Rugby
John Goliath, Special to ESPN 6y

Rank Bryan Habana's best five tries nominated by ESPN

Rugby

While going back down memory lane and viewing some of Bryan Habana's greatest tries on the internet, we couldn't help but notice the retired Springboks wing wore a pair of ski shorts every time he took the field.

It must have been to help keep his hamstrings attached to his body, as it looked like they would fall off every time he sprinted away to score. The man was that fast ...

Habana scored some unbelievable tries during his illustrious career, and KweséESPN's picked five top tries that stood out for us -- some for their quality and others for their importance.

South Africa vs. Australia, 2005 Tri-Nations

Habana scored on his Springboks debut against England in 2004 with his first touch, but he announced himself to the world as a deadly winger with a brace against Australia in a 2005 Tri Nations match in Perth. Both tries were great solo efforts, as he showcased his incredible turn of pace from long range. But the first was the best of the pair as he ran down the left touchline basically untouched from deep inside the Boks' 22.

Bulls vs. Sharks, 2007 Super Rugby Final

This will probably go down as one of Habana's favourite scores of his career. The finish was instinctive and quite superb, but the importance of the try probably outweighs the quality.

With the Bulls down 19-13, and time up on the stadium clock, they surged into the Sharks' 22. The Pretoria side's attack drifted towards the right wing where Habana was standing, but the flyer cut inside, against the grain, and his speed took him past numerous defenders to score with a spectacular dive.

South Africa vs. Samoa, 2007 Rugby World Cup

Habana went into the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France determined to make his mark in the competition. And he did so brilliantly in the Boks' opening encounter against Samoa, scoring four tries.

All his tries were quite special in that match, but it his first-half effort, when he evaded four tacklers at close quarters from the hard-hitting Samoans, that stood out. He has always had the speed, but this try showcased his tenacity and will to succeed.

South Africa vs. Argentina, 2007 Rugby World Cup semifinal

What would a collection of Bryan Habana'd greatest tries be without a trademark intercept?

Habana's ability to read situations on defence contributed to a lot of Springboks victories; indeed, the intercept was one of his great weapons, as he nullified many overlaps with his smart play, and turned defence into attack.

The intercept against Argentina in the semifinal in 2007 was especially significant, as he equalled the late Jonah Lomu's record for the most tries at a single Rugby World Cup.

South Africa vs. All Blacks, 2012 Rugby Championship

After the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, some people were calling for Habana to be dropped following a relatively quiet period in his rugby career. But there hasn't been a guy who has taken criticism quite as personally as the Boks speedster.

Habana silenced the critics with a top solo effort against the All Blacks in Dunedin. The wing ran a great angle off a lineout, before chipping the ball ahead and collecting it himself ahead of Ben Smith to dive over the tryline.

Now rank the top five tries as we've nominated them simply by voting for your favourite in our interactive element below.

Then join the discussion on social media using the hashtag #HabanaTries.

We'd love to hear your favourite Habana try-scoring memories.

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