope next seasons lions bring back the team spirit that has seemd to be missing from the last few tours!

By Anonymous, at June 11, 2008 9:07 pm
John Bentley is always at Headingley if any of you get to watch either Carnegie or the Rhines. The fella is still a meathead. One word = Ledge

By Anonymous, at June 12, 2008 1:18 am
Sublime. Simply beautiful running rugby. Can't stop watching.

By Anonymous, at June 12, 2008 4:07 am
One of my favourite tries, one of my favourite players. any chance of getting scott gibbs smashing through os du randt from the same tour. another classic moment from a classic tour.

By Anonymous, at June 12, 2008 9:41 am
Jon Bentley is one of my all time heros. i grew up watching him play for Halifax RLFC at Thrum Hall. Always a class rugby winger in both codes and a top bloke off it (he kept his job a community police officer in some proper scummy places, even though he was a professional rugby player as well)
One of my prise bits of rugby memorabilia is a programme from Fax vs Austrailia when we nearly beat the green and golds i think from '95 and it's signed by JB!

By Anonymous, at June 12, 2008 8:08 pm
There is already a video on youtube of Scott Gibbs and Du Randt from that tour. To be fair tho, its more Os tripping over than Gibbs smashing through him.

By Anonymous, at June 14, 2008 4:58 am
Bentos...

By The Barts, The, at July 06, 2008 5:51 pm
bentos is pure class
he took a trainin sesh with us, he was on about cutting a line back inside, and how the defender gets his woodbines out- "no danger there"

By Anonymous, at April 22, 2009 10:26 am
There's a lot more fottage of this tour on th Living with Lions DVD, which is fantatsic to watch.

By Gaffers, at May 23, 2009 3:11 pm
awesome try, loving the reaction to the try aswell - McMeeckhan looked like a little 5 year old, lol

By Anonymous, at June 04, 2009 8:15 pm
I was there and still remember Bentos' run, like it was yesterday. Pure magic

By Anonymous, at December 31, 2010 6:10 pm
Video can now be found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua3z_o16Zkw

Cheers ...

By David, at May 29, 2011 8:35 am