Last Friday marked exactly five months until the start of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. In what is predicted to be one of the most fiercely competitive tournaments for years, World Rugby have dived into the archives to remind us just why the RWC gets the adrenaline flowing.
In this latest video, we go back to the 2003 competition – held in Australia and won by England – and the Pool B match between the USA and Japan in Gosford.
Throughout the years, the Eagles have made the most of converted American Footballers, most notably ex Leicester player Dan Lyle and former Llanelli Scarlets Dave Hodges.
It was the latter who made a different kind of impact against Japan as the ex-NFL player put in a thumping hit on Kiwi-born Japanese centre George Konia. Hodges clearly lined him up and, judging by the reaction of the commentators, came completely out of the blue.
The USA went on to win the match comfortably in the end, recording a 39-26, their only win in the tournament. However, they did give Fiji a scare a fortnight before, succumbing to a narrow 19-18 defeat in Brisbane.
After retiring in 2004, Hodges went on to become Assistant Coach of the Eagles, taking them to another World Cup in 2011 in New Zealand, before eventually leaving that post in 2012.
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