A year in pictures - Part One

As the 2010 rugby year comes to a close, we take a look back at some of the best photos that have made the past season such a joy to watch.

We begin with the Six Nations, which saw France sweep all before them, before moving on the historic occasion that was the Super 14 Final between the Bulls and the Stormers.

The Bulls wrapped up their third title in stunning fashion, but the venue for the final – Soweto – captured the imagination of the South African rugby public, with SARU then also moving one of the season’s Tri-Nations matches – between the Boks and the ABs – to Soweto.

Of course, the Tri-Nations was a tournament to forget for the Springboks who won just one match – losing two gut-wrenching encounters at home, including the one in Soweto – as the All Blacks, once again, swept all before them.

All in all, it was a pretty eventful first half of the 2010 season, but let the pictures below tell the full story.

(1) The year began with France achieving the Grand Slam in their passage to Six Nations glory, where coach Marc Lievremont cottoned onto the novel idea of consistency in selection – previously unheard of in France! (David Rogers/Getty Images)

(2) You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man: Down south in the Super 14 it was once again the running of the Bulls, with wing Francois Hougaard out-sprinting Stormers fullback Joe Pietersen for a crucial try in the historic final in Soweto. (Lee Warren/Gallo Images)

(3) It was time to pop the champagne cork and listen to the fat lady singing as the Bulls claimed their third Super 14 title in four years. (Lee Warren/Gallo Images)

(4) In the year of the vuvuzela (good for some… not for others!), No.8 Pierre Spies embraced the noise-maker with a celebratory ‘tooooooooooooot’! (Lee Warren/Gallo Images)

(5) Hello Clarice… The terrifying creature Imanol Harinordoquy of Biarritz wore a face mask in the Heineken Cup Final to protect his broken nose. However, his Hannibal Lecter impersonation wasn’t enough to scare off Toulouse, who claimed their fourth title. (David Rogers/Getty Images)

(6) In the Tri-Nations New Zealand immediately took off and flew to the top of the standings from the word go. (David Rogers/Getty Images)

(7) Take that son! The Springboks decided to get some hits in against the Wallabies – demonstrated by Frans Steyn’s crunching tackle on Drew Mitchell… a rare highlight for SA in 2010. (Duif du Toit/Gallo Images)

(8) But it was the Australians who had the last laugh courtesy of Kurtley Beale’s match-winning long-rang penalty kick that rubbed salt into the Bok’s wounds in Bloemfontein. (Duif du Toit/Gallo Images)

(9) The battered Boks were left to lick their wounds and take some time to think about where it all went wrong in the Tri-Nations. (Duif du Toit/Gallo Images)

(10) The first half of the year ended with the All Blacks proving they were – once again – head and shoulders above the rest of the world. (David Rogers/Getty Images)