Once again, 2024 saw some breathtaking moments right across the rugby world, from the grassroots game through to the Test arena.

Before the year comes to an end, Planet Rugby takes a look back at eight of those, including some of the very best team successes, bloopers and individual moments of magic.

Springboks claim first Rugby Championship title since 2019

They might have won back-to-back World Cups between 2019 and 2023, but the Rugby Championship title has eluded the Springboks for quite some time, that is until this year.

Rassie Erasmus’ side were utterly dominant throughout the Rugby Championship this year. They got things off with a bang with two convincing wins over the Wallabies, but the Tests against the All Blacks are where they really showed their nerve, as they beat their bitter rivals twice to take the Freedom Cup for the first time since 2008. After that, a shock defeat to Argentina followed, but a 48-7 win on home soil was enough to steer them to an historic title.

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Antoine Dupont inspires France to Olympic glory

The Olympic Sevens could easily have had a piece like this of its own, with New Zealand women claiming their second-successive gold medal, the rise of Ilona Maher to international superstar and even the crowd numbers across the week; but we’ve picked the Olympic poster boy and his France team as the standout moment after they claimed Gold in a pulsating final.

Deployed from the bench – almost like the Boks bomb squad… – Dupont played a crucial role in his side claiming their first-ever Gold medal in the shortened format, as he scored two outrageous tries in the final.

Glasgow Warriors defy odds to claim URC title

The United Rugby Championship (URC) has quickly become one of the most competitive leagues in the club game, but the 2023/24 season, like 2022/23, proved once again anyone can win the trophy as Glasgow Warriors secured a shock title.

Franco Smith’s side were in decent form in the regular season with a record of 13 wins from their 18 league games, but a fourth-placed finish gave them a tough route to the title. After beating the Stormers in the opening knockout round, they faced the unenviable trip to Thomond Park to face reigning champions Munster, where they claimed a surprise 17-10 win to take them to the URC final. Again, though, they had a tough away day as they headed to Loftus Versfeld to face the Bulls; but yet again the Warriors defied the odds to beat their South African opponents and lift the title.

As a result, they were also nominated for the BBC Sports Personality Team of the Year award.

Vincent Koch nails perfect 50:22

Now onto a moment of pure prop magic, it is Christmas after all!

During the 2024 EPCR Challenge Cup final, Springboks prop Vincent Koch nailed an absolutely exquisite 50:22 worthy of any half-back. This was, of course, a moment of brilliance from the tighthead, but it also capped a brilliant solo effort as he was named Player of the Match in his side’s victory. This also marked an historic moment as the Sharks became the first South African side to win an EPCR competition.

Thomas Ramos volley

Another sublime kick makes the list now, with Thomas Ramos’ volley clearance just this past weekend slotting in.

After a decent exit Exeter, and with an oncoming Immanuel Feyi-Waboso to deal with, the French utility back nailed a brilliant clearance kick on the volley. Not only was it a clean strike, arguably the best kick of the night, but it later resulted in him making a good tackle and led to a Jack Willis turnover. If this passage of play doesn’t sum up the magic of Toulouse, I don’t really know what will.

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Deer-gate

Ah, grassroots rugby, please never change. Another bonkers moment from this weekend happened at Marlow Rugby Club during a second-team match, when a player was taken out by a deer that had run onto the pitch! This was certainly the pick of the grassroots club moments this year.

Blair Kinghorn rides a zebra

Title celebrations are a regular thing for Toulousains, after all they are arguably the greatest club side to ever play the game, but Blair Kinghorn took things up another gear after their Champions Cup triumph this year.

Following his side’s dramatic 31-22 extra-time victory over Leinster in one of the greatest Champions Cup finals of the modern era, the Scotland international clambered up a porcelain zebra – of sponsors Investec – to celebrate. This was certainly a fine way to bask in a win, given he had kicked 12 of his side’s 15 points in regular time.

Dan Cole’s ear massage

Finally, England and Leicester cult hero Dan Cole rounds off our selection for moments of the year. During his side’s Test with Japan – in which they came up against former boss Eddie Jones for the first time since his sacking – the tighthead prop received some, rather unique, treatment before a scrum as it appeared to look like he was having an ear massage!

READ NEXT: Planet Rugby Awards: Springboks, Ox Nche, Joe Marler, Toulouse and Glasgow Warriors lead the way in 2024

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