Fans have been sharing and discussing one of the strangest tries that you will ever see in Rugby Union.
What happened in the try?
James Proffitt scored one of the most unique tries in rugby history. The try came in the 36th and put the Chiefs 21-10 ahead against the Fijian Drua in Super Rugby’s Super Round.
During a Chiefs attack, they kicked to the corner with the kick aimed for Dan Sinkinson. The ball bounced off the winger’s knee and remained in the in goal area.
Fijian Drua fullback Ilaisa Droasese was sweeping and picked the ball up in the ingoal area.
The Drua player then tried to chip the ball to himself within the goal line, and Proffitt was able to take advantage.
The rules of the ingoal area
The simple solution for Droasese would have been to touch the ball down in the ingoal area, and it would have led to a goal-line dropout.
Analysing the footage, I think I have picked up what made the fullback make this strange decision.
Just after the ball crosses the line, it takes a touch off Droasese’s hand. If the fullback thought the ball had touched his hand before the line and he touched it down, it would have been a five-metre scrum to the Chiefs.
The difference comes from who carried the ball over the line or in this case, who touched the ball last before it crossed the line.
If the attacking team carry or kicks the ball over the line, the result would be a goalline dropout. If the defensive team carry it over the line and touches it down, the attacking team gets the put in to a five-metre scrum.
The Fijian factor
There is also the potential that this is also down to the Fijian factor. Fijian rugby is known for its counterattacking style and ability to score from anywhere.
This natural ethos of counterattacking rugby might have played into Droasese’s decision-making. After the kick, he took a slight nudge from the Chiefs’ 13, which put him off from competing for the ball.
