With the Supporters’ Player of the Season Agustín Creevy now confirmed and announced, attention now turns to the Club’s Try of the Season contest - and have we got some nominations for you!
The Exiles fast and furious attacking brand of rugby has enabled the Club to present a lineup of scores set to rival any other team this season, entertaining week in, week out in the first full season at the Brentford Community Stadium in front of supporters.
Averaging the highest amount of tries scored per game in the 2021/22 Gallagher Premiership season (4.04), Irish have notched 145 tries in all competitions this season.
Agustín Creevy led the way in tries scored with an impressive 18 in all competitions, with three quarter backs Ollie Hassell-Collins and Benhard Janse van Rensburg tied in second with 11 each.
The west Londoners’ 93 tries in the Premiership was the fourth-most in the league and 24 in the EPCR Challenge Cup was the fifth-most in the competition.
Now, the Exile Nation have the opportunity to have their say on officially determining the most exhilarating and indelible moment of the season, with the nominations listed here.
Kyle Rowe v Saracens, Gallagher Premiership
The start of a legendary comeback against London rivals Saracens in Round 8 of the Gallagher Premiership hinged on a moment of brilliance from the Exiles new Scottish flyer, Kyle Rowe.
The winger had dotted down for the Exiles opening try in to the second half, but Saracens quickly extended an already massive haul of 27 points to 34 with Mako Vunipola’s converted score soon after.
26 points down, Irish were in need of a moment of inspiration and with Rory Jennings feeding Rowe possession, the 24-year-old started in his own half, accelerated rapidly and broke five tackles en route to the whitewash.
The calmness exuded by Rowe in touching down was the collective nature required needed to overturn the slightly reduced deficit- with Nick Phipps, captain Matt Rogerson and Rowe once more scoring late on to leave the honours to Rory Jennings and a conversion to bring Irish into a famous fightback.
Ollie Hassell-Collins v Wasps, Gallagher Premiership
A Boxing Day trip to the Midlands to face old foes Wasps saw Irish relinquish a five-game winning streak in a 38-30 defeat, but one of the tries of the season came courtesy of Academy product winger Ollie Hassell-Collins.
Down two tries, Kyle Rowe fielded a speculative bouncing clearance and advanced into traffic, evading the grasp of Francois Hougaard to offload to fellow outside back Hassell-Collins.
The latter then cleared multiple tackles to find some breathing space and dot down on the left side.
Irish kept within touching distance of their opponents on the afternoon, narrowly missing out on a losing bonus point yet still took a try bonus with scores from Agustín Creevy (2), Tadgh McElroy and Ben White.
Juan Martín González v Saracens, EPCR Challenge Cup
In the first meeting of the London Clubs in Europe, both sides matched each other in the opening stages with James Stokes, Sean Maitland, Cillian Redmond and Alex Lewington trading blow for blow.
Elliot Daly’s runaway try took Saracens to a 10-point margin of comfort, but some newly injected Argentinian flair allowed an Exiles retort from the first phase off a lineout.
Lucio Cinti was on the end of a Benhard Janse van Rensburg pass and cleverly fed his fellow country man and new signing, Juan Martín González who off a solid supporting line slipped through two tackles and advanced to the whitewash.
Saracens seemingly wrapped up the result with more tries from Vincent Koch, Harvey Beaton and Eroni Mawi but Henry Arundell’s late first score for Irish secured an all-important try bonus.
James Stokes v Exeter Chiefs, Gallagher Premiership
Exeter Chiefs opened the first quarter of the January meeting with two converted tries from Olly Woodburn and Patrick Schickerling, but Matt Cornish bundling over opened the door to another comeback win for Irish.
Chiefs remained pointless for the game’s remainder and Paddy Jackson’s two place kicks edged Irish closer, and the Exiles struck with the clock in the red to move off a dominant scrum.
Half-back partners Nick Phipps and Jackson combined in the first part of the sequence, with the Irishman executing a loop around move with Benhard Janse van Rensburg to draw Chiefs in and advance into the opposing 22.
Jackson’s cutting pass found Ben Loader, with the winger juggling the ball to recover and offload to James Stokes with the full-back remaining in the field off play to touch down acrobatically.
Henry Arundell v Leicester Tigers, Premiership Rugby Cup
An historic evening for the Club saw them qualify for their first cup final as a Premiership side in 20 years, and Declan Kidney’s men achieved it in some style with a 59-20 scoreline.
The opening try of the evening set the tone, courtesy of Premiership Rugby’s Discovery of the Season Henry Arundell with an intuitive chip-and-chase that has become a trademark of the youngster.
Curtis Rona gave Arundell his first touch of the ball as first receiver from a ruck on Irish’s ten metre line, who then evaded Kini Murimurivalu’s tackle by quickly passing to James Stokes.
Stokes’ and Will Joseph’s ethic when close to being pulled into touch was to be admired, with one finding another with cool offloads before Arundell was released to kick over Bryce Hegarty and expose the gap in the backfield, the first of two tries on the night for the 19-year-old.
Ben Donnell v Leicester Tigers, Premiership Rugby Cup
With Albert Tuisue (2) and Noel Reid adding to the extensive Irish haul against Tigers in the first half of the semi-final, a sensational team effort was required to add the hosts’ fifth of the evening.
Dan Lancaster was quickly swarmed in the ruck by Ben White, centre pairing Rona and Joseph, George Nott and Facundo Gigena after retrieving a White box kick, with Joseph then regaining the ball to feed out to the waiting Irish team.
It took the Exiles just two phases to build up the park, with the ball being spread wide by Joseph to senior Academy partner Arundell who drew in Joe Browning to allow for Lucio Cinti’s line break.
Cinti made ground from halfway to pass to captain Jack Cooke, who rewarded Donnell’s superb supporting line for the flanker to enter the goal area.
Tom Parton v Wasps, Gallagher Premiership
With Wasps up by two tries to one in the opening quarter, and with a set-piece just inside their own half, London Irish were tasked with being creative in order to gain some vital ground.
A neat right-to-left dummy from Nick Phipps sold the advancing Wasps defence and the Australian shifted the ball to Benhard Janse van Rensburg, who nudged a risky kick from hand in the direction of the left touchline.
There to collect, however, was Ollie Hassell-Collins who with a connatural, pacey sprint took Irish closer to the score who then pass infield to Tom Parton to touch down unopposed.
Parton’s aesthetically pleasing try was the last before Wasps began to move further into the lead, maintaining a 25-point lead with 13 minutes to go- the rest was history.
Matt Cornish v Newcastle Falcons, Gallagher Premiership
A comfortable evening on Tyneside saw London Irish take a try bonus before the break, but a Iwan Stephens five-pointer meant Newcastle Falcons were within two converted scores when the first 40 was up.
A scoreless third quarter was not replicated beyond the hour mark, and following Curtis Rona’s try, Irish registered their sixth through Matt Cornish.
Strong running from a young core of Will Joseph, Henry Arundell and Ben White worked their side into the Newcastle half and enabled a move in deeper territory as Jackson was found with the recycled ball.
Quite literally, the hooker was waiting in the wings and Jackson’s pinpoint kick from hand found the 25-year-old, collecting in the air and finishing on the ground.
Will Joseph v Castres Olympique, EPCR Challenge Cup
The Exiles took a 40-3 lead into the break against Top 14 side Castres Olympique, scoring six of their ten tries in the first two quarters.
With Castres asking question of Irish in the third quarter, Irish retorted with a further flurry of tries, Will Joseph’s being the second of four with a gorgeous run from his own 22 metre line all the way home.
Ben White found Paddy Jackson, shifting the ball further wide to Curtis Rona who spotted the space for his midfield partner to expose, passing to Joseph to roam free.
Far from a direct line to another five-pointer, the 19-year-old beat three defenders to touch down and celebrate coolly.
Benhard Janse van Rensburg v Harlequins, Gallagher Premiership
A blistering linebreak from Facundo Gigena set Irish away into deep Harlequins territory, passing away to Curtis Rona towards the try line in space.
A stumble from the Australian with a closing angle meant play had to be recycled to Joseph, who then went into the breakdown but once the ball was out, a try made in the front row was enacted.
After a pass from Jackson, Marcel van der Merwe sent a massive mispass to replacement hooker Matt Cornish allowed the hooker to progress closer to a try.
Ollie Hassell-Collins retrieves the ball for van der Merwe to assist his countryman Benhard Janse van Rensburg, who dives into the corner to finish off a fine move.
Henry Arundell v RC Toulonnais, EPCR Challenge Cup
Irish made a strong start in the opening half of the EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-final at the Stade Félix Mayol, Albert Tuisue touching down with a Paddy Jackson penalty taking them ten points ahead.
Toulon’s three penalties, two before half time, preceded a Charles Ollivon try that struck a dagger into Irish hearts and brought Toulon into the lead, leaving the visitors with everything to do as each side exchanged further penalties in the final quarter.
A miscalculation of a bounce by Nick Phipps from a Gabin Villiere clearance saw the Australian international just about manage a pass out to a young replacement, one Henry Arundell.
98 metres, Swan Rebbadj, Anthony Belleau, Baptiste Serin, Aymeric Luc and Louis Carbonel beaten and one of the great European tries.
ARRUNNDEELLLLLL!
View the video below to relive these special nominations and be sure to cast your vote in the poll by clicking here! The deadline to vote is Tuesday 5 July.
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