2. England vs New Zealand, 2012 International Test
This was the best remembered try, from a monumental day for England. Stuart Lancasters side defeated the reigning World Champions in a blistering performance at Twickenham Stadium. This match was certainly one for the history books, as England beat the All Blacks for the first time in nine years, with Ashton’s try being the crown jewel in a 38-21 victory.
As a bulldozing Manu Tuilagi is put through on a hard-line, the centre brushes off three tackle attempts from New Zealand, with Dan Carter in particular sent crashing down to the turf. Tuilagi took the ball high to the line, and timed the pass perfectly, so Ashton could run in to a deafening Twickenham crowd, and perform one of his iconic ‘Ashton splashes’.
This second half try set the tempo for the remainder of the match, as England tightened their grip on a stunned All Blacks side. Fresh off winning the 2011 Rugby World Cup, Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Kieran Reid and co were left speechless at England’s performance back in 2012.