Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Vote now for the RPA Sunday Times Try of the Year 2011

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Vote now for the RPA Sunday Times Try of the Year 2011

Today is your last chance to vote for the RPA/Sunday Times Try of the Year, as voting closes at midnight tonight. The tries are a selection from the Aviva Premiership, and span from October till as recently as the end of April.

The six try shortlist of nominees includes fantastic tries scored by foreign imports Michael Classens, Schalk Brits, Sireli Naqelevuki, and Alesana Tuilagi, and then locals Ugo Monye and Nicky Robinson.

Last year Chris Ashton won the award, so he will be there at the annual awards dinner on Wednesday May 25th to hand over the crown to whoever comes up tops in the public vote.

The list of nominees in full is as follows:
Michael Claassens (Bath) - Bath v Exeter 9th April 2011
Schalk Brits (Saracens) - Saracens v Gloucester 24th April 2011
Sireli Naqelevuki (Exeter Chiefs) - Exeter v Northampton 6th March 2011
Alesana Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers) - Leicester Tigers v Gloucester 16th April 2011
Ugo Monye (Harlequins) - Harlequins v Gloucester 26th March 2011
Nicky Robinson (Gloucester) - Bath v Gloucester 1st October 2010

Have a look at the video, and if one stands out for you, make sure you vote now as today is the last day. Head on over to the RPA website to place your vote. If you want to just share your thoughts on the best in the comments here, feel free to do so too.

Time: 03:21

nice, but they're not exactly super 15 standard

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 11:48 am
poor enough selection.......

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 11:57 am
1st one is the best

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 11:58 am
Who picked that list? There were waaaaaaaay better ones than them!

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 11:59 am
Kind of Humdrum when you're been watching the Southern Hemisphere Rugby for the last few months. But full credit for their flair in the touchdown.

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 12:02 pm
4 of them against the rank awful defence of Gloucester.

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 12:03 pm
Some great tries but some of the commentary is poor, leaving one feeling completely flat. :(

Get Greg Martin to do a stint in the Premiership!

By Scotsdale, at May 18, 2011 12:20 pm
Pretty disappointed by the selection of "Tries of the Year"...If that's the best tries of the Premiership this year, I'm disappointed by the standard of rugby.

By Luke G, at May 18, 2011 12:40 pm
dissapointed

By Little Chief, at May 18, 2011 12:41 pm
if thats the best 5 it doesnt say much. i'd say no.2 is the best of a middle of the road set of trys... there is surely better out there for the season..

By Unknown, at May 18, 2011 1:06 pm
4 of 6 against Gloucester? Hmmmm

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 1:06 pm
funny that 1st 3 were all SH players.

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 1:25 pm
Shockingly poor standards

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 1:29 pm
that gloucester try at the end was unbelievably average!

By Russell, at May 18, 2011 1:52 pm
tigers one for me!

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 1:53 pm
selecting from the choosen tries and have to schalk britz! the sheer cool headedness to go from the own tryline and not panic has to be admired!

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 1:55 pm
Yeah, the 2nd one's the standout for me, though largely cos the rest are so mediocre. If I shared this video on facebook, my South African brother-in-law would be laughing 'til November.

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 2:05 pm
i am going to have to say, these type of tries happen in super 15 every week :/ very average for tries of the year. What about that charlie sharples mazy run from 60 or so metres a couple of weeks ago?

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 2:08 pm
Cue many arrogant people who could have done MUCH better to get up their own arses about how they feel the selection is poor ergo the premiership is poor etc etc...why is rugby dump full of soooooo many negative bloggers?!!

Final try did it for me I think, Nicky Robinson always on hand, good presence of mind to be there!

By Alexander, at May 18, 2011 2:08 pm
I've said it before but it's not coincidence that all of these tries happened in Spring.

By @LoveSportsPro, at May 18, 2011 2:13 pm
Not enough dancing for me.

By Dance Maniac, at May 18, 2011 2:22 pm
is that the best of the premiership? bit dull really...

By Rygbiman, at May 18, 2011 2:29 pm
And not enough chocolate for me.^^

By Chocoholic, at May 18, 2011 2:31 pm
1 or 2 for me. Cos both of them involve a front rower beautifully handling the ball like a full back. And handling the ball is much more worthy of an award than running fast (come on, running fast is not a SKILL but a mere gift).
And I like Super15. And Hcup. And Top14. And whatever as long as it's good rugby.

By Whocares, at May 18, 2011 2:38 pm
How dull was that commentary? Besides the Chiefs' try I felt like I was being sent to sleep! Inject some life into the premiership by getting some commentators with enthusiasm for the game.

By stefan, at May 18, 2011 2:41 pm
i think the brock james one would have made the cut if it'd been in the premiership, pretty dog selection

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 3:05 pm
Now I don't want to start bitching or trolling so please don't take this on a bad way... But 50% of the tries scored in Super Rugby outshine any of these. I'm not denying all them were good tries but we see these and more every week in Super Rugby.

Anyway, excellent rugby and it's good to see the Premiership has a lot to offer. By the way, Quin's try must be the best of them all. And Scott Hamilton's, no looker pass inside to Tuilagi deerves mentioning.

Cheers!

By Juggernauter, at May 18, 2011 3:16 pm
Commentators zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz bloody hell, Odd what some awful commentary can do for some pretty decent rugby! Same goes for super rugby, some average play made to look good because some nutcase commentator sounds like he's about to soil himself lol Give it to britz I reckon, doesnt say a lot for gloucester's defence this group of tries. To concede that many tries from being in the opposition 22 is poor. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiEXclujF-c that's the try that got the magners try of the season, good try except for the last attempted tackle.

By Situation Vacant: Interesting commentator for the aviva prem, at May 18, 2011 3:34 pm
The first two are the best. And I'd give it to Schalk Britz. The guts to run it from their own tryline, the earlier dart by Britz, the fantastic work by the winger and Britz on hand, with the pace, to round it off makes this my pick of the bunch.

By katman, at May 18, 2011 3:45 pm
Tries of the year? You're kidding right!?!

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 4:01 pm
Can't wait for the "Super 15 Dance of the Year Awards".

I am literally peeing myself in anticipation.

By Dance Maniac, at May 18, 2011 4:07 pm
Luke G said...
Pretty disappointed by the selection of "Tries of the Year"...If that's the best tries of the Premiership this year, I'm disappointed by the standard of rugby.

May 18, 2011 12:40 PM

Little Chief said...
dissapointed

May 18, 2011 12:41 PM

Back to the dictionary for you Chief.
The only thing worse than a pedant is a wrong pedant.

By Von, at May 18, 2011 4:47 pm
I just hope that a European team wins the worldcup because that will shut the arrogant "southern hemisphere" guys up !!!

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 5:02 pm
Jeeze Von, get over it. Nice diversion from the point...

^^ Anon above, did you high five yourself after posting that?

By Tim, at May 18, 2011 5:19 pm
I can remember loads of better ones than that! It is a shame because it has given people who don't normally get to see the prem the wrong impression. Real shame

By Cormac, at May 18, 2011 5:21 pm
has to be number 1 for me.any try where a prop runs 70+ yards with the ball is a special one!

By Leeners93, at May 18, 2011 5:54 pm
has to be number 1 for me.any try where a prop runs 70+ yards with the ball is a special one!

By Leeners93, at May 18, 2011 5:54 pm
Schalk Brits

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 6:18 pm
there were so many better tries scored this year than those 5. It shows the competition in a poor light

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 6:55 pm
sorry, 6 tries my bad

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 6:56 pm
What was it people were saying about Gloucester NOT being a shit team? That'd be like having a list of best tries and 4/6 of them are against the Lions.

This is quite poor rugby...AND it's in the SPRING, where all the 'running rugby' happens?

Honestly, this world cup is going to be good. NH has no depth at all...they have their 1st XV's and nobody else. Only SH team that is sort of like that is maybe Australia

Enough boring NH videos please, more super rugby.

By Canada for RWC11, at May 18, 2011 6:57 pm
best tries of the season..? I've seen others which were maybe better

let's go for Shalke Brits

By Colombes, at May 18, 2011 6:59 pm
RD, my last comment may have been harsh, I enjoy ALL rugby videos as an avid rugby fan, I'd just prefer more s15 coverage as it's very poor here. I'd love to see equal s15 clips of NH clips :P ;)

In regards to the commentary, I don't think that it's "completely opposite" down south where they get too excited in dull situations but thats not the case at all. All NH games I see this is what the commentary is like and it's a big turn-off and a bore. Compared to the stuff I get every day here in Canada with hockey, MLB (even in a slow-paced game like this the commentary is more lively and in to it than english rugby), NFL (the best) and NBA, rugby "professional" commentators in the northern hemisphere (barring the French) are laughable. They are so often 3-4 plays behind what is going on and don't comment on important things happening or just have no energy and a dull tone in their voice. What they need to evolve into is more of a play-by-play commentator, much like you see in Australia, these (usually 3+, maybe more people helps) give you a play-by-play commentary where if you were simply listening by radio you could have a great sense of what is going on.

English commentators are by far the worst I've ever heard on television, all of them.

By Canada for RWC11, at May 18, 2011 7:59 pm
no one forces you to watch a video? unless your sole reason for watching is to point out flaws in it...christ you southern hemisphere people are pessimis

By Jonno, at May 18, 2011 8:03 pm
pessimists*

By Jonno, at May 18, 2011 8:11 pm
Well no but if RWC11 is going to be broadcast in prime time in some locations in U.S.A. this fall, I would hope commentators like these ones are not involved, it would be a turn off for many many people watching rugby for the first time in their lives. Wouldn't make for an exciting (or educational) watch.

There are still some good tries in this video...Brits' was nice, like the saracens attitude in that game, and the Exeter one was nice to watch, but they all had woeful defense.

By Canada for RWC11, at May 18, 2011 8:46 pm
just point out but that all but one of those tries were scored by foreign imports-think RD forgot that Nicky Robinson is welsh. indicative perhaps of the lack of genuine homegrown worldclass talent in the english game.

Nowhere near standard of Super 15, top 14 or even Magners league tries.
I am from the northern hemisphere and I hope to god that northern hemisphere sides bar Wales and somtimes France and Ireland get thrashed in the world cup as we need to wake up to the speed and quality and most of all excitement of southern hemisphere rugby. Lets see the northern sides internationals open up and start scoring tries and the domestic leagues will soon pick up from that.

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 9:09 pm
Canada....What the fuck are you doing here?

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 10:09 pm
I liked the Claasens try; big fan of Nathan Catt's work. But previous commentators are right, this is a pretty dull selection. Are these really the six best we've had this year?

By Anonymous, at May 18, 2011 10:22 pm
To the Canuck:

1)Gloucester are 3rd place on the Premiership table. Not sure how that makes them a shit team, just because this video has 4/6 tries scored against them. They've got basically the same Points Against/Games Played ratio as the Blues (who are in 2nd place) in Super Rugby.

2)Every other video on the front page is a video from Super Rugby, so what are you complaining about? There is one competition going on in the SH right now and at least 3 up North (4 if you count the Heineken Cup). While I really enjoy seeing Super Rugby (given that it's some of the best club rugby around), I appreciate seeing other rugby clips as well, especially if I don't get to see those games directly. Now, if you are really adamant about seeing more S15, there's a Request section on this site you might look into.

3)I agree with you about the commentator situation. I hope that if the RWC is broadcast here in the US on a channel like NBC or something, they don't use American rugby commentators. Watching us commentate soccer matches is bad enough, but I've watched enough games on ESPN with American commentators to know that it's awful. If they are even thinking of doing that, hopefully they consider just buying the feed from BBC, Sky, or FOX Sports in Australia...Well shit, now you've got me all worked up.

By Steam Beer Good, at May 18, 2011 10:47 pm
Well I'm not going to vote for Tuilagi only because he is the brother of Manu and after that appalling demonstration of thuggery I think I might quit rugby altogether!

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2011 12:29 am
Really?

The funny thought of Ashton presenting Alesana with the trophy, probably whispering him something like, "tell your brother he's an asshole" makes me hope it wins.

By orange, at May 19, 2011 1:39 am
Tigers try was the best, sweet ball from Hamilton. Did seem like a poor selection, thought I saw better this year.

Commentary was dry, but the English who I watch on setanta regularly is good.

By Canadian content, at May 19, 2011 2:09 am
The best of NH rugby on display. Super XV players wouldn't even turn their head's at those training tries. It's little wonder that come the rugby world cup that the NH teams wont be a threat. England will get a token semi final birth, but will inevitably lose to the wallabies. Kiwi's v Saffa's in the other semi. The lions haven't won a series in 3 attempts. So if the best of Wales, England, Ireland and Scotland cant beat any of the SH teams south of the equator how can one of your teams stand a chance against the might of the kiwis?

By Wood Dome, at May 19, 2011 4:24 am
"The best of NH rugby on display"

You may want to rephrase that as "The best of English club rugby on display."

That, and maybe watch some T14, Heineken Cup, the occassional Magners League match, and you're bound to see some good rugby as well.

Fuck me sideways, can't we all just appreciate good rugby without getting territorial as though just the fact that you come from the same half of the world where great rugby is the norm somehow means you are somehow responsible for it (it doesn't).

That said, this is not an extraordinarily great compilation of tries...

By orange, at May 19, 2011 5:31 am
there is no defence!

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2011 7:47 am
There is no dancing!

By Dance Maniac, at May 19, 2011 9:25 am
As a Quins Fan, I will have to back Monye's try, even though I don't think its the best try of the 6.

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2011 11:15 am
In fairness it is the sunday times choosing these tries.

Whos the guy who said they was all scored in spring? October in spring now is it? Bet them lambs are freezing.

and anonymous who said this:"As a Quins Fan, I will have to back Monye's try, even though I don't think its the best try of the 6"

I think your missing the idea as vote for the BEST try, not your favourite team.

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2011 11:34 am
/Troll on
#3
because it is against Nothampton :-p

/Troll off

By BillM, at May 19, 2011 2:46 pm
Funny how EVERY SH ass reverts to the "Lions tours"

You do realise when you clump together people from 4 different international teams and give them a few weeks to train you're not going to have the best flowing rugby...

and NO we haven't won a test in ages, but look at the last test in SA...

First test SA 26-21 Lions...not exactly a walkover then...

Second test SA 28-25 Lions...wow what a huge walkover victory...

Third test SA 9-28 Lions...didn't want to win that game then did you?

I see 1 BIG GAP, and 2 tight matches... not bad for a team of great players thrown together playing against the current world champions who are pretty much the same team that won the WC...

By Anonymous, at May 19, 2011 3:05 pm
WTF is this shit, I watch rugby to see guys dancing, what's all this running and kicking crap?

By Aussie Dancer, at May 19, 2011 4:49 pm
Schalk Brits: The fastest hooker in town (and minus the STD's).

By Ben, at May 19, 2011 5:13 pm
Why do SH fans feel impelled to point out that they think SH rugby is better and why? It's old it's irritating, we get your point, we know how you all feel about it, and we still don't care. Vote for a try or go to another clip, but please quit trolling. We have some Kiwis and a guy from SA playing on our team, they never come out with all this crap...couch potatoes boasting about how great SH rugby is, while the players actually playing the game are very down to earth.

Sorry RD, just had to get the rant out of my system.

I vote for the first one, great break away.

By I hate ppl who write "First!", at May 19, 2011 7:57 pm
4 out of 6 SH players.. just saying

By Cheis, at May 19, 2011 10:09 pm
i vote for Brits, from their own 22!!
and man is he fast for a hooker

By Cheis, at May 19, 2011 10:10 pm
Not a lot of traditionally English names on the list.

By Mike, at May 19, 2011 10:38 pm
^^^ thats true... but then if you consider those who are "English" Ugo Monye for example... it doesnt leave one with much hope...

Mind you with the likes of Ali Williams, etc down south it all goes a little mixed up...

By Anonymous, at May 20, 2011 2:32 am
I hate ppl who write "First!" said...
We have some Kiwis and a guy from SA playing on our team, they never come out with all this crap.

Good point, that's my experience too. I'm sure most real SH rugby fans just wish some of these boasters and negative twits would go away. But I think most trolls from SH or NH are just little kids or childish people who don't know better.

By Barney, at May 20, 2011 5:11 am
'Good point, that's my experience too. I'm sure most real SH rugby fans just wish some of these boasters and negative twits would go away. But I think most trolls from SH or NH are just little kids or childish people who don't know better.'

Wrong Barney, im a childish person who does know better...i just choose to ignore it!

By Anonymous, at May 20, 2011 8:03 am
^Well that's because you're also a lonely person.

By duh, at May 20, 2011 8:58 am
^Well that's because you're also a lonely person.

By duh, at May 20, 2011 8:58 am
1!

By And, at May 20, 2011 11:42 am
First!

By Mike, at May 20, 2011 10:32 pm
Manu Tuilagi gets my vote for Nigger of the year!

By SlaveOwner, at May 21, 2011 2:33 pm
Manu Tuilagi gets my vote for Nigger of the year!

By SlaveOwner, at May 21, 2011 2:34 pm
I would have liked to see Manu Tuilagi's try against Saracens where he absolutely destroyed Alex Goode, Jonah Lomu style. Plus for the awkward moment when Chris Ashton has to hand him over the trophy :P

By Anonymous, at May 22, 2011 1:37 pm
I moved away from England 2 years ago so I don't get to see much if any English club rugby (I am English btw). I do get a lot of Super 15 though and I have to say that was a pretty poor compilation.

Some of you have suggested that some better tries have been missed out. I do hope so because that was not impressive at all for a Try of the year compilation, maybe ok for the Try of the Month but that's it. It shows that the attacking quality in the UK is still pretty sub-standard compared to SH.

All those tries were also scored outside of Winter conditions..... Maybe a change of season and more modern coaching methods would improve things. Just go and watch some of the free Crusaders Coaching vids on Youtube, is this type of stuff being used consistently in the UK? Certainly not when I played rugby but if it had I certainly would have been a far better player...... and maybe Mike Tindall would have learned how to pass by now.

By Anonymous, at May 23, 2011 9:04 am