Just kidding. It's not this one!
I reckon there’s a fair bet that this next try, number two on the list, would have probably been most people’s choice for the try of the decade. Correct? Then why the hell have I not appointed it as such!!! All the elements are there. Beautiful set piece playe, last minute try that wins just about every trophy available. It is an amazing piece of individual brilliance that combines with some bang on team elements. Hell, it’s even scored by a Queenslander!
Hang on, I’m starting to question myself now, so must stop before I have to completely redo this series. The McQueen era of Wallaby success was somewhat typified by our ability to snatch last minute defeats. It was positioned as our never say die attitude, or constant belief in our selves.
Either way we did it v the Boks at the 99 World Cup, we did it against the Black and the Boks the following year in the Tri-Nations, and went bloody close in the ‘Game of the Century’. And then…we did it against the All Blacks again in 2001. But the only one of these games we won the match with a try was the last one, which must mean….
2 Toutai Kefu v New Zealand. Stadium Australia, Sydney (1 September, 2001)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOSB34JimpU[/youtube]
Ok, I’ve done the full analysis of this try here so have a look at that if you missed it the first time.
I think most people who agree that it deserves to be on the top five list. And for so many reasons. It was really about the players performing under the most intense pressure. From that perfect throw from Foley – and I mean perfect. Watch how the ref calls up the lineout the first time after Foley has already thrown it to Cockbain. So the All Blacks already know where it’s going! The Wallabies hold their steal and it goes to Cockbain again. Perfectly timed.
And then Kef takes over. I still don’t know how he gets through. It’s much like Larkham and all those times he inexplicitly ‘ghosted’ through the defence. And what a match for Kef to do it in. It won Australia the Tri-Nations trophy, and the Bledisloe, and it farewelled one of his best mates and the Wallaby legend in John Eales.
*****
Ok. Have I thrown you? Were you expecting this one to come in tomorrow, in first place? Time to readjust your thinking, right? And I reckon I know just about where you are readjusting it to. Probably similar colours. Probably same ground? Probably a year or two later? Well…perhaps, as per the match above, there will be a last minute change that is totally unexpected. That no one saw coming. Get your thinking caps on lads. One more try to go. Which one will it be?
Tags: john eales, Matt Cockbain, michael foley, Owen Finegan, stephen larkham, toutai kefu, Wallabies
The artist formerly known as "Noddy" grew up in a golden age of Queensland Rugby and wakes up every morning hoping that THAT day will be the start of a new one. I like to reminisce. Follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/RugbyReg. 
I still jump in my seat when I watch that try replayed. It regularly comes up in discussion on 606 as well as a heart breaker for the Kiwis as and being one of the great trys. Kefu was one of our true greats and that try just showed why.
What a way to farewell Eales and the look on his face just before the lineout said it all. It must have been amazing to be wearing a Gold Jersey that day and be on that field playing.
Kef’.
Total legend.
Forget the moral issues, and Dolly the Sheep.
We should have had him cloned…
WHat about kefs change of direction just as he recieves the ball…just brilliant…running into and finding the space.
If cliffy can adjust a little to find the seams more he will be every bit as good as Kef.
Yes it’s time we had another one. We’ve had Willie-O and Kef in the last twenty years. It would be great if Palu could just keep his focus and intensity up to the levels we know that he can play to.
He is still living in their shadow though but perhaps in another seven years we will be talking of him in the same revered tones as we do for Kef and Willie-O. Sincerely hope so.
The Melon one is tomorrow, right?
I’ll give you a hint…when was Melon’s try?