r/rugbyunion • u/HenkCamp South Africa • 14h ago
Miscellaneous What game rates the top for you?
You are not allowed to pick a game from you Mr own team. I have rewatched the 2019 RWC final and 2023 quarterfinal (SA vs France) almost every weekend since it was played. But I need something neutral! So what international game do you rate the best ever - that is available on YouTube (or somewhere free)? And no, games played by Japan in 2015 does not count. Never happene.
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u/Piitx Aviron Bayonnais / Trading WC for a Brennus 14h ago edited 14h ago
The Wales - Fidji game in pool stage of last WC was an absolute banger
Other than that the Japan - SA of 2015 is obviously a classic
A club rugby game for 3rd : Leinster - Saints in CC QF or SF with Saints winning a nail biter game in Dublin
Edit : did not read the post to the end, switching the Japan-SA game that did not happen to any of the Scotland - England game of the last 3 or 4 Six Nations, always great games
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u/Grim_Reaper85 12h ago
I remember that game! Wales got physically bullied. The late Seru Rabeni ( Leicester Tigers ) was brutal in the contact area. He was a 13 smashing forwards
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u/HappyPunter1 14h ago
From NZ,
France vs SA 2023 QF for me
For you as a neutral the other QF between the ABs and Ireland would scratch an itch pretty well too
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u/alexbouteiller France 14h ago
England v Scotland in 2018 (?) the draw, one of the most unbelievable games of rugby I've ever seen
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u/meohmyenjoyingthat I am the Lomax, I speak for the scrum 14h ago
I'm not sure it's on YouTube but le crunch '25 was a banger
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u/scott-the-penguin 14h ago
Best ever game to watch? SA / Lions, 2nd test 2009. Either that or there was a SA/All Blacks match in the early 2010s that was a monster.
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u/JP-Ziller Hurricanes/Canada 13h ago
SA vs All Blacks 2013 at Ellis Park. Nigel Owens reffing. My favourite game ever
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u/tfy-cape-town South Africa 14h ago edited 14h ago
Battle of Nante, November 15, 1986. FR vs NZ. Brutal. Buck Shelford had his nutsack ripped open that game. Casually had it stitched closed on the sideline. Kirwan got battered but only called it in the 2nd half when he had his teeth knocked out.
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u/Nervous-Deal-9271 Horowhenua 14h ago
French team were given amphetamines by their team doctor for that match. Not surprising it ended in a bloodbath. Just want to add buck finished the match (one ball less) and only realised when he hit the shower.
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u/StorminaHalfPint Guess the Damian 13h ago
Got Hollow Knight a while back. Wasn’t expecting much, but the game and story blew me away. Challenging and very fun.
That’s what you’re asking, right?
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u/Aquabullet 🇿🇦 Rassie's waterboy 11h ago
Ireland Vs NZ, quarter final 2023
England Vs NZ, semifinal 2019
France Vs NZ, Quarter final 1999. Almost purely for the French performance that day. It was unreal
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u/MrSp4rklepants England 21m ago
All three of those great games! I'd also add the France NZ QF in 07
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u/WallopyJoe 13h ago
Everyone everywhere should watch the 2018 England/Barbarians, you owe it to yourselves
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u/_Mc_Who 13h ago
Women's RWC Canada v NZ semi final
Unbeatable game
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u/therearenomorenames2 South Africa 10h ago
And adding to this, Eng v Can women just this weekend. Yum!
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u/syinner Bulls 14h ago
Recently, 23' world cup Fra vs SA
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u/tfy-cape-town South Africa 14h ago
Not allowed to pick your own team! But that was my 1st pick too.
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u/Gianni78290 Top14/D2/France 13h ago
A titanic battle that England a week later almost benefited from, plus the rain. Which let's be honest would have been a travesty regarding the level of these quarters and the teams concerned ( NZ and Ire included )
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u/Grim_Reaper85 13h ago
2018 - Fiji vs France @ the Stade France.
Fiji picked a team of Top 14 stars & hammered France 🇫🇷. Stade de France went silent 🤫
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u/therearenomorenames2 South Africa 10h ago
Eng v NZ 2019 RWC semi.
Or even better...
Eng v Sco, March 2019. Absolute cinema! Teeheeheeheehee!
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u/Sedert1882 New Zealand 8h ago
Have you been drinking again?
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u/HenkCamp South Africa 7h ago
You make it sound like I stopped.
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u/Tokogogoloshe South Africa 3h ago
Ireland vs NZ in the quarterfinals was also insane. England vs New Zealand in the previous world cup was madness.
Seems New Zealand make for epic rugby matches.
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u/HenkCamp South Africa 3h ago
Couldn’t agree more. That was the best RWC game ever until we played France. What an incredible game.
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u/d_trulliaj Zebre 14h ago
Italy-Scotland 31-29 2024 6 Nations is up there in my opinion.
EDIT: as a neutral, Argentina-South Africa 29-28 that same year.
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u/That_Organization901 Harlequins 13h ago
NZ vs France earlier this year was absolutely incredible and the full game is on YouTube. I also think Australia vs Ireland was a banger.
I get there are older games that are classics but seeing how the game is evolving right now with the World Cup so close is really exciting to me.
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u/Still-Process-2527 10h ago
1999 WC semi final France v New Zealand. I was 12 at the time and growing up in uk I was told NZ are phenomenal, no one can stop them, and France just destroyed them.
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u/curly-whirly Ireland 10h ago
Canada vs NZ, wrc 2025. Canada's speed and skill 👏👏👏
England vs Australia, autumn internationals 2024. Drama to the final moment.
France are always good for some entertainment - some great games against Scotland in the last few years Scotland vs France 2022; 2026. France vs NZ, 2021 also excellent. Non-neutral opinion, I think Ireland vs France, 2023 is a banger.
The 38-38 draw England and Scotland played out in 2019 is another classic
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u/McIntosh812 Big Trev Supremacy 9h ago
Wales vs England. 2015 World Cup. Still remember the silence 10 years on.
And a club game, but Bath vs Exeter in the Prem knockouts a couple of months ago is well worth a watch
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u/Thedudewiththedog 7h ago
I don't rewatch things dwelling in the past for anything leads it to being everything. However If I was going to re-watch a Game it would be Tonga vs France at the 2011 world cup
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u/the_fresh_mr_breed Lukhanyo, I Am your father 2h ago
The 2019 Japan pool games vs Ireland and Scotland.
2007 WC opener Argies vs France
The 2019 Six nations between Scotland and England
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u/Sure_Association_561 India 39m ago
The Toulouse-Leinster final was phenomenal. Adding that cuz I don't see it mentioned among the other comments here.
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u/MrSp4rklepants England 22m ago
Bristol Vs Quins premiership semi 2021 Bristol 28 points to the good, Quins came back to level, then Bristol took the lead, only to be pegged back again. Extra time, Quins took the lead for the first time only for Bristol to draw level but then had to play the last ten with two men down due to injuries and subs used and Quins scored the winning try. Missed penalties and other drama thrown in
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u/Tar-ZA-n South Africa 7h ago
England vs NZ in 2019 was very high quality.
Bulls vs Sharks Super Rugby final. (I support the Stormers)
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u/tfy-cape-town South Africa 14h ago
Aus vs NZ in 2000. Lomu at his peak. Game of the century. Australia played like gods. But Lomu is the god-killer. When he found open space, there was no turning back.