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IRB reveal Try of the Year nominees

21st November 2012 16:45

Julien Malzieu France Italy 6N 2012

Awesome try: Julien Malzieu

Wings Hosea Gear, Julian Savea, Bryan Habana and Julien Malzieu have been shortlisted for International Rugby Players' Association (IRPA) Try of the Year award.

This quartet of tries was selected by an esteemed panel of All Blacks Test centurion Mils Muliaina, South Africa's Try of the Year 2009 winner Jaque Fourie, former IRB Player of the Year Shane Williams and Japan's Daisuke Ohata, the leading try scorer in Test Rugby.

The panel, which between them boast more than 300 Test matches and 195 international tries, now has the unenviable task of deciding which of these tries should be named the IRPA Try of the Year 2012.

Click here to view the shortlisted tries.

First, though, Rugby fans around the world have a chance to nominate their favourite try from the shortlist with an interactive format used for the second year in a row.

Nominations can be made from now until 17:00 UK time on Wednesday, November 28 and can be submitted via the Rugby World Cup Facebook page.

Flying the flag for Europe in the Try of the Year shortlist is France wing Malzieu. The tall and rangy wing fended off two would-be tacklers before stepping inside another in a mesmerising run on his way to Italy's try-line in the Six Nations encounter in Paris.

All Blacks flyer Gear's effort in the third Test against Ireland in June was all about power and pace, too. The speedster got on the end of a tremendous offload from Conrad Smith following an overthrown Ireland line-out, and raced down the left touchline, leaving his opposite number for dead. Gear then bulldozed his way past Keith Earls to score in the corner.

Habana's try stemmed from a line-out move bang on the All Blacks' 10-metre line during The Rugby Championship match in Dunedin. While off balance South Africa scrum-half Ruan Pienaar was able to get his pass away to the onrushing Habana, who took the ball at pace and then gathered his own chip ahead for a marvellous score.

Rounding off the nominations is Savea's second try for New Zealand against Scotland at Murrayfield earlier this month. Dan Carter's deft kick over the Scottish defence was caught on the bounce by Savea, who stood up his man before sprinting over in the left hand corner.

The IRPA Try of the Year 2012 winner will be announced on Thursday, November 29.

Previous winners:
2011 - Radike Samo (Australia) - Australia v New Zealand
2010 - Chris Ashton (England) - England v Australia
2009 - Jaque Fourie (South Africa) - South Africa v British & Irish Lions
2008 - Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland) - Australia v Ireland

Comments

campbell17 says...

I am saying Savea for two reasons; I was at the game and it is the best try I have seen live at a stadium and also, Carter's kick was just amazing!

Posted 20:22 21st November 2012

flash says...

@ rockman

If its done like you said, then the award should be renamed try of the winning team's award. That would be very ridiculous.

A great try is a great try regardless if team lost or won. And all four nominees deserve the award.

Posted 19:15 21st November 2012

ruckingkiwi says...

All of them were awesome but Habana's should probably take it, although the 2nd of my double at touch the other was pretty sharp.

Posted 19:11 21st November 2012

NHsaints says...

Habana, absolute magic. Gear's was good too, but nothing on Habana's.

Posted 19:02 21st November 2012

cayzam says...

Just give it to Habana now.

Posted 18:50 21st November 2012

masar says...

@rockman was about to say the same thing, no try against italy or scotland can be try of the year... against ireland maybe, but not this ireland team

Posted 18:26 21st November 2012

side_stepper says...

I thought G Pisi's basketball-style try against Wales was one to consider. Anyway, I'd go for Gear, whose try was simply outstanding from 55m out.

Posted 18:17 21st November 2012

jmanngod says...

Gear - no doubts at all. Habana's was typical of a regular school-ground kick about game in NZ

Posted 18:02 21st November 2012

rockman says...

This is ridiculous! A great try is not just about the scoring team. A try is made great by beating the opposition too. The only decent opposition here were for Brian habanas try. Every other try was in extremely one sided matches.

Posted 17:49 21st November 2012

carpelone says...

Habana, no doubt. And I am unbiased.

Posted 17:38 21st November 2012

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