RUCK's most heart-breaking rugby moments for Valentine's Day
02/14/2025 08:11 AM
Sometimes rugby can be the cruelest of sports. With matches and competitions decided by the finest of margins, lovers of the sport can be heartbroken when it just is not their day. For Valentine’s Day, RUCK has decided to take a look at some of the most heart-breaking moments in rugby, across all from Lions Tours and World Cups and down to the grass roots.
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1. England endure double last-ditch defeats in 2024 Autumn Nations Series
Whilst England’s recent win over France in the 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations could well have turned a corner for Steve Borthwick’s side, this past Autumn Nations Series was one to forget for the Allianz Stadium faithful. England kicked off their campaign against New Zealand, and had their sights set on redemption following back-to-back Summer tour defeats to the All Blacks.
England fly half George Ford had two attempts to win the match against New Zealand, with a penalty and a drop goal attempt both missing the gap between the posts. Ford’s initial penalty struck the stick, with the All Blacks then knocking the ball on as they failed to clear their lines. The ball returned to Ford who waited in the pocket for a match winning drop goal, yet the Sale Sharks man sent the effort curtailing away to the right hand side of the posts, as echo of disgruntled disappointment rang around TW2 with the All Blacks triumphant at 24-22.
The heartache would continue for England into the second round of the Autumn Series, with Australia this time spoiling the day for Steve Borthwick’s side. The Allianz Stadium erupted in delight, as Maro Itoje clawed his way over the try-line for a 79th minute score and take a late home lead. However, after such jubilant celebration, the Saracen failed to collect the following kick off, and the Wallabies set up a scrum on England’s 22m. Joe Schmidt’s side then shipped the ball along the backs, with flying Waratahs wing Max Jorgensen played in for the match winning try, and to steal the win for the Wallabies.
2. London Irish lose back-to-back Premiership Rugby Cup Finals in Extra-Time
It is always heart-breaking for a team to get to any cup final, and then come away without the trophy. Premiership Rugby Cup was just that for London Irish, as the Exiles were defeated in back to back finals, with the added heartbreak of an extra time gut-punch. In 2021, Irish battled to a 25-25 draw with Worcester Warriors as Kyle Hatherall’s 80th minute try for Worcester took the sides into extra time. With neither side able to make a breakthrough in the following half an hour, there was speculation of a ‘golden point’ or even a penalty shoot-out to decide the final.
However, Worcester were awarded the trophy, with the win settled on ‘tries scored’, in what was a tough one for the former Exile Nation to take. Lightning would strike twice at the G-tech community stadium, as only the following year, Irish missed out on the title to Exeter Chiefs. After a hard-fought battle, Irish looked to be on their way to clinching the silverware, before Chiefs prop Josh Iosefa-Scott’s last ditch try wrapped the match up at 17-17 at the end of 80 minutes.
The following half an hour saw Exeter run away with the match, as South African back row Aidon Davis crossed over just nine minutes into extra time. Joe Simmonds would also slot a penalty to keep the Exiles out of sight, despite the best efforts from Jacob Atkins to forge a comeback off the tee. To lose one cup final in extra time is one thing, but to lose back-to-back cup finals in extra time, with both held in your own home stadium, that’s an incredibly bitter pill to swallow.
3. Gavin Hastings misses crucial World Cup penalty vs England
In 1991, Gavin Hastings had the opportunity to send Scotland through to their first ever Rugby World Cup Final. With the score tied at six-all, England had given away a penalty in the final moments, and the match rested on Hastings’ shoulders. One of the world’s finest fullbacks stepped up to the tee, but then sliced the shot wide of the posts. A relatively easy kick for Hasting’s standards, he missed the effort from under 20m out. England later scored a penalty of their own, and sent Scotland crashing out of the semi-final.
4. Jonny Wilkinson Breaks Australian Hearts in Sydney
A timeless clip that has brought endless joy to England fans, Jonny Wilkinson’s 2003 Rugby World Cup winning drop goal broke the heart of Australian rugby. With the Wallabies looking to win rugby’s grandest competition on home soil, Wilkinson’s 100th minute drop goal brought the William Web Ellis Trophy to Twickenham.
The commentary with foresaw the extra time match winner will be forever remembered “Get within drop goal position, and let the little maestro have a slot.” Then just three phases of play later, the story unravelled in Sydney. “Again Wilkinson in the place… Jonny Wilkinson, he’s done it, it’s over!” Australian fans were devastated to see the ball sail through the posts, with England winning their first and only men’s Rugby World Cup.
5. Red Roses Suffer World Cup Heartbreak against the Black Ferns
in 2022, England’s Rugby World Cup dreams were brought to a heart-breaking end, after a dramatic defeat to New Zealand in the final. In the final 10 minutes of the match, Theresa Fitzpatrick nudged a well weighted grubber kick through the English defence, which bounced up for Stacey Fluhler.
She was stopped short of the line but was able to offload the ball to Ayesha Leti-l'iga to score from no distance at all. The 34-31 final score brought an end to England’s amazing 30-match unbeaten streak, in the most heart-breaking of circumstances.
6. ‘Accidental Offside’ Robs the All Blacks of British and Irish Lions Series Win
“No, there’s no such thing as an accidental offside!” All Blacks Number Eight Kieran Reid was irate when he confronted referee Romain Poite, after a potentially series winning penalty was reversed following the most perplexing reason. The All Blacks believe that they should have been awarded a penalty, which in the 77th minute of the 15-15 tied third test, could have sealed the home series triumph with a penalty kick.
Lions Hooker Ken Owens was penalised by the referee, after he touched the ball in an offside position, when in front of fullback Liam Williams, who had spilt the jumping kick-off catch. Reid proclaimed that you can not accidentally catch the ball, yet Sam Warburton’s counter argument and discussion with Poite resulted in the decision being reversed. What resulted was a scrum, and the series being tied.
“He didn’t play the ball, it was an accidental offside. We go for a scrum for black.” New Zealand rugby fans will never forget Poite’s words.
7. South Africa U19s Schoolboy Ends Match Thinking He’s Won The Game
A classic and viral example of how rugby can be a cruel sport at every level of the game. A Durbanville High player expected to hear the cheers of celebration, once he booted the ball away off the pitch to call an end to a hard-fought match against Bishops Rugby. However, the player had mis-calculated the score-line, and sent the ball sailing into the stands with his classmates watching on. The youngster’s expression then dropped as he sees his teammates shout in anger, and he glances at the scoreboard to see his side were in fact losing by one point.
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