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Watch: Storm Dudley assisted monster drop goal during rugby clash

17 Feb 2022 3 minute read
The monster 52 metre drop goal during the Cardiff Met University v Swansea University match

If you want to witness monster kicks then you could do worse than watch Cardiff Met University v Swansea University matches.

In two clashes between the rival sides in the top level league of British university rugby – BUCS Super Rugby, the games have produced two stunning kicks at goal.

Last night in a pulsating match between the two sides marked by conditions that can only be described as ‘a tad windy’ with Storm Dudley causing all sorts chaos in south Wales, kicking was most definitely a game of two halves.

Wild scenes

In the first half kicking into a gale, Swansea University fly half Gwyn Parks could barely kick the ball 10 metres such was the ferocity of the wind. However, in the second half, with the wind behind him he set a record for the longest drop goal in BUCS Super Rugby history.

Parks’ 52m metre effort from his own half absolutely flew through the air and sailed between the posts.

Despite the wind assistance it was still a brilliant piece of skill. It was also memorable night for Swansea University who recorded their first victory against Cardiff Met University since the inception of BUCS Super Rugby in 2016.

A last minute try sealed their victory amid wild scenes of celebration at Cardiff Met University’s ground.

Back in December in a fixture between the two sides at Swansea’s St Helens ground, it was Cardiff Met University’s Bradley Roderick Evans with rocket-fuelled boots recording a monster penalty kick.

It’s a massive pitch at St Helens, and it was estimated that the 19-year-old’s sizeable effort measured in around a hugely impressive 55 metres plus.

Luckily, Wales has never been short of spectacular kickers.

Last year Leigh Halfpenny and Dan Biggar were ranked as the best goal-kickers in the world.

Then there’s the legendary Wales record points scorer Neil Jenkins – a man with a laser-guided right foot.

However, when it comes to monster kicks, there can be only one Welsh rugby player worthy of that giant-sized accolade.

When Paul Thorburn kicked a record-breaking penalty from 64.2m against Scotland in 1986, it left legendary commentator Bill McLaren to utter the immortal words: “I’ve seen all the greatest goal kickers in the last decade, but I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Thankfully, the grand tradition of Welsh place kickers with dynamite in their boots appears to be continuing.

With these homegrown students rattling in such huge kicks the future of Welsh place kicking thankfully appears to be in in safe hands, or should that be feet.

And while we’re talking about those monster kicks, here’s a reminder of that epic Paul Thorburn effort, which still defies belief all these years later.

Enjoy.


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