Adam Ashley-Cooper's superman tackle

Flanker gets away with sneaky slap

Goodes' catch and sprint down wing

Justin Marshall over advertising boards

Opeti Fonua smashes Chris Masoe in 2010

WIN a 'Lions 2013 Down Under' T-Shirt

Michael Brial assaults Frank Bunce in 96

Tom Varndell sneaks in for great try

Friday Funnies - Richie McCaw is a cheat

Monday, March 04, 2013

The Top 5 Swan Dives of all time

As mentioned on Friday, the Rugby Club in Australia has changed formats slightly, has some new features, and is now called RugbyHQ. Here is a look at what is likely to be a popular regular segment, the Top 5's, starting off with some classic swan dives. 

When you think of memorable swan dives over the years, you'll probably picture something different depending on where in the world you come from, and who you support.

England fans may think of Chris Ashton and the Ash Splash, while South Africans might remember Griquas winger Jearus Nicholas, who broke his collarbone performing one of his signature dives.

Rugbydump regular Sean Maloney, whose dulcit tones could be heard commentating the Reds game over the weekend, has put together RugbyHQ's pick of the Top 5 Swan Dives in recent times.

Starting off with what would probably be more of a flop than a dive, it's big James Horwill against France in 2008. That game was remembered for, amongst other things, the huge fight that resulted in his new party trick - being able to touch his eye with his tongue.

Lelia Masaga's great try against Wellington in the ITM Cup in 2010 got a special mention, but mainly for the celebration, as did Adam Ashley-Cooper's effort in 2009.

At number two it's Bryan Habana's dramatic last minute try against the Sharks in the Super 14 final of 2007, and at number one it's the moment we featured here on RD when it happened, as USA Eagles captain Todd Clever quite literally flew over for a try at the George Sevens.

Each one of these moments can be viewed again, with longer clips, in the Related Posts listed below


Posted at 1:03 pm | 33 comments

|

Related Posts

Sharpshooter Lelia Masaga's sniping try against Wellington

Midweek Madness - Todd Clever flies into George

The Wallabies come right against the Springboks in Brisbane

Two suspended from Wallabies vs France big fight

Super 14 Final 2007 - Winning try by Bryan Habana

Posted in See it to Believe it

« Sharks vs Stormers Highlights - Super Ru… The Dimitri Yachvili stamp on Racing Met… »

Viewing 33 comments

mise March 04, 2013 7:20 pm

that was somethin else, that last one by Celver! Ashton has that move branded on the brain thou, but they were a laugh.

Love the clips from those guys in general - brilliantly casual compared ot so much sports commentary

· · Reply · Report

UpTheLowEnd March 04, 2013 7:26 pm

Yeah gotta admit, much as i hate to say it, they missed a trick missing out ashton.

· Reply · Report

Rob March 04, 2013 8:30 pm

Two points:
1) Rugby HQ is Twickenham
2) Your top five is crap apart from the 5th

· · Reply · Report

Simon the Saracens March 04, 2013 8:31 pm

All good, even very good but nothing compared to an Ash Splash......Ball in one hand extended above the head ......... Simon the Saracen!

· Reply · Report

RamRugby10 March 04, 2013 8:48 pm

Yep! Best commentators in the world. Tough ask to shorten list of best dives of all time down to just FIVE though.

· Reply · Report

stroudos March 05, 2013 12:32 am

Absolutely hilarious aren't they? Anyone know if there's a way of watching the whole programme in the UK?

· Reply · Report

Twit March 05, 2013 2:03 pm

Try www.foxsports.com.au/rugby

You should be able to get most of the clips through that page.

· Reply · Report

Schultz March 04, 2013 9:49 pm

Ashton behaves like an arrogant tool, I cant wait for his dives to backfire.

This should be something saved for something special, an important match winner or milestone, not something you do every time you score.

Glad his weren't it the video, they would have spoiled it.

And we all know that Eden Park is the rugby temple.

· Reply · Report

Guy March 04, 2013 11:53 pm

Since there are no rules on when to use a swan dive, you've got quite a hypocritical point of view.

This coming from a complete neutral.

· Reply · Report

stroudos March 05, 2013 12:31 am

The only problem with Ashton's dive is he always bottles it and drops his knee - like Horwill on this compilation, but Horwill's a second row so he's entitled to.

· Reply · Report

Schultz March 05, 2013 12:54 am

Yes there are no rules, but it was always my understanding that there is a non spoken agreement that celebrations in rugby were professional and should reflect the gravity of the moment for the team, and not so much the player.

If this makes my point hypocritical then there is something I have misunderstood, but otherwise it seems fine to me.

Also, neither English or from NZ.

· Reply · Report

Guy March 05, 2013 10:42 am

Up until about two years ago I would have totally agreed with you. But I am more and more starting to feel that this behaviour is part of professionalism and it can be quite entertaining too (e.g. the caterpillar ehhhhh turtle by Ioane).

Maybe hypocritical is not the right word. But as soon as I saw the subject was the Swan Dive, I knew there was going to be some Ashton bashing. Whether anyone likes him or not (me myself not too big a fan of him except for the fact that everybody seems to hate him which feeds my sympathy for the bloke), he should not be measured to a different standard.

· Reply · Report

Schultz March 05, 2013 1:37 pm

Fair enough that the celebrations are become more extreme, however, in a non international setting I don't have too much of an issue with it, I cant explain why and on that count it is rather silly.
I guess that I feel that people need to show more respect when representing their country.
Also, the difference between the turtle and a swan dive is that the former, unlike the latter does not put the score at risk.

As for Ashton, I don't really like English players, probably due to being Scottish, but when I first saw his break at the WC where I went past Aus down the touchline I thought that he looked like a great winger, then he dived over and it spoiled it, so maybe I judge him to a different level, but I think that the same would apply to any player that routinely does something like that. JOC doesn't celebrate in such fashion, even when he first started out, he just gets on with the job of scoring tries.

· Reply · Report

Guy March 05, 2013 5:23 pm

I see where you're coming from.

JOC doesn't dive...but he's got a criminal hardo ;-)

· Reply · Report

Reality March 05, 2013 7:53 pm

I think people don't like these dives (and Ashton by extension) because they think it shows a lot of arrogance. It's a team game, so the argument is that when you score, you should do it in a dignified way, remembering that the team scored the try and not just the individual. When someone starts jumping around the place or dancing, it gives the impression that they're saying, "LOOK AT ME! AREN'T I JUST FANTASTIC?!" and puts all the focus on that player and his celebration, rather than the work that went into the try. Plus, it's not very respectful towards your opponents.

That's what they say, anyway. Whether you agree or not is another thing.

· Reply · Report

Rich_W March 05, 2013 10:28 pm

Can I just point something out to highlight the kind of unjustified bashing Ashton gets.

1st post - "Ashton behaves like an arrogant tool, I cant wait for his dives to backfire.

This should be something saved for something special, an important match winner or milestone, not something you do every time you score."

This post - "but when I first saw his break at the WC where I went past Aus down the touchline I thought that he looked like a great winger, then he dived over and it spoiled it"

If going 90m and skinning three Aussies at Twickenham isn't a special moment, I don't know what is.

· Reply · Report

Schultz March 06, 2013 1:14 pm

Maybe it was a special moment, however, i feel that it hardly qualifies for the dive, I mean plenty of players run 90 and beat 3 opposition and don't do that, Hogg against Italy as an example, or Tim Nanai Willians to weekends ago.

As for JOC's hairdo, it got worse once he shaved it off! But it can all be forgiven because Cipriani still is around with his 'mop'

· Reply · Report

Tc March 04, 2013 10:41 pm

Not my choice of try celebration. A pat on the back should suffice

But interestingly a socially acceptable practice when it doesn't include Chris Ashton it would seem!

· · Reply · Report

Guy March 04, 2013 11:51 pm

No Rockococo in the top 5?

· · Reply · Report

Moo March 05, 2013 12:07 am

Who was the Argentinian forward who dropped one over the line doing this (for London Irish, I think)? That's got to be in there for comedy value.

· Reply · Report

Juggernauter March 05, 2013 7:38 am

Juan Manuel Leguizamon. I laughed for two days after that.

· Reply · Report

Jarhead March 05, 2013 2:22 am

Argentinian Leguizamon dropped ball in the act of scoring for London Irish.

Big one that has been forgotten was Ben Cohen's Try in 2002 (pips Ash Splash by nearly a decade), can't remember if it was against the Wallabies or the All Blacks.

· Reply · Report

Matthew March 06, 2013 2:02 am

Haha, I just posted links to both of these without even having noticed your comment.

Are you me? :-)

· Reply · Report

Ottawa Rugger March 05, 2013 3:50 am

Sergeal Petersen's looks so painful! How did the man not break his spine?

· Reply · Report

Dreamer March 05, 2013 12:58 pm

Imagine the scene, ashton races clear in the home final of the rugby world cup trailing Scotland by 4 points in the final seconds of the match (hey it's my dream here!) and this happens... I'd die a happy man.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAYEVRRHhn4

· · Reply · Report

alasdairduncan3 March 05, 2013 8:14 pm

Typical Aussie video missing out clearly the best of them all, as Chris Ashton scored that epic try against the Wallabies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRpzejrMlEo

· Reply · Report

Ronan March 06, 2013 12:44 am

i think its funny the cock ashton doesnt get a mention... what a cock!!!!!

· Reply · Report

Matthew March 06, 2013 1:54 am

Ben Cohen FTW!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwmciobL6q4

· Reply · Report

Matthew March 06, 2013 1:58 am

Though this is perhaps my favourite swan dive ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1914XF8afo

· Reply · Report

katman March 07, 2013 10:59 am

How about a bit of this:

http://www.rugbydump.com/2007/03/74/phillip-burger-insane-dive

· Reply · Report

HT March 09, 2013 4:17 pm

hmmm..no rokocoko the master of swan dives...no henry speight??

· Reply · Report

jwordsworth215 March 20, 2013 11:12 pm

WHERE WAS ASHTON, the master of the swan dive: http://youtu.be/_8kA6rlq7SM

· Reply · Report

Jon Pulley April 02, 2013 11:35 pm

Where is Philip Burger? That man did some insane dives back in the day, and I'm fairly sure one of them was posted on here a while back. Can't find it now though.

· Reply · Report

Commenting as Guest | Register or Login

All comments are moderated and will be removed immediately if offensive.
 
Site Meter