Top rugby 'Brain Fades'

by irfon17 Thu 30 May 2013, 6:54 pm

A top 5 list of rugby 'Brain Fades' put together by an Australian TV show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUUafbxrbWw

It's hard to argue with most of these but which ones would you add?

Personally I would add two Ronan O Gara lions incidents. The final minute of the second test against S.A. (The commentators words said it all- an incredulous "Why??!!!").
The second would be saying whatever he did to Duncan Mcrae in 2001 to warrant 11 punches to the face.

OK, obviously being tongue in cheek with the second one, nothing could justify that attack (except possibly being a lions supporter at the 2nd test against S.A.), but seriously, was it ever established what exactly p1$$ed off Mcrae so much?

In case you need reminding, here are youtube links to both incidents in order.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1B9-ha7TP0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz428AaGzoA

by dallym Fri 31 May 2013, 3:30 am

The Dunning drop goal will never get old.

by 100%beefy Fri 31 May 2013, 3:37 am

anything by dylan hartley?

by thebluesmancometh Fri 31 May 2013, 7:20 am

The attempted tackled tends to get missed by a lot of people as the stupidity of the series losing up and oh fudge takes the plaudits.

Interestingly though, hadn't seen it for ages, he clearly makes a signal to the winger (Bowe is it?) that he's going up and under yet the winger doesn't bother chasing and just drifts to the touchline. Why is that?

by thebluesmancometh Fri 31 May 2013, 7:27 am

Not sure if Burgers gouge should be there, although is the fade his or Pdivvy's?

I hate to say it but I need Pdivvy back in my life, the sport is a duller place without him, where is he now?

by thebluesmancometh Fri 31 May 2013, 7:37 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm3bzWmZd0s

Take you pick here, brain 'fades' all over the place, and only the Welsh could be this useless at every facet of the game!!!

1/ The easy kick is struck badly, bounces off the post.

2/ The defence pays no attention and walk up to the restart.

3/ The attacker under no pressure at all almost fluffs the finish (why he slid legs first, why he slid at all is beyond me!)

4/ The touch judges are doing what?

5/ the TMO gets his decision wrong after numerous replays

6/ The image quality is so bad the ball looks to pass through the blurry white line that is the post

ONLY IN WALES!

by **Rugby Fan** Fri 31 May 2013, 8:17 am

Dallaglio turning down a match-winning, Grand Slam-claiming penalty at Wembley counts as a major short circuit for me. I suppose it's not quite as much fun as seeing someone go to pieces during a passage of play.

by Mickado Fri 31 May 2013, 9:14 am

Ah Dunnings DG is bloody hilarious. What a strike!

by dummy_half Fri 31 May 2013, 9:18 am

thebluesmancometh wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm3bzWmZd0s

Take you pick here, brain 'fades' all over the place, and only the Welsh could be this useless at every facet of the game!!!

1/ The easy kick is struck badly, bounces off the post.

2/ The defence pays no attention and walk up to the restart.

3/ The attacker under no pressure at all almost fluffs the finish (why he slid legs first, why he slid at all is beyond me!)

4/ The touch judges are doing what?

5/ the TMO gets his decision wrong after numerous replays

6/ The image quality is so bad the ball looks to pass through the blurry white line that is the post

ONLY IN WALES!

That is a quality string of screw ups. I'm not entirely convinced that the winger grounded the ball properly either (would need to see it from behind the dead ball line to be sure, but it looks like he might knock on in attempting to ground it).

There is almost no way that the ball could have landed where it did in goal without going between the posts, yet the TMO seems to ignore that extra fact in looking at the replays (which I think are clearer without the 'enhancement' of the magnification, and even then it looks like the ball passed behind the second post).

Of course to add to the string of errors, look how many of the commentors on You Tube think that the try should not have been awarded for the winger having a foot in touch - doesn't matter if you are only grounding the ball, not in possession of it.

by GunsGerms Fri 31 May 2013, 9:23 am

The biggest one for me is Poitrenau v Howley in the HCup final. I bet he still has nightmares about it.

Hartley calling a ref a cheat is right up there.

by Geordie Fri 31 May 2013, 9:25 am

The one where the guys about to score a try...and dives in celebration but actually drops the ball over the line whilst in mid air...ill find it later and post it...

by stevetynant Fri 31 May 2013, 9:38 am

The second lions test in 2001 where Saint Johnny single handedly loses the second test match by gifting Joe roff a completely needless intercept pass. Not sure why ogara constantly gets brought up and this one conveniently swept under the carpet.

by dummy_half Fri 31 May 2013, 10:03 am

stevetynant wrote:The second lions test in 2001 where Saint Johnny single handedly loses the second test match by gifting Joe roff a completely needless intercept pass. Not sure why ogara constantly gets brought up and this one conveniently swept under the carpet.

Steve
No doubt it was a bad error by Wilkinson. I think though the reason he gets less abuse for this that ROG gets for his mistake is that it wasn't (as it turned out) the biggest match or biggest moment of Wilkinson's career, so is not the 'defining moment' in the same way.

by GunsGerms Fri 31 May 2013, 10:10 am

stevetynant wrote:The second lions test in 2001 where Saint Johnny single handedly loses the second test match by gifting Joe roff a completely needless intercept pass. Not sure why ogara constantly gets brought up and this one conveniently swept under the carpet.

Completley agree. It was just as bad if not worse.

by GunsGerms Fri 31 May 2013, 10:13 am

I loved Christophe Dominici's botched try v Italy and his face afterwards. Class.

www.t3licensing.com/video/clip/1B28410_0036.do

by Mickado Fri 31 May 2013, 10:21 am

GeordieFalcon wrote:The one where the guys about to score a try...and dives in celebration but actually drops the ball over the line whilst in mid air...ill find it later and post it...

by Geordie Fri 31 May 2013, 10:28 am

Thats the one Mickado...

by jelly Fri 31 May 2013, 10:46 am

Wilkinson interception, whilst admittedly bad, came much earlier in the game and gave both teams plenty of time to score after it. O'Gara's mistake was effectively the last play of the game and the resultant penalty cost the game. The fact that it came moments after a bad missed tackle by the same player hardly helped, nor did the general appearance of O'Gara of looking dazed and (possibly) concussed at the time.

The other thing that helped Wilkinson was the fact that most people blamed the attack on Hill as being a contibutory factor, rather than blame one of the Lions. Arguably, the lack of a red card for Berger should have been highlighted just as much in that test but for whatever reason, it wasn't.

by fa0019 Fri 31 May 2013, 11:00 am

O'Gara in the 05 GS match and his rush defence (planned but the ref was pulling him up every time) in the MS is right up there with his suicidal 09 moment.

Scotland vs. Italy can't remember when but 6N and in Murrayfield..... 2 or 3 intercept tries in first 10-20mins. It was pure car crash TV.

by stevetynant Fri 31 May 2013, 1:57 pm

David campese kindly handing the ball to ieuan evans after trying to break out from his own try line and losing the lions series to findlay calders lions. Shame really that thst ones on his cv but classic none the less

by **Rugby Fan** Fri 31 May 2013, 2:23 pm

stevetynant wrote:The second lions test in 2001 where Saint Johnny single handedly loses the second test match by gifting Joe roff a completely needless intercept pass. Not sure why ogara constantly gets brought up and this one conveniently swept under the carpet.

I don't think it has ever been swept under the carpet. Not only is it recalled whenever a Lions tour takes place, it's usually one of the prime exhibits when people care to make a case against Wilkinson as one of the game's best 10s.

It did change the course of that match but doesn't really count as a brain explosion. It was a good idea to release his backs but terrible execution

by stevetynant Fri 31 May 2013, 2:33 pm

Not sure how this didn't apply to ogara. Last play was to win the game rather than settle for the draw. Got it wrong and the rest is history of course.

by GunsGerms Fri 31 May 2013, 2:38 pm

One of the worst in my memory was Gavin Hastings missed kick in 1991 in front of the England posts to send Scotland into the world cup final.

For those that dont remember:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/rugby-world-cup/8794775/Rugby-World-Cup-2011-Scotlands-Gavin-Hastings-haunted-by-missed-kick-against-England-in-1991-tournament.html

by fa0019 Fri 31 May 2013, 3:08 pm

Guns... yeah that was a bad one, can't remember seeing someone else miss a shot as easy as that... even as a schoolboy. Don't think we covered ourselves in glory too much post match though. In the end these guys were our lions teammates 2 years prior.

Mentioned it on another blog but Colin Charvis in the 3rd test in 01 was another crazy brain fade. Simply out of his depth. Wouldn't have even been close to selection had Henry not ramped up his "home" selections.

by thebluesmancometh Fri 31 May 2013, 3:12 pm

fa0019 wrote:Guns... yeah that was a bad one, can't remember seeing someone else miss a shot as easy as that... even as a schoolboy. Don't think we covered ourselves in glory too much post match though. In the end these guys were our lions teammates 2 years prior.

Mentioned it on another blog but Colin Charvis in the 3rd test in 01 was another crazy brain fade. Simply out of his depth. Wouldn't have even been close to selection had Henry not ramped up his "home" selections.

by **Rugby Fan** Fri 31 May 2013, 3:16 pm

GunsGerms wrote:One of the worst in my memory was Gavin Hastings missed kick in 1991 in front of the England posts to send Scotland into the world cup final.

Well, that's really just a complete howler. I can remember Gordon Brown (the player, not the former PM) sounding utterly crestfallen in the studio, saying Gavin had just cost Scotland the game.

For a "brain fade" moment, though, you have to be able to ask "What on earth were you thinking?", so I wouldn't include it.

by fa0019 Fri 31 May 2013, 3:19 pm

Iestyn Harris and Andy Farrell signing professional rugby union contracts?? Well not to their bank balances anyhow.

by irfon17 Fri 31 May 2013, 3:33 pm

GunsGerms wrote:
stevetynant wrote:The second lions test in 2001 where Saint Johnny single handedly loses the second test match by gifting Joe roff a completely needless intercept pass. Not sure why ogara constantly gets brought up and this one conveniently swept under the carpet.

Completley agree. It was just as bad if not worse.

I don't think it was as bad for one main reason-Wilkinson didn't deliberately pass the ball to the opposition, he simply threw a mistimed pass. If imminent intercepts were so obvious, we wouldn't see an average of one or two a game (my own non-scientific estimate).

Stunts like O'Gara's on the other hand are rare indeed. He didn't have to perform an up and under (risky at the best of times) deep within his own half (stupid at the best of times) with the scores level and time all but expired (this was not the best of times).

Not only did he choose to do this, but he then chose to tackle the catcher in the air, slap bang in the middle of the field, inside his own half against a team containing one of the worlds longest range goal kickers, there is no sufficient adjective to describe stupidity of this magnitude.

by Poorfour Fri 31 May 2013, 3:43 pm

There was Will Greenwood forgetting to touch down the ball for a 22 during the RWC 2003 - passed it forward for the kick and gave away a 5m scrum. Fortunately, it came to nothing.

by thebluesmancometh Fri 31 May 2013, 3:45 pm

Last week someone played a pass under pressue on his own try line allowing Folau to intercept and walk over for a score, not that it's the biggest brain fade but in the position he was head down making the hard yards would have been the easier and safer option.

by stevetynant Fri 31 May 2013, 3:51 pm

Sam spear tackling in the world cup semi. Still painful memory even now. Perhaps not a brain fade and hugely unfortunate and perhaps controversial but Wales may never come that close again to a world cup and that one moment was crucial in the outcome.

by fa0019 Fri 31 May 2013, 3:58 pm

stevetynant wrote:Sam spear tackling in the world cup semi. Still painful memory even now. Perhaps not a brain fade and hugely unfortunate and perhaps controversial but Wales may never come that close again to a world cup and that one moment was crucial in the outcome.

Wasn't a brain fade necessarily... it was just too good a tackle, probably geared up to tackle a forward straight off the lineout and then a 12st winger came his way.

by fa0019 Fri 31 May 2013, 4:03 pm

SCW using Shane Williams as a crash ball option in 05 vs. Jerry Collins et al. That was pretty mindless.

Lee Mears & Shane Bryne being named in Lions squads let alone test starting lineups..... 3rd time luck perhaps with Youngs!!! Shocked

by GunsGerms Fri 31 May 2013, 4:07 pm

fa0019 wrote:SCW using Shane Williams as a crash ball option in 05 vs. Jerry Collins et al. That was pretty mindless.

Lee Mears & Shane Bryne being named in Lions squads let alone test starting lineups..... 3rd time luck perhaps with Youngs!!!

Shane Byrne was the close to being best hooker in the NH at the time. Not sure what the issue was there. The standard of hooker at the time wasnt great but he deserved his place. Bullock was decent, the other two were Thompson and Titteral FFS.

by fa0019 Fri 31 May 2013, 4:09 pm

did you watch the first 40 mins of the first test and you still stand by that comment Guns??? you're a patriot thats for sure!

by GunsGerms Fri 31 May 2013, 4:12 pm

fa0019 wrote:did you watch the first 40 mins of the first test and you still stand by that comment Guns??? you're a patriot thats for sure!

Can you name a Lion that actually played well. Yes his throwing was bad but it was a horrible wet day and everyone played bad. That doesnt mean he didnt deserve to be selected. He was one of the form hookers that year so couldnt really question his inclusion. I thought Titteral was luckier to be selected.

by fa0019 Fri 31 May 2013, 4:19 pm

Titteral was a bad choice certainly.

The strange thing is that when SCW played NZ he always went big upfront prior to this test... but then he went against that in the 1st test and left Thompson on the bench (I recall he didn't do too well in the Maori match so that could swayed his decision).

by GLove39 Fri 31 May 2013, 4:40 pm

O'Gara's bizzare not quite cross field kick to nobody in the Scotland - Ireland game this year. Ultimately gave Laidlaw the chance to edge us 4 ahead and cost Ireland the game.

by irfon17 Fri 31 May 2013, 4:43 pm

GunsGerms wrote:
fa0019 wrote:SCW using Shane Williams as a crash ball option in 05 vs. Jerry Collins et al. That was pretty mindless.

Lee Mears & Shane Bryne being named in Lions squads let alone test starting lineups..... 3rd time luck perhaps with Youngs!!!

Shane Byrne was the close to being best hooker in the NH at the time. Not sure what the issue was there. The standard of hooker at the time wasnt great but he deserved his place. Bullock was decent, the other two were Thompson and Titteral FFS.

As Guns says, Byrne warranted selection due to the lack of decent alternatives. Lee Mears' inclusion is harder to justify.

by thebluesmancometh Fri 31 May 2013, 4:48 pm

Has nobody mentioned anything Michalak did this season yet?

by fa0019 Fri 31 May 2013, 4:52 pm

just this season....???

by thebluesmancometh Fri 31 May 2013, 4:56 pm

fa0019 wrote:just this season....???

Well he looked good in super rugby at 9.

by fa0019 Fri 31 May 2013, 4:58 pm

not doubting that... but like Campo he often tends to do great things followed swiftly by utter nightmares. A bit less positive then Campo overall.

by GunsGerms Fri 31 May 2013, 5:09 pm

My top 5:

1.Tom Williams and Dean Richards v Leinster

2. Poitrenau v Wasps

3. Hartley v Barnes

4. Hastings v England

5. Leguizamon for LI or Dominici's botched try v Italy

by **Pal Joey** Sat 01 Jun 2013, 12:55 am

Campo's Mega Brain Fade by a country mile.

How many times do you see a player with the ball in his own in-goal area feign to run it out... and then quickly touch the ball down?
Just about every time. There's always that little bit of - Oh no, he's not seriously thinking of doing it, is he? - but in the closing minutes of a Lions Series with the Wallabies having it all but sewn up for the first time ever! - he did what he did.

I'd go as far to say that debacle helped motivate and inspire the Wallabies to their first Lions series win 12 years later - such was the immensity of the blunder!

Funnily enough, I noticed Greg Martin was absent on this week's Rugby HQ when the above segment was aired. No wonder. The other members joked that he called for the ball. The look on his face just before and after! That was cruel. Damaged for life! That may also explain why GM always seems to have a chip on his shoulder.

by Artful_Dodger Sat 01 Jun 2013, 1:03 am

Anybody remember Christophe Dominici dropping the ball over the try line and then turning round and giving a gallic shrug to his team mates?

Classic.

by jimmyinthewell68 Sat 01 Jun 2013, 9:51 am

Steven Jones kicking for touch after asking the ref if there was time for a kick during the Italy and Wales game . only for the ref to blow the whistle ending the game to a draw i think . surely refs brain fade

by rawa86 Sat 01 Jun 2013, 7:03 pm

Contepomi going for a drop goal against Toulouse when they were down by 6 points was pretty funny.

by GLove39 Sat 01 Jun 2013, 7:26 pm

rawa86 wrote:Contepomi going for a drop goal against Toulouse when they were down by 6 points was pretty funny.

Haha, great shout, without doubt one of the worst Brain Fades of all time! Well worth a watch https://youtu.be/8RkgTBxu0AE?t=2m3s - just love the bemused look on his coaches face after he knocks it over!

by irfon17 Sat 01 Jun 2013, 7:35 pm

GLove39 wrote:
rawa86 wrote:Contepomi going for a drop goal against Toulouse when they were down by 6 points was pretty funny.

Haha, great shout, without doubt one of the worst Brain Fades of all time! Well worth a watch https://youtu.be/8RkgTBxu0AE?t=2m3s - just love the bemused look on his coaches face after he knocks it over!

Watching the clip, it isn't the fact that Contepomi goes for the drop goal that is amusing, he misjudged either the time left or the scoreboard deficit (both admittedly pretty stupid) but the coach's response that has me in stitches.

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