Rugby World Cup 2007

Drop dead important


By Adam Daff

Pundits have called for it to be striped of its worth – from three points to one, they say – but in the big tournaments there can be no doubting the value of the elusive drop goal.

Almost 100 drop goals have been potted over since the inception of the Rugby World Cup in 1987 and these points represent some of the most crucial, and exciting, in Cup history.

Granted, compared to a five-point try – drop goals are a “weak” option, but at the death in a tight game they are often the only alternative.

They were not always a central part of the international game, but became more prominent after the 1991 Cup when players generally put on much more muscle, defence became a bigger part of the game and tries were harder to come by.

In 1995 the drops started coming early in the tournament.

England secured a place in the semi final against New Zealand in Cape Town after a drop goal from fly-half Rob Andrew. The goal pushed England to a 25-22 victory over Australia, the side that had beaten them in the final four years earlier.

“I knew as soon as I’d hit it, I knew the moment that it left my boot that it was gone,” Andrew told the Rugby News Service earlier this year.

Coincidently, in the next game England were sent packing when All Black No 8 Zinzan Brooke booted the ball off the ground from 40 metres out – and it went over as a very bizarre three-point effort.
Four years later at the 1999 World Cup, England were again undone by the drop goal, although this time it was a record-breaking onslaught. South African pivot Jannie De- Beer just couldn’t miss – and kicked a record five drop goals in a 44-21 victory.

“It was almost a helpless feeling because they actually set them up as well – they took the ball up and they were getting momentum and giving De Beer a lot of time and we couldn’t get anywhere near him,” said England captain Martin Johnson. “It was the most surreal second half I have ever been involved with.”

De Beer, who never played for South Africa after the World Cup, had sympathy for England, admitting: “Afterwards on the video you can actually see that it must have been demoralising for them, you’re not doing anything wrong, but points get scored against you.”

De Beer’s form continued in the next match but it was Wallabies No 10 Stephen Larkham who stole all the glory when he kicked his first drop goal ever at the death – and that ended South Africa’s 1999 World Cup campaign.

“It was just one of those things, I don’t know if it was the most memorable moment of the World Cup, but it was certainly very memorable for me – considering I hadn’t kicked one before,” said Larkham. Australia then went through to win the final against France at Millennium Stadium in Wales.

There are two drop goals, however, that stand out because they were kicked in the Cup final and both attempts came in extra time and turned nations into World Cup winners for the first time.

The first, deep into injury time in the 1995 final between South Africa and New Zealand, was not a planned move as Springbok halfback Joost van der Westhuizen said: “As I put the ball in [to the scrum], Joel [Stransky] just shouted ‘cancel, give me the ball.”

“As I struck it, I hit it sweetly, I looked up and saw it was spinning perfectly, the trajectory was good, I knew it could never miss,” said Stransky, who kicked three penalties and two drop goals in South Africa’ 15-12 victory over the All Blacks.

Stransky’s World Cup winning drop goal might not have been planned, but Jonny Wilkinson’s effort for England with 30 seconds of extra time remaining against Australia in the 2003 final definitely was because the scores were locked at 17-17.

Wilkinson had already missed three attempts at drop goal on his favoured left foot, but England had been the better side and something had to give. Halfback Matt Dawson finally got Wilkinson the ball in the good position with 30 seconds remaining and millions watched as he secured the first World Cup for a northern hemisphere team.

“I suppose Jonny ideally would have liked it on his left foot, but he had missed three already on the left, so I thought, go on, try it on your right,” said Dawson. “I made him look even better than he is I suppose; he’s now ambidextrous as well as everything else.”

In 2007 the drop goal has already played a large part in some memorable victories, most especially in South Africa’s tri-nations opener over Australia at Newlands when 19-year-old replacement winger Francois Steyn kicked two drop goals to sink the Wallabies. One of those goals was a 42-metre effort from the sideline – so, clearly young Steyn will be one to watch should he feature in any tight games during South Africa’s campaign.

Other notable exponents of the drop goal in this Cup are: James Hook from Wales, Ireland’s Ronan O’Gara, Kiwi sensation Daniel Carter (who kicks off both feet), Australia’s Matt Giteau, Wilkinson and Argentine playmaker Felipe Contepomi. The French have a variety of options including winger Christophe Dominici and flyhalf Frederic Michalak.