Valentin Calafeteanu and Madalin Lemnaru of Romania celebrate their World Cup victory over Canada. Photo/Getty.
Valentin Calafeteanu and Madalin Lemnaru of Romania celebrate their World Cup victory over Canada. Photo/Getty.
Romania's effort to fight back from a 15-point deficit and beat Canada 17-15 today was a World Cup comeback record.
It seems remarkable that 15 points is the greatest margin to be overcome, but Romania's against-the-odds triumph inspired us to look back at some of the more memorable rugby comebacks from the last 20-odd years.
It doesn't all make pleasant reading for All Blacks fans, but there's some golden moments to go with a couple of heart-breaking defeats.
Here's a rundown of five great rugby comebacks.
1. All Blacks v France - 1999 World Cup semi-final
As much as we'd like to forget it, no World Cup comeback discussion can ignore the fact the All Blacks let slip a 14-point lead to France in their 1999 tournament semi-final.
Early in the second-half, everything was going swimmingly for the Men in Black, with Jonah Lomu powering over for two tries to help them to a 24-10 lead.
A place in the World Cup final looked assured, before French five-eighth Christophe Lamaison stepped up, having already scored his side's first try, adding two penalties and two dropped goals to make it 24-22.
In 13 minutes France laid on 26 unanswered points to win 43-31 in one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.
2. All Blacks v Wallabies - second test 1996
The All Blacks showed their trademark resolve when they overcame 13-point deficit to score a thrilling 32-25 win over the Wallabies in the second test at Brisbane's Lang Park in 1996.
After being thrashed by the All Blacks in Wellington three weeks earlier, the Wallabies were fired up for revenge and looked primed to do so when fullback Matt Burke scoring a spectacular individual try to help the hosts to a 22-9 lead going into the final quarter.
The All Blacks kept their cool, with halfback Justin Marshall crossing for a converted try and five-eighth Andrew Mehrtens kicking the last of six penalties to tie things up at 25-25.
With a minute remaining, the All Blacks launched an attacking move with Mehrtens wrapping around centre Frank Bunce, before splitting the defence and firing a pass out to fullback Christian Cullen, who was cut down short of the line.
Bunce was first to claim possession and drove forward over the line for the match-winner, helping the All Blacks to sweep the inaugural Tri Nations championship.
3. All Blacks v France - second test 1994
France produced another stunning effort to topple the All Blacks 23-20 in 1994, with Jean-Luc Sadourny diving over for the match-winning 'try from the end of the world'.
With just three minutes remaining in the match and trailing 20-16, France captain Philippe Saint-André sparked the movement from inside his 22, with the ball passing between seven pairs of hands and going 80 metres downfield and side-to-side before Sadourny dotted down.
Often described as 'the game of the century', a world record crowd of 109,874 watched the All Blacks trump the Wallabies 39-35 in the 82nd minute of the Stadium Australia clash in 2000.
It took a remarkable comeback from the Wallabies, who found themselves down 24-0 after just six minutes, following quick-fire All Blacks tries to Christian Cullen, Jonah Lomu and Tana Umaga.
Australia, led by five-eighth Stephen Larkham, roared back and two Stirling Mortlock tries helped them to draw level at 24-24 by halftime.
A tight second-half unfolded before a try to Jeremy Paul with time almost up edged the Wallabies in front 35-34.
However, in a last-ditch effort, Taine Randall's overhead pass found Jonah Lomu who beat Larkham to stroll over and clinch the win for New Zealand.
5. Wales v Scotland - Six Nations 2010
One of the greatest comebacks in Six Nations history saw Wales trump Scotland 31-24 in Cardiff in 2010.
Diminutive Welsh winger Shane Williams jinked his way under the posts to score the match-winning try at the death, denying Scotland their first Six Nations away win for four years and a first in Cardiff for eight.
Just three minutes earlier Scotland had led by 10 points, but a converted try to Leigh Halfpenny in the 77th minute gave Wales hope, before five-eighth Stephen Jones added a penalty to level the scores.
Time was up on the clock, but from the restart Wales attacked with a Jones cross-kick assisting the move before Williams dived in for his 51st test try to claim victory.
