Top Ten Tries of 2011 from Canal+

Some cracking tries but I sense a slight (and expected) French bias. I think Quins might feel aggrieved their team try in the Heineken cup win away to Toulouse isn't in there!

Sky Sports has an English bias... RTE has an Irish bias... BBC has an English bias... it's the way it goes.

It's CANAL+, wich is a french premium pay channel, in france , with french commentators.

what did you expect ?

Wow #1 really deserves it, awesome team try

Even though I only understand about 1% of it, French commentary is superb.

no6 and no5 easily my favourites here ;)

Just to clarify this, it's not so much a French bias, as it is a selection which only includes highlights broadcasted by CANAL+ channel. Since they mainly feature the Top 14, the French predominance is easily understandable.

The Ngwenya and Jauzion tries were the best in my opinion.French bias or not...amazing tries all round.

Rich_W, I have to agree, I only understand half of what they are saying, but their enthusiasm is intoxicating. I like that, same as I like that welsh comentator in a Lee Byrne try (I think) shouting, as if his life depended on it "DID HE GET THE BALL DOWN!?!?". Its way better than the dull comentators you get in England or in my country, Portugal. I think for the huddled masses, it's easier to like football because of this. It's simpler seems more exciting (if you never stepped on a rugby field, that is). In football there's this huge party, and excitement, and everyone is very passionate about it (not talking about hooligans, they should all be banned for life). Rugby sometimes feels rather dull for outsiders, and it lacks the "ambiance", like the french have in their stadiums. I wish we would see more of Toulon's "Pilou Pilou", or Ireland's Fields of Athenry and Flower of Scotland, Englands Swing Low, Sweet Chariot or Scotland's Flower of Scotland.

Sorry for the long post, just my two cents

It's simpler AND seems more exciting*

+1 for SickBoy. This is only a top ten of Canal +'s prior year broadcast.

Being a french guy living in Sydney, I realise the privilege I have to watch Super 15 but I have to admit I am so disappointed by Southern Hemisphere fans.

They just sit down with a beer and meat pie and do not support their team from the 1st to 80th minute. If the best Super 15 were playing in France, they would drive French fans crazy. Whether it is a technical player like Carter, O'Connor or Ashley Cooper or a butcher like Schalk Burger or Brussow (those 2 would be legends for Toulon's fans)

Again, I love my Super 15 and I'm surprised there is more atmosphere in a subbies' championship in Sydney!

So I completely understand wen Super 15 players come to France. Obviously big money but when you deliver, the crowd is impressive (Ask McAlister about Toulouse's fans).

Top 14, I miss you!

Just one example, the pre-game song at Jean Dauger, the Bayonne's stadium (especially from 0:59): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df73mfPjnPQ&feature=related.
Players can hear that while they're preparing in the locker room... And this is a mid-ladder team...

Omar

Nice post Mr Omar!
Top 14 is great to watch at, close to Xvaout rugby level ;-)
Atmosphere is awesome.

Regarding Toulon, Botha is now in the loop for the biggest pleasure of it's fans

cheers

Agreed Monsieur Corby.
I am really surprised Rugbydump has not shown yet the fantastic runs from the XV Aout prop who played 4 years ago.
What an athlete! What a beautiful player!

A shame the spirit of this amzaing team was ruined by the fly half/centre who lives in Aix-en-Provence.

Ahhh, "La Peña Baiona", this song just makes anyone vibrate, adversary or not.
McAlister had barely landed in France when he was sent onto the field in Bayonne (on Toulouse's first match of the season).

Before that, as a sub, you could see him stare blank-eyed at the public, probably wondering where the hell he had landed.
When interviewed after the match, he said the atmosphere was insane.

Another rendition here (listen at 0:40 onwards):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiiM4BHz8go

a bias "french" selection made by a french tv? shocker!)
you would have the same slight chauvinism with a sky and fox selection
there's not english and celtic leagues tries as it isn't broadcasted on France
in fact, despite 2 or 3 tries, this selection is pretty accurate. furthermore, canal plus always favorize "long distance" tries

perso, i would have say N'Gwenya try as number 1

These are f**king unbelievable....excuse the french!!

Ngwenya's try should be 1st IMO

I definitely think N'Gwenya's try at number 5 deserved to be at number 1

Agreed.

[French guy talking ;)]
First of, because I saw it LIVE on french TV and as @Colombes said, N'Gwenya's try for Biarritz should be number one.
2nd, what did Poitrenaud before serving on a silver plate Jauzion (side step) is one of my favourite "SITE DOWN" lesson as we can see more often in NBA.

To finish, +1 for Green Mafia and +1 to Omar. Fan's engagement for their team is very relative. If you see a footbal game in south america, french rugby stadiums seem very quiet. What shocked me during RWC2011 was how New Zealand fans only started to suport their team from the semi-finals. It is a cultural and socialogical matter and we seem to all agree that both the stadium crowd and the comentators needs to unleash their passion publicly, loudly and "body languagely"...

I think Sexton's and Mirande's tries don't deserve to be on the list, there were tons of better tries in the year...

Also agree with this, and I'm a Leinster fan. Maybe they were counting the importance of the match towards the quality of the try. There were a lot of better tries though.

Radike Samo's hand-off and sprint deserves a special mention too. As does the very impressive effort from Gethin Jenkins.

To be fair I thought this list was much more unbiased than anything the rugby club puts out when you are likely to see the hit of the year come from an Ozzie flag rugby game.

Sextons was on the list for drama and it was deserved.check out lawes slicing cut down tackle just before the try, it's textbook. Rugby is not about winning, it's about competing.

All great stuff. Try #10 deserves special mention.

It started with the Crusaders attacking the scrum off a Sharks feed. We saw swarming loose forwards, speed, clear direction, error free play, alot of width and it finished under the posts.

The fact they travelled from New Zealand/SaouthAfrica just to even get to the ground astounds me more than the try itself.

Gethin Jenkins's effort should be #1. Had everything, hand-off, dummy, speed, sidestep, breaking tackles and sheer power to beat the last two defenders. Sure, it's against Namibia but, I don't know, there's something about a prop scoring a try like that that just makes it extra-special.

To be honest, I don't really get why the Radike Samo try was voted IRB try of the year. I mean it's great, but really it's a good hand-off on Thorn (who should have hit lower) and a nice turn of pace and that's it.

Conspicuous by its absence - Scarlets' amazing team try against Perpignan, finished off by Rhys Priestland. Absolutely awesome try in terms of speed, handling, error-free, angles of running, offloads and cohesiveness, everyone on the same page as his team-mates.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1pE8t41TTk