Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Best tries of the Top 14

Thursday, October 01, 2009

Best tries of the Top 14 - Round 7

We’ve got some nice tries from round seven of the Top 14, as Clermont cemented their place at the top of the table and Toulon upset Toulouse.

There’s a few great tries on display with incredible handling, particularly from Stade Francais for the number 1 try on this list, scored by Mirco Bergamasco as they beat Bourgoin 20-6.

Controversial centre Mathieu Bastareaud also scored a try, showing his power as he crossed the line. Elsewhere Clermont hammered Albi 40-8 with try scoring machine Napolioni Nalaga crossing after some neat handling.

In the same match, Albi’s Benjamin Lapeyre scored a nice try with a quality final step.

Despite Toulon beating Toulouse, Freddie Michalak scored a run away intercept try after Joe Van Niekerks loose pass allowed the flyhalf to break away.

Bayonne easily beat Montpellier 26-3 at Stade Jean Dauger. Benjamin Fall scored a nice try as he gassed three players on the way to the line.

Gerrie Britz then finished a well made try for Perpignan in their 28-9 victory over Montauban. The try of the week was surely Bergamasco’s though.

Time: 04:23

gotta love Les Français

By Anonymous, at October 01, 2009 1:08 am
Re: Michalak
As they say, class is permanent.

By Anonymous, at October 01, 2009 1:09 am
The Mirco Bergamasco try was beautiful.... my amateur club coach would love that.

By Anonymous, at October 01, 2009 1:22 am
Currie cup is probably better than this.

By Dutch hero, at October 01, 2009 3:29 am
dutch hero..
probably but these were awesome

By rehanb, at October 01, 2009 3:30 am
its good to stade francais play great rugby, that try was an absolute classic again.
i dont think it is right to compare 2 different competitions. 2 different styles of play? yeah?

By Unknown, at October 01, 2009 3:42 am
numbers 7 2 and 1 were awesome

By Anonymous, at October 01, 2009 3:52 am
that was some beautiful hands for that stade francais try. pretty much the basics done to perfection.

By Anonymous, at October 01, 2009 4:03 am
Gotta feel for Wilkinson; as fly-half, he shouldn't be expected to stop that try, but he was the closest one to getting Michalak.

...did the commentator say "wunderbar" during the try for no. 2?

By pizzaaaaaa, at October 01, 2009 4:06 am
Feel for him? Cuz he had to try to make a tackle? hmm... ok.
Good stuff, particularly Stade Francais and Bayonne's tries.

By Bill, at October 01, 2009 6:51 am
On my opinion, some of those tries deserve to be classified as "best" others should be found under the name of "poor missed tackles"...

By Swiss Vinch, at October 01, 2009 8:47 am
Do 'double-movements' no longer exist in Union. When I stopped playing five years ago I was under the impression that once the ball-carrying arm touched the floor, no forward progression was allowed and the ball must be released. Number 2 on that list is surely a penalty to the defence?

By Zavala, at October 01, 2009 9:02 am
I love French rugby but I have to say at least 5 of those tries were pretty ordinary. One or two good ones but 10,9 and 8 were nothing special.

By Ted, at October 01, 2009 9:23 am
'Dutch hero said...
Currie cup is probably better than this.'

Nah, smaller crowds, and crappy defence in the Currie, just look at Juries try, defence is still stood still there today.

Top 14 is the best domestic competition, Heineken is the best overall.

When was the last time 80,000 people showed up for a Currie Cup or Super 14 game? (even with ticket prices costing 3-4x as much in France/England/Ireland/Wales).

By Anonymous, at October 01, 2009 10:58 am
Quote:

"When was the last time 80,000 people showed up for a Currie Cup or Super 14 game? (even with ticket prices costing 3-4x as much in France/England/Ireland/Wales)"

Ask yourself what the population of the Six Nations countries (plus Europe) is compared to the Tri nations (we'll add the Pacific islands) and then you can rethink how stupid your question is.

Dumbass.

By comeagain, at October 01, 2009 11:35 am
Since when does the number of people who buy a ticket determine the quality of rugby? Seriously?
Besides, in 2008 (because I don't have newer figures), the average attendance of the S14 was 22,142.
The average attendance of the T14 in the same year was 12,107.
The Currie Cup was marginally smaller than that in the same year at 11,433.
A few others:
Guiness premiership - 11,786
Magners league - 8,126
Air NZ Cup - 7,203
Heineken Cup - 14,900 (this is actually 08/09's figures)

So basically, you're just wrong. The S14 has the highest average attendances of any professional rugby union league or competition that is not international.
The reason you might be getting confused, is that most European rugby stadiums are quite small, capacity around 10-15,000, sometimes even less.
In the S14 there isn't a stadium smaller than 20,000 capacity and many clubs play in 40 or 50 thousand seaters.
Anyway, that really has nothing to do with quality of rugby.
These are ok tries. The T14 is a very good standard.
People who watch try highlights and then criticize the defense are being very dumb. It's not soccer, there are always missed tackles in rugby, the game would be very very boring without them.

By Bill, at October 01, 2009 11:36 am
Zavala, you are allowed one motion with the ball after you have been tackled. This can either be to place the ball backwards, towards your supporting players, or forwards to touch down on the line. Had Britz missed the line, then brought the ball back, that would have been double movement.

By Peej, at October 01, 2009 11:47 am
Souther Hem fools getting upset again, asking about population? Rugby is small news in Europe, its the only thing you play down south. How many club sides average 75,000 in your national sports?

Bill, You really shouldn't rely on Wikipedia for 'facts', there's no reference for the Super 14 attendances, not to mention the fact there are half as many games as the Top 14 to attend.

Empty stadiums for national sports? 82,000 full for a game that most people in the UK don't even care about. Case closed.

By Anonymous, at October 01, 2009 12:22 pm
What was that thing that Bergamasco did when he scored? He gave one thumb up and one thumb down. I don't understand. An excellent try anyway.

By Kearney for tests, at October 01, 2009 12:23 pm
beautifull hands by stade for that last try!

By Cheis, at October 01, 2009 12:38 pm
@ BILL

well put!!

By Cheis, at October 01, 2009 12:40 pm
in my town we have the nicest stadium but they play soccer in it :(

thats gotta change

By sebastian, at October 01, 2009 12:47 pm
You're forgetting the Currie Cup often plays without the full Springbok team, it still produces better rugby than anything else, and draws decent/large crowds.

When the Big Bokke get back the crowd attendance shoots up, look at the Currie Cup final 2008, sold out.

And don't call the Currie Cup defense bad compared to the top 14. Victor Matfield came to this a couple years ago, and he came back half the player he was, thankfully he is at his peak again.

By Dutch Hero, at October 01, 2009 1:21 pm
comeagain..

stupid comment.population of south africa:oh about 50 million..

dumbass

By BODisgod, at October 01, 2009 1:47 pm
How are you judging the quality of the sport by how many people watch it? Is it just me or does that seem like a stupid way of judging? Football clubs draw huge numbers to watch the players worry about their hair and dive all over the place, but going by your system it makes it a better sport... I don't think so... as rugby fans we should want to see trys like this in all leagues round the world.

By Anonymous, at October 01, 2009 2:26 pm
Yes! I love my Brian O'driscoll! MORE! GIVE ME MORE! MORRREEE!!!!

By BODisgod, at October 01, 2009 2:55 pm
@ Dutchman :

Matfield came in France, played (very badly)6 month for Toulon, took the check and went back to SA.Do you really think he became a shitty player because of playin in T14???????? IMO, he just had a bad period, as everyplayer has in its carrier, and surely he will have another, even playin in S14...

By Anonymous, at October 01, 2009 3:00 pm
Anonymous referring to crowd figures, I don't really want to argue about this, but I can't sit and watch you just make things up.
For you to disregard those figures is fine, I guess your making the mental jump that they must be off by tens of thousands. Which would be some deception considering similar figures are available elsewhere.
Put S14 attendances in google, see what you get. I'm pretty sure you'll find the average is consistently over 20,000, year in, year out.
In regards to your beleif that in the SH we only play rugby, I don't know where to start.
Ever been here? Heard of rugby league, AFL, soccer, netball, basketball, motor racing, boxing? That's just some of the pro sports we play. There's obviously hundreds more.
You know that union isn't the majority sport in either Australia or South Africa? That's true only in little old NZ?
In Aus it's miles behind league and AFL, in South Africa it's really only popular with one section of the population, 80% of people only really care about football there.
But anyway, I guess ignorance is free.

By Bill, at October 01, 2009 3:28 pm
T14 in my opinion has the most entertaining rugby.

Just wish i spoke french.

Not happy about Wilkinson getting gassed by Michalak.

By The Inside Shoulder, at October 01, 2009 3:47 pm
I am a confused American....go figure....some of you saffers tell me, please....

What is a sham?

What is a chum (I think I know that one)?

what is a bugger?

what is a bushcat?

and what is a mahuri?

Thanks and congrats on the Tri-N championship!

By Anonymous, at October 01, 2009 4:13 pm
comeagain???

yes, in your face!!

By Anonymous, at October 01, 2009 4:15 pm
Zavala, It's not a double movement because all the player did was get tackled and place the ball, which you are allowed to do when you're gone to ground. If he wasn't anywhere near the line then he would have placed it back towards his support for the ruck but as he was close to the line he placed the ball over it.

And the bickering on here is a bit boring especially about who's league is better. I mean it's obvious the GP is the best.

By Andy, at October 01, 2009 4:17 pm
@ Bill : "So basically, you're just wrong. The S14 has the highest average attendances of any professional rugby union league or competition that is not international."

So, Super 14 is NOT international ? LOL !

@ don't know who : Matfield didn't played in Top 14 but in Second division with Toulon. He found the game level low and he was right. But he helped Toulon to go up to Top 14. with some great games.

By 4LC4TR4Z, at October 01, 2009 4:29 pm
Yeah, there's some correlation between how many people are interested in your sport and how good of a team your side/country produces; but for someone from a country that only has semi-professional rugby where domestic match crowds probably total in the hundreds, maybe low thousands, France, South Africa, England, New Zealand...it's all the same.

Professional is professional and 1,000 more spectators at your games on average isn't the deciding factor at that point, but training and the quality of your competition itself is.

By smalls, at October 01, 2009 4:36 pm
Has anyone else noticed how most threads on Youtube and other public forums like this one so often just degenerate into nationalism/racism? Can't we just accept that we live on the hemisphere that we do, the people in the other one are largely the same and we don't have to hate them for it?

By Nelson Mandela, at October 01, 2009 4:58 pm
Nelson you are both a gentleman and a scholar.

By Andy, at October 01, 2009 5:21 pm
You only say that Nelson because the standard of rugby is rubbish in your country.

By Anonymous, at October 01, 2009 6:13 pm
I'm going to get those wise words tattood on my arse

By Anonymous, at October 01, 2009 6:16 pm
Based on the math that people here are doing, and considering how people judge a sport by how many people watch/play it, then football/soccer is by far the best sport in the world.

By T, at October 01, 2009 10:22 pm
Nice step from Lapeyre, btw, is it "Napoloni" or "Napolioni" Nalaga?

By Anonymous, at October 02, 2009 12:10 am
No. 2 was awesome, some great hands before Britz gets the ball and does his bit.

By Unknown, at October 02, 2009 1:59 am
Wow, good to see Michalak back in action. Stade Francais put together a great set for #1.

I think all the leagues are great, but the Top14 is the best simply for the commentating alone. Those guys are the best.

By Crosser, at October 02, 2009 2:18 am
Some smart play by the arentines. Great pass by Ledesma in 7, great delayed pass from Leguizamon an Durand looks like a demented whippet at scrumhalf. Nice to seem them open up play..

By whippetmania, at October 02, 2009 3:28 am
You're right Nelson, and I wasn't criticizing anyone, just pointing out facts.
Back to the rugby eh?
The T14 is awesome, it's my favorite Euro comp. The French try to play the way the game is supposed to be played, and I love the passion of the crowds and the ambition of the clubs.
And these tries are pretty good, I've seen better ones from the T14 though.

By Jon, at October 02, 2009 6:04 am
Napoleoni Nalaga

a.k.a. Top 14 imperator. :-D

By 4LC4TR4Z, at October 02, 2009 7:40 am
Sousa Bardy has a great future...

and guess what, he´s portuguese. We will lead the portuguese XV to the world cup. Good work man.

By Anonymous, at October 02, 2009 3:00 pm
Who's Sousa Bardy? ;)

By Anonymous, at October 02, 2009 5:52 pm
Portugal captain, clearly. :-D

By 4LC4TR4Z, at October 03, 2009 12:31 pm
This is Julien Bardy a FRENCH player!!! not portuguech

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