Rugby World Cup Groups 2015: Ranking Best Tries from Pool Stage

Rugby World 2015 has seen some cracking tries, so compiling this top 10 is fraught with difficulties.

As a result, the tries on this list have been ranked under two criteria. The brilliance, whether individual or collective, of the try and also the context: the opposition and an evaluation of the pressure stakes of the moment.

Tries that did not make the top 10 but deserve honourable mentions are:

Ben Volavola: Fiji vs. Australia

Beauden Barrett: New Zealand vs. Namibia

Malakai Fekitoa: New Zealand vs. Namibia

Soane Tonga’uiha: Tonga vs. Argentina

Juan Imhoff: Argentina vs. Tonga

Ben Smith: New Zealand vs. Tonga

10. Chris Wyles: USA vs. Samoa

Wyles’ try, like Goneva’s for Fiji against Wales (see below), was orchestrated by players inside. The USA’s score lacks the off-the-cuff brilliance of Fiji’s try and was aided by Samoa’s open, inviting defence, but it still makes the top 10 tries of the pool stage.

Brilliance: 8 + Context: 6.5 = 14.5

9. Keith Earls: Ireland vs. Romania (second try)

Keith Earls scores a try in the corner after speeding past two players, but it was made by the giant miss pass. For a back-three player, Simon Zebo’s distribution was visionary: high-risk, high-reward.

Brilliance: 8.5 + Context: 6.5 = 15

8. Santiago Cordero: Argentina vs. Georgia (second try)

Cordero scored two fine tries against Georgia, but his second was an exceptional finish from 50 metres out. Take a look at the way he steps inside against final defender Giorgi Aptsiauri to give him the space to beat him on the outside. With the game already in the bag at 42-9, the match context counts against Cordero's try being higher up this list.

Brilliance: 9 + Context: 6.5 = 15.5

6=. Gareth Davies: Wales vs. England

Wales have a lineout on halfway, seven points down against England with 10 minutes left and, one Scott Williams break aside, have shown no threat to the England line. Cue an expansive play called off first phase and, crucially, a brilliant kick infield by makeshift winger Lloyd Williams, which is gathered and scored by Gareth Davies, a player who has taken a star turn this tournament.

Brilliance: 7 + Context: 9 = 16

6=. DTH van der Merwe: Canada vs. Italy

Van der Merwe’s try was a rugby rarity: A score straight from the kick-off. A forceful hand-off was matched by good speed and, more impressively, the presence of mind to cut inside to find support from his centre, Ciaran Hearn, before following his run and receiving the ball back from Hearn. A proper, length-of-the-field try.

Brilliance: 8.5 + Context: 7.5 = 16

4=. Bernard Foley: Australia vs. England (first try)

With the scores level at 3-3 at Twickenham, Australian fly-half Bernard Foley opened up the English defence with a dummy and beat five players to score. Also worth a mention is Sekope Kepu’s offload, which drew in England’s defence, giving Foley that extra bit of space.

Brilliance: 8 + Context: 8.5 = 16.5

4=. Tommy Seymour: Scotland vs. South Africa

With South Africa piling on the pressure, Duncan Weir makes an interception and runs 60 metres upfield. Showing brilliant awareness off the floor to offload to Tim Visser, Seymour keeps the move alive. Then it’s Visser’s turn, finding Tommy Seymour with a fine basketball pass. Seymour then beats a couple of defenders to score a try 80 metres in the making.

Brilliance: 8.5 + Context: 8 = 16.5

3. Bernard Foley: Australia vs. England (second try)

Foley’s second try was even more impressive than the first because the fly-half initiated and finished a move that sent the English defence one way, before cutting against the grain. It gave Australia a 14-point lead that sent them into the quarter-finals.

Brilliance: 8.5 + Context: 8.5 = 17

2. Vereniki Goneva: Fiji vs. Wales

Goneva is credited with the try, but really the scorecard should say: Fiji and their philosophy. In one phase, the Fijians took an unpromising situation in their own 22 all the way to Welsh tryline.

For individual vision, running and offloading skills combined with facing a defensively astute Wales at the Millennium Stadium, Fiji’s try is the second finest of the 2015 Rugby World Cup pool stage.

Brilliance: 9 + Context: 8.5 = 17.5

1. Karne Hesketh: Japan vs. South Africa

For the fact that Japan turned down a simple kick at goal that would have earned them a historic draw, for the fact that they beat South Africa with a well-worked try in the corner in overtime and for the significance of the result the try produced, there have been few more important and better tries in the history of international rugby.

Given the criteria outlined above, Japan’s teamwork, skill and the occasion mean that this was the try of the pool stage.

Brilliance: 8 + Context: 10 = 18