Let’s face it, we all love the drama that comes with watching rugby league. From exhilarating comebacks and late winners to contentious refereeing decisions, this game definitely always keeps us talking right up to very last seconds and often beyond. Here Rugby League World looks back at six times when games were only brought to a conclusion in the most dramatic, and sometimes hilarious, of styles.
MOMENT OF MADNESS – 2015
Will Shaun Ainscough (above) ever live this one down? We’re not sure, but it was certainly one of the more unusual ways to end a game. With Batley 22-26 ahead as the hooter sounded in a Championship Shield match against Featherstone, all Ainscough had to do was take the tackle or run the ball dead. But for some reason, he hoofed the ball downfield to put it out of play over the opposite touchline. Unfortunately for him, Rovers winger Will Sharp chased the ball downfield and managed to gather it before it found touch and cross for the try that levelled the scores. Paul Sykes’ touchline conversion sealed the win for Featherstone and no doubt made Ainscough feel even worse about his moment of madness that snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
DONS DRAMA – 2021
The play-offs usually throw up one or two memorable moments, but what happened at Cougar Park in 2021 was something else. With Keighley 26-22 ahead as the hooter sounded they would have been forgiven for already mentally planning their trip to Cumbria to face Workington the following week for the right to earn a spot in the Championship. But no one told Doncaster that. Having earned a penalty with less than 40 seconds to go the Dons had one last chance to attack their opponents’ line, and with the 80 minutes up, they kept the ball alive and Liam Johnson snuck in at the corner. Jake Sweeting’s touchline conversion saw the Cougars slump to the floor in despair as the Dons celebrated the most incredible of victories.
WIDE TO WEST – 2000
Perhaps one of the most incredible ever endings to a match also gave us some of the most iconic commentary as well. Bradford Bulls fans would love never to hear ‘It’s wide to West…. wide to West… Dwayne West,” again, but given the nature of what was happening right then, that is unlikely to happen. As St Helens kept the ball alive on the final play in what had been a pulsating play-off semi-final, Sean Long got the ball out to West on the left wing, who fought off two attempted Bradford tackles to pass inside to Chris Joynt and the rest is history. The vision of Bulls coach Matty Elliot sliding off his chair in utter despair is perhaps now just as memorable as the game, the try and Eddie Hemming’s description of it.
VOLUNTARY TACKLE? – 2002
Chris Joynt was again at the heart of a dramatic ending to a St Helens v Bradford match just two years later. But this time it was at Old Trafford in the Grand Final. With just six seconds left on the clock and Saints one point ahead through Sean Long’s drop goal less than a minute earlier, Joynt took the ball from dummy half and fell to the floor at the feet of Paul Deacon and Lee Gilmour. Bulls players and fans alike were calling for a penalty for a voluntary tackle, but it was not forthcoming from referee Russell Smith. 40 metres out and towards the touchline, whether Deacon would have successfully made the kick and sealed the win for Bradford is anyone’s guess, but the fact that he didn’t get the chance still niggles the Bulls faithful.
JACK FLASH – 2020
Very little was normal in 2020. People were working from home, meetings were held across computer screens, the majority of sporting fixtures were played without fans in attendance and the Super League Grand Final was moved from Old Trafford and played on a Friday night. One thing that remained the same though was St Helens’ and Wigan’s ability to play out a cracker. With the scores locked at 4-4, Tommy Makinson’s attempted field goal clattered off the upright and bounced awkwardly in front of Wigan’s Bevan French. That split second of uncertainty allowed the chasing Jack Welsby to race in, gather the ball and touchdown with just inches to spare before the dead ball line to secure perhaps the most incredible of Grand Final victories.
RED ALERT – 2017
England have certainly been involved in some dramatic World Cup semi-finals in recent years. Who could forget Shaun Johnson’s late winner for New Zealand in 2013, and the least said about Stephen Crichton’s golden point drop goal for Samoa last year, the better. And 2017 was no less dramatic. Seemingly coasting to victory at 20-0 up over Tonga with less than 10 minutes to go, England had one foot in the final. When Tevita Pangai Junior’s 73rd minute try looked to be little more than consolation for Tonga, it instead roused the South Sea Island nation in front of a sea of red flags at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland. Two further tries from Tonga suddenly had England rattled, but they managed to hold on in dramatic fashion.
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 486 (July 2023)
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