Is this the dumbest play of the year?

[sharkfan]

Really now, there is not cure for stupidity it seemshttp://www.sport24.co.za/Multimedia/Rugby/Dumbest-play-of-the-year-20141205

 

[nickdnz]

To be fair I can see his thinking. He took a quick tap and tried to cover the the 10m extra, to kick in behind the retreating defense and allow a bounce into touch. So he probably thought he was sacrificing the lineout throw, but potentially gaining an extra 20m of territory (which depending on the state of the lineouts could be a good or bad thing). The problem was that's it was a terrible kick.

 

[j'nuh]

Would find it hard to argue against this. I laughed a lot watching it. (Partly for Davies' reaction.) Might be my favourite rugby moment of the last year.

Question is.. does it top the O'Gara classic from last year? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6ytZ77KaFU)

To be fair I can see his thinking. He took a quick tap and tried to cover the the 10m extra, to kick in behind the retreating defense and allow a bounce into touch. So he probably thought he was sacrificing the lineout throw, but potentially gaining an extra 20m of territory (which depending on the state of the lineouts could be a good or bad thing). The problem was that's it was a terrible kick.

But he walks 2 meters from the place in which the penalty was given away to the place in which he took the kick. Even if the ball stayed in field and South Africa won the ball back, it would have been no more than a 2m gain on just taking the penalty.

 

[nickdnz]

Would find it hard to argue against this. I laughed a lot watching it. (Partly for Davies' reaction.) Might be my favourite rugby moment of the last year.

Question is.. does it top the O'Gara classic from last year? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6ytZ77KaFU)


But he walks 2 meters from the place in which the penalty was given away to the place in which he took the kick. Even if the ball stayed in field and South Africa won the ball back, it would have been no more than a 2m gain on just taking the penalty.

Yeah...I didn't say it was clever, I can just see what he was thinking. I think he took the tap and panic'd when the other players didn't retreat fast enough.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Add to that he is trying to do a kick on the run and under pressure so it is doubtful he would have been able to get the same range as a penalty even if he had been accurate. I think what's more likely is he took the tap and go, suddenly realised there was nothing on and just did what seemed the instinctive choice in such a scenario in normal play. I think when he took the kick he had genuinely forgotten it was advantage for a fraction of a second.

 

[ruggabee]

I love Davie's exasperation I-I DON'T SEE WH- WHY DOES HE DO THA?? He's so dumbfounded lol

 

[sharkfan]

Yep, this act of dumb decision making and the yellow card killed the game for the Boks

 

[Mikel92]

To be fair I can see his thinking. He took a quick tap and tried to cover the the 10m extra, to kick in behind the retreating defense and allow a bounce into touch. So he probably thought he was sacrificing the lineout throw, but potentially gaining an extra 20m of territory (which depending on the state of the lineouts could be a good or bad thing). The problem was that's it was a terrible kick.

Yeah, totally agree. I can't say I would have done the same personally, but as Justin Marshall might say, I can see the intention. And sometimes rugby can be a game of territory. Speaking of commentators...that reaction is very amusing!

 

[William18]

What happened was they were 12-6 down and the pressure got to them. In many ways you should play with less urgency when you are behind. If you are behind but still within one score then throwing 50-50's is just stupid. Most of the time you just need to regroup and go back to basics. That seems to be what the All Blacks do anyway.

 

[Tony Manx]

Add to that he is trying to do a kick on the run and under pressure so it is doubtful he would have been able to get the same range as a penalty even if he had been accurate. I think what's more likely is he took the tap and go, suddenly realised there was nothing on and just did what seemed the instinctive choice in such a scenario in normal play. I think when he took the kick he had genuinely forgotten it was advantage for a fraction of a second.

OR he took it and hoped that he would get an extra 10 yards for Wales not retreating?

 

[Ospreylian]

Question is.. does it top the O'Gara classic from last year? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6ytZ77KaFU)

Yeah, I think that O'Gara moment still remains the dumbest on record. Every time I watch that I'm in fits even before he kicks when you can just see him trying to decide what to do with the ball. Poor guy.

- - - Updated - - -

This moment also gives me the giggles. James O'Connor taking over a minute to take a penalty, so Stringer just takes matters into his own hands

[video]http://share.gifyoutube.com/y72Vjo.webm[/video]

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Yeah, I think that O'Gara moment still remains the dumbest on record. Every time I watch that I'm in fits even before he kicks when you can just see him trying to decide what to do with the ball. Poor guy.

I can't see that being beat anytime soon!! Unless Jimmy Gopperth continues his current pattern in form at Leinster. I hate the clip though, it's what a great player will be remembered for by some people when, in reality, had he started that match Ireland would have won.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

OR he took it and hoped that he would get an extra 10 yards for Wales not retreating?

Which would only happen if he went into contact, which he didn't.

 

[Big Ewis]

when you've got veteran mic' hobbit Jonathan Davies on munching on your ass with his shrieking broken violin pitch, you know you're in trouble. Especially when he's this confounded.

 

[dasNdanger]

when you've got veteran mic' hobbit Jonathan Davies on munching on your ass with his shrieking broken violin pitch, you know you're in trouble. Especially when he's this confounded.

His voice hurts my dog ears!!


As far as the play goes, it certainly wasn't bright. But I thought there was one that was even worse...I've watched so many matches that I forget who and where and when - but it was in the last couple months. It was like a Keystone Kops move - I think the player was behind his own line, and he kicked the ball right to the attacking team and bam! Try. Really wish I could remember the details.

das

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Well I enjoyed it.

 

[ajwffc]

It probable is but there is still time for someone to beat it.

 

[goodNumber10]

Which would only happen if he went into contact, which he didn't.

is it not for interfering with play whilst not retreating, not sure you have to make contact.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

is it not for interfering with play whilst not retreating, not sure you have to make contact.

Yeah but generally that interference is due to a tackle. Either way he didn't put the Welsh in a position where any of them could interfere so I stand by my original view that he went into autopilot and did the kick completely forgetting he had just done a tap and go.