Highs and lows in Year of the Springbok
England suffered in the final in Japan but 2019 brought thrills and spills around the rugby world
January
17 England announce their Six Nations squad and it is hard not to be impressed by the collection of second rows in George Kruis, Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje and Joe Launchbury.
February
1 Warren Gatland tells us Wales have “forgotten how to lose” after their miraculous comeback in Paris. Wales were 16 points down at half-time but win 24-19 as France shoot themselves in the foot.
2 A barbaric brilliance from England in Dublin as they destroy Ireland, winning 32-10.
10 Jonny May gets a first-half hat-trick versus France. England women put 40 on France in Doncaster, with Kelly Smith and Jess Breach doing all they can to show they are as good as May.
16 Try of the year from Worcester as they chase a 47-26 deficit at Quins. It starts with a Ryan Mills cross-kick in his own 22, which Bryce Heem takes after one bounce before making a one-handed offload to young Ollie Lawrence. He repeats the one-handed offload to Francois Venter, who in turn offloads to Tom Howe to score under the posts.
23 Wales come from a seven-point deficit to beat England 21-13. My 12-1 bet on Wales to win Grand Slam is now in the bag.
March
1 Social media goes crazy due to rumours about a 12-team Nations Championship with no promotion or relegation – and the Pacific Islands ignored completely. Ten months on, I am not sure anyone is wiser over the future of international rugby!
4 Social media goes crazy again over the proposed Scarlets and Ospreys merger. This idea soon disappears as well.
12 Now there is talk of a £5billion investment in World Rugby by Infront Media, although by the end of the year it seems the only people doing the investing are CVC, the private equity firm slowly but surely getting a foothold in the Gallagher Premiership and Pro14.
16 Wales win their third Grand Slam under Gatland by destroying Ireland. Then the Calcutta Cup ends in a 38-all draw as England collapse from 31-0 up, needing a George Ford try to rescue them.
April
10 Israel Folau posts a list of “those living in sin” on Instagram – spreading hatred in a sport that cherishes inclusivity. Rugby Australia sacks him but he demands a hearing.
12 Billy Vunipola posts in support of Folau. He is formally reprimanded by the Rugby Football Union two days later.
May
4 Newcastle are relegated having been bang average all year. By the end of the year they look certain to win promotion straight back to the top flight under Dean Richards.
10 Gatland announced as 2021 Lions coach. An excellent appointment and totally deserved.
11 Leinster 10 Saracens 20 at St James’ Park. The Champions Cup final is an epic, club rugby at its very best.
18 What a final day of the season. Quins have been in the top four all year but lose 27-25 at Wasps and Northampton nab the final play-off slot. Denny Solomona gives us the best finish of the year in Sale’s win over Gloucester, rotating in mid-air so he can touch down while his body is virtually in the front row of the stand.
June
1 Saracens win again. The Gallagher Premiership is theirs at Twickenham as they somehow get past a classy Exeter. Saracens were 27-16 behind but then scored 21 unanswered points, going on to win 37-34.
17 I get to train with the Red Roses at Bisham Abbey ahead of their super series in San Diego. It is so much fun to see their quality and intensity of training.
28 Still hope for Danny Cipriani? He is announced in Eddie’s England squad. Turns out he was teasing us.
July
6 The Crusaders win their third successive Super Rugby title.
August
10 New Zealand are humbled in Perth, beaten 47-26 by the Wallabies. The All Blacks finish third in the Rugby Championship!
17 Or maybe not. Australia are hammered 36-0 by a resurgent Kiwi side. England are beaten 13-6 in Cardiff and unbelievably Wales go to No1 in the world.
24 A monster power-play from England against Ireland, winning 57-15 in a performance as good as any under Eddie Jones.
September
17 Sad news to hear that Wales assistant coach Rob Howley has been sent home from the World Cup for gambling infringements.
22 The highlight of England’s opening World Cup match with Tonga is Zane Kapeli’s tackle on Billy Vunipola, which I say is the equivalent to an 80kg human jumping off a five-metre building.
25 Uruguay beat Fiji 30-27. Go on the minnows!
28 Bigger than Brighton for Japan as they beat Ireland 19-12.
29 Wales begin their game against Australia with a long kick-off. Ken Owens counter-rucks, Aaron Wainwright wins the turnover, Alun Wyn Jones has a hard carry, Dan Biggar drops a goal.
I genuinely thought at that moment that Wales would win the World Cup. Wales go on to win 29-25.
October
2 All three Barrett boys play for the All Blacks and all of them score in the win over Canada.
12-13 More than 20 lives are lost in Typhoon Hagibis. Somehow, though, Japan-scotland goes ahead and Japan win 28-21 to knock the Scots out.
19-20 Three very comfortable wins for New Zealand, England and South Africa in their quarter-finals. France blow it against Wales.
26 England beat New Zealand in one of the great English performances of all time in the World Cup semi-final.
27 Wales will regret a game they never truly played in the second semi-final – they just never fired a shot in anger as they ran out of players. South Africa march on.
November
2 Siya Kolisi and his team are truly brilliant as they squash England, winning the World Cup with a dominant 32-12 victory in Yokohama. But Kyle Sinckler’s early injury is one of the most important in any sporting final, before South Africa’s power game took England to the cleaners.
5 It is announced that Saracens have been hit by a 35-point deduction and a £5 million fine for alleged salary-cap breaches. Nigel Wray and Saracens accept their punishment.
10 One of the biggest comebacks in Premiership history. Bristol are losing 17-0 at Exeter at half-time but Dan Thomas turns out to be a super-sub as the visitors win 20-17.
23 Munster v Racing 92 is a 21-21 draw, but in the middle of this awesome match Finn Russell nutmegs Rory Scannell to score. Absolute genius.
30 My “Henry Slade moment”. I watched Henry at Rosslyn Park Sevens as a kid for Plymouth College and thought, “Wow”.
I had that same “Wow” when watching Rory Hutchinson and Northampton decimate Leicester.
December
5 Rugby Australia settles out of court with Folau.
11 The All Blacks stick to their tried-and-trusted model of promotion from within when it comes to the head coach role. Ian Foster is given a two-year deal.