Drop-goals have become a stand-out feature so far at Japan 2019
Monster: Scotland's Stuart Hogg slots a huge DG (Getty Images)
Rejoice! It’s the return of the Rugby World Cup drop-goal in Japan!
It feels like we had written the skill off as a ‘dying art’ but lo, at the 2019 World Cup we have seen a spate of drop-goals that have fired up the imagination.
Did you see Stuart Hogg’s monster DG against Samoa? It was a beauty.
And as you can see from rugby statistician Stuart Farmer, there have only been 28 DGs from the 20 competing nations since 2015.
I make it 28 in official tests by the 20 competing teams between World Cups. Arg 3, Can 1, Eng 3, Fij 1, Fra 4, Ire 3, Ita 4, NZ 2, Russ 2, SA 3, Wal 1, Sam 1. The other 8 nations NONE between them!
Like that one from Russell? Well what about the three-pointer from Camille Lopez in the boa constricter-tight match-up between France and Argentina (a kick that ultimately won the tie for France)?
In their crackerjack win over the Wallabies, they had two significant drop-goals. The first was a start-of-the-match DG from Dan Biggar. At 36 seconds, the quickest-ever in World Cup history.
And after Biggar went off, following an HIA, his replacement Rhys Patchell dropped a crucial goal, late on. This was a calm showing from the replacement fly-half.