A brief history of crazy tries and moves

Sports Writer·NZ Herald·

14 Jun, 2016 02:18 AM2 mins to read

Australia attempt a flying V set play against the All Blacks in 1978.

Bulldogs league forward Tony Williams added to football's Hall of Hilarity this week. The giant Williams managed to make a whacky forward pass to himself in creating a try against the Dragons. We check out six of the craziest footy moves in history, either planned or not so.

1) Trench warfare

A classic out of the play book of Daryl Haberecht, the king of ingenious moves. The New South Wales Country coach got wing Dwayne Vignes to run over the top of a scrum against the 1989 Lions. Two years in the planning, the move was called Gallipoli - as in 'over the top'. The ref ruled out the try, penalised Vignes, then reversed it for the rough treatment he got from the angry Lions. Vignes told the Newcastle Herald: "We all had a laugh about it at the after-match function. (Lions) Scott Hastings reckoned I was crazy. They were fun times."

2) Down but not out for the count

Wales, trailing by 0 - 33, went for the 13-man lineout option against the All Blacks at Cardiff in 2012. This turned into a 14 man maul, and it worked with back Scott Williams being shoved over for a try. Welsh coach Warren Gatland had pulled the same move previously when in charge of Ireland.

3) Head games

St Helens' coach Mike McClennan, the former Kiwi fullback, designed a move whereby the two metre John Harrison headed the ball over the line for George Mann to score in an early 1990s English club league game. It led to a rule change, spoil sports.

4) Wrapping the ball up

The great Georgian forward Mamuka Gorgodze tore ball and jersey off a Spanish opponent, and passed this unusual parcel to a team mate in a 2008 game in Tbilisi.

5) V for...not victory

Another Haberecht special and a playground favourite. The Wallabies went into a mysterious V formation at a tap penalty, and then scattered in all directions. It didn't work too well, but as commentator Keith Quinn noted, it was an historic moment for test rugby. (1h 17m)