The Greatest Test Matches Ever?
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Many of you will know I run the www.raeburnshield.com concept and I have started looking back and identifying #OnThisDay content to look at games in history that would have doubled as Raeburn Sheld matches which has been interesting but got me thinking...
What test matches were the best of all time?
I still recall the 1996 match against Australia at Athletic park where we played what I remember as a perfect match in horrific conditions as an example of something truly special.
Would be interested in hearing other peoples favourite matches of all time. (And I will then be curious to check if they were Raeburn Shield matches too!)
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2003 Sydney Bledisloe
1995 England semi
2005 Lions test 2
1996 Springbok test #2 at Loftus.
They are the ones that spring to mind.
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Oh god was that the one where Goldie shelled it on the line? Epic finish to a match but heartbreak.
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1996 was such a good year, that Springbok series win was epic
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@Davesofthunder said in The Greatest Test Matches Ever?:
Oh god was that the one where Goldie shelled it on the line? Epic finish to a match but heartbreak.
No. He's talking the "Greatest Test of All Time" where we jumped to a huge lead, Wallabies clawed their way back, and Jonah scored at the death to win. Then in the return the Wallabies jumped to a lead, we pulled two tries from our ass (a Ron Cribb grubber and that ridiculous U21 B level set play) and then Eales kicked a penalty in the 154th minute because Todd Blackadder was a shit captain (or really our lineout fell apart, and then a duuuuumb penalty).
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2004? v France was excellent, basically kick started a rather dominant period of rugby (outside of RWC of course)
I think one of the tries in those games @Hooroo refers to was that reedonkulusslee complicated move that saw Cully go over untouched.
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@taniwharugby yeah, actually there are a couple of France away games that were awesome. That 2004 one was great for a number of reasons. Then there is one a couple of years later where we hosed them as well, i remember Mils cutting them up.
Was the 2004 one where we just destroyed their scrum?
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also, does it make you officially old when you would rather talk about tests from 15-25 years ago, rather than Super Rugby this weekend?
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@mariner4life think so, you talking the French 2007 tour to NZ we toweled them up, then missed our flights to France for the RWC.
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@taniwharugby said in The Greatest Test Matches Ever?:
@mariner4life think so, you talking the French 2007 tour to NZ we toweled them up, then missed our flights to France for the RWC.
nah, it was definitely away, maybe remembrance day?
Got it. Nov 2009. The Mils try is one of my favourites. He puts Sivi in space, Sivi runs miles, then gives it back to Mils to score.
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2000 Bled Sydney. 21 - nil - comeback from Aus. 24 all half time. Jonah scores to win it in front of 110,000 crowd. Hard to beat.
@mariner4life said in The Greatest Test Matches Ever?:
2005 Lions test 2
This but can't be Raeburn shield I don't think as not one nation?
But yes this:@mariner4life said in The Greatest Test Matches Ever?:
1996 Springbok test #2 at Loftus.
A few are memorable for the wrong reasons and probably not "greatest":
Chicago
Rustenburg Rodney
We have a deal (not Raeburn again)And some more, but I'm getting depressed so stopping that now.
Japan versing Bok in RWC 2015 was a great match and not only for the upset factor.
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@mariner4life we smoked them in 2006
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@taniwharugby said in The Greatest Test Matches Ever?:
@mariner4life we smoked them in 2006
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Access comprehensive player and match statistics for the All Blacks and Black Ferns. Explore career stats, player profiles, and historical data from New Zealand's iconic rugby teams.
that's the date that was in my head, but not the game. That is a belting!
All these France results by that AB side make 2007 all that more perplexing. Sport aye?
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2011 RWC final - a certain monkey off a certain back
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@Virgil said in The Greatest Test Matches Ever?:
2011 RWC final - a certain monkey off a certain back
It wasn't a great game to watch, but the pressure was immense. RWC 1995 SF vs England, final test of the winning SA tour in 1996, the rain game in Wellington vs Oz for ridiculous skills in abject weather, the come from behind game vs Oz in Brisbane when Buncie scored in the corner to win it
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@canefan said in The Greatest Test Matches Ever?:
@Virgil said in The Greatest Test Matches Ever?:
2011 RWC final - a certain monkey off a certain back
It wasn't a great game to watch, but the pressure was immense. RWC 1995 SF vs England, final test of the winning SA tour in 1996, the rain game in Wellington vs Oz for ridiculous skills in abject weather, the come from behind game vs Oz in Brisbane when Buncie scored in the corner to win it
Oh it was a shit game to watch, easily the most tense game to watch.
Yeah not a great test at all, not sure why it’s even mentioned here really... -
@mariner4life said in The Greatest Test Matches Ever?:
@Davesofthunder said in The Greatest Test Matches Ever?:
Oh god was that the one where Goldie shelled it on the line? Epic finish to a match but heartbreak.
No. He's talking the "Greatest Test of All Time" where we jumped to a huge lead, Wallabies clawed their way back, and Jonah scored at the death to win. Then in the return the Wallabies jumped to a lead, we pulled two tries from our ass (a Ron Cribb grubber and that ridiculous U21 B level set play) and then Eales kicked a penalty in the 154th minute because Todd Blackadder was a shit captain (or really our lineout fell apart, and then a duuuuumb penalty).
I was at the game with the Eales penalty to win it. I don't remember much about the game but the walk back to town stands out in my memory - a big crowd in basically complete silence all the way back. Everyone was in shock.
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@No-Quarter said in The Greatest Test Matches Ever?:
@mariner4life said in The Greatest Test Matches Ever?:
@Davesofthunder said in The Greatest Test Matches Ever?:
Oh god was that the one where Goldie shelled it on the line? Epic finish to a match but heartbreak.
No. He's talking the "Greatest Test of All Time" where we jumped to a huge lead, Wallabies clawed their way back, and Jonah scored at the death to win. Then in the return the Wallabies jumped to a lead, we pulled two tries from our ass (a Ron Cribb grubber and that ridiculous U21 B level set play) and then Eales kicked a penalty in the 154th minute because Todd Blackadder was a shit captain (or really our lineout fell apart, and then a duuuuumb penalty).
I was at the game with the Eales penalty to win it. I don't remember much about the game but the walk back to town stands out in my memory - a big crowd in basically complete silence all the way back. Everyone was in shock.
And Kaplan had a huge amount of ref's time
BBC Sport - Rugby Union - France 12-39 New Zealand
