Month-By-Month: Key moments of 2017 in Rugby Union

Jan 9th: Munster’s win at Racing 92 was a near-perfect tribute to their much-loved coach, Anthony Foley, who passed away a couple of months before. Ronan O’Gara, the Racing 92 coach and former Munster fly-half, wore a “Foley 8” shirt before the match in a particularly touching gesture; the win leaving the Irishmen top of Pool One.

Jan 20th: The Six Nations Council announce welcome new attempts to raise the profile of Women’s rugby ahead of the 2017 tournament, with the news that all matches will be aired live on television or streamed on the Six Nations YouTube channel.

Jan 27th: Bankrupt London Welsh leave first class rugby as RFU Chairman Andy Coslett said: "It is deeply regrettable that we should arrive at this point, but with London Welsh in liquidation and unable to satisfy conditions to compete in the Championship as a professional club, participation in the competition became untenable,"

Jan 29th: The Welsh Rugby Union board vote not to enforce the historical agreement with the Irish Rugby Football Union regarding the hosting of the 1999 Rugby World Cup.

Feb 4th: Six Nations action resumes with expected wins for England and Wales but Scotland upset the odds beating much-fancied Ireland 27-22 at Murrayfield.

Feb 6th: After a six year battle against Motor Neurone Disease, legendary Springbok and all-time great of the game, Joost van der Westhuizen, passes away, aged 45.

Feb 11th: With both countries united in celebrating the life of Joost with a cheering and rousing send off in Cardiff, Wales and England light up the Six Nations with one of the finest games played under the roof, with the visitors stealing the honours in the dying seconds, whilst France and Ireland also record wins.

Feb 12th: Rugby loses another shining star as former All Blacks and Chiefs back-row Sione Lauaki dies in Auckland, suffering from kidney failure aged 35.

Feb 19th: Victor Matfield leads the tributes to another passing as former Wallaby lock Dan Vickerman dies aged 37. “Waking up to sad news about Dan Vickerman this morning. Always enjoyed playing against him. A real competitor and a great guy.”

Feb 25rd: Eddie Jones makes the Six Nations headlines as he accuses Italy of refusing to play rugby, as the impish Conor O’Shea and Italy make England think hard about their rucking, whilst Scotland beat Wales for the first time in 10 years.

March 1st: SA Rugby announce that only overseas-based Springboks with more than 30 Test caps will be eligible for selection in future, thus ruling out the talents of several emerging players.

March 11th: Wales halt Ireland’s Six Nations dream whilst England, welcoming back Billy Vunipola, put Scotland to the sword at Twickenham 61-21 and in doing so retain the Championship, and elsewhere, Georgia overcome Russia to go four from four in the Europe Championship.

March 12th: England Women go three better than their male counterparts, beating Scotland 64-0, with flying wing Kay Wilson becoming the first player to score seven tries in an international game. England’s U20’s made it a hat-trick versus the hapless Scots to seal a junior Six Nations championship.

March 18th: An emotional Vern Cotter leaves his position at Scotland as they overcome Italy to leave him with a 53% win rate (19 wins from 36 games) the most successful Scots coach of the professional era and the most successful since Ian McGeechan between 1988 and 1993.

March 18th: An inspirational performance from last-minute replacement CJ Stander leaves Eddie Jones’ Grand Slam hopes in tatters as Ireland overcome the wind and the rain to end England’s 528 day unbeaten run, whilst in Donnybrook, England’s Women overcome Ireland to record a Grand Slam.

March 18th: Wales and France set a rather unwanted record for the longest test match in history as scrum shenanigans take the game over the 100-minute mark.

March 19th: Romania become worthy champions of Europe in the Second Tier, and Leicester Tigers beat Exeter Chiefs to take the Anglo-Welsh Cup.

April 3rd: All Black legend Dan Carter is inducted into the RPA Hall of Fame.

April 9th: SANZAAR announces that the Super Rugby tournament will be restructured and will kick-off in 2018 with a three conference, 15-team format: five teams from New Zealand, four from Australia, four from South Africa, one from Japan and one from Argentina.

April 19th: Warren Gatland’s 2017 British and Irish Lions are announced with Sam Warburton retaining the captaincy. Despite a strong season, only two Scotsmen feature in the 41 man party and elsewhere 16 Lions absentees allows Eddie Jones to announce 15 uncapped players to tour Argentina.

May 6th: The Premiership play-offs are decided leaving Wasps top and giving us Wasps v Leicester Tigers and Exeter Chiefs v Saracens in the semi-finals.

May 10th: The RWC2019 draw is made with New Zealand and South Africa drawn together in Pool B

May 11th: World Rugby announces changes to residency regulations and have made it harder for players to switch allegiance, after voting to extend the residency period from three years to five.

May 13th: Saracens made it back-to-back Champions Cup triumphs as they deservedly defeat Clermont 28-17 at Murrayfield, with Owen Farrell claiming the Anthony Foley Trophy as European Player of the Year.

May 27th: Scarlets won the PRO12 title for the first time since 2004 as they produced a brilliant display to defeat Munster 46-22 in the Dublin decider.

May 23rd: Billy Vunipola withdraws from the Lions squad to tour NZ and is replaced by Wasps’ James Haskell who memorably comments ‘The nearest I thought I’d get to the Lions is Longleat Safari Park!”

May 27th: Exeter Chiefs defeated Wasps 23-20 after extra time to win their first ever Premiership title in an amazing game of running rugby.

June 3rd: The British & Irish Lions kick their 2017 campaign off with a 13-7 win v the Provincial Barbarians, followed by losses against both the Blues and Highlanders (7th and 13th June) and a win versus the Crusaders on 10th June.

June 14th: Clermont beat Toulon 22-16 in Paris on Sunday to win the French Top 14 final and overcoming their reputation as the tournament’s perennial chokers.

June 17th: England beat Argentina away for the second time in a week to take the series 2-0 and in Australia, Gregor Townsend’s Scotland defeat Australia 24-19 in Sydney.

June 24th The big one, and in a fairly even game, the All Blacks last quarter power see them through to a 30-15 victory against the British and Irish Lions.

July 1st: In an amazing turnaround, the Lions recover from their first test loss and, with the dismissal of Sonny Bill Williams for a clumsy tackle, produce a night of memorable rugby to recover from 18-9 down to win 24-21 and level the series.

July 8th: The Lions series ends all square, as New Zealand lead 12-6 at the break, with tries from Ngani Laumape and Jordie Barrett, but the Lions fought their way back into the game, and eventually five penalties (four from Owen Farrell and one from Elliot Daly) were enough to draw the game and the series.

Aug 5th: The Crusaders claimed their eighth Super Rugby title and first since 2008 with a 25-17 victory over 14-man Lions at Ellis Park.

Aug 19th: The Rugby Championship swings into action as New Zealand take the Bledisloe and South Africa overcome Los Pumas.

Aug 20th: World Rugby approves an amendment to law making it mandatory for players who undertake an off-field screening under the head injury assessment (HIA) protocol not to return before 10 minutes (actual time) have elapsed.

August 26th: New Zealand win the Women's Rugby World Cup after beating England 41-32 in a thriller at Kingspan Stadium with loosehead prop Toka Natua scoring a hat-trick whilst full-back Selica Winiata grabbed a brace in their come-from-behind seven-try win.

Sept 14th: South Africa lose 57-0 to New Zealand in Albany, their biggest defeat in test history.

Sept 20th: Australian Rugby Union CEO Bill Pulver faced a Western Australian (WA) Senate inquiry into the axing of the Western Force. WA Senator Linda Reynolds was leading the line of questioning, which focused on the impact cutting the Force would have in providing financial aid to grassroots rugby, as well as the terms of the deal which was struck between the ARU and the Melbourne Rebels.

Sept 29th: Welsh international Scott Baldwin put a new spin into ‘crying off’ as he was bitten by a Lion whilst on a Zoo trip. He required stitches with an Ospreys statement adding: “Ospreys Rugby can confirm that Scott Baldwin sustained a hand injury on Wednesday. Baldwin commented “I feel pretty stupid to be honest!”

Sept 30th: New Zealand defeat Argentina 36-10 to retain the Rugby Championship.

Oct 8th: Australia secured second spot in the Rugby Championship as they beat Argentina 37-20 at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas to gain a maximum points win.

Oct 10th: The Barbarians announce they will field a women's side this season and hope to take women's rugby "to a different level". Founded in 1890, the famous invitation club has fielded some of the greatest male players of all time.

Oct 18th: Former Springbok great and Free State Cheetahs and Toulon flanker Juan Smith has announces that he is set to retire from all forms of rugby forthwith.

Oct 28th: Canterbury overcome Tasman 35-13 in the Mitre 10 Cup Final to become champions for the 9th time.

11th Nov: Springbok woes continue as they are thrashed 38-3 by Ireland.

15th Nov: In a shock twist. France were chosen ahead of South Africa and Ireland to be the host nation for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. This is the second time France have hosted the global event, with the result leaving South Africa “bitterly disappointed”. France received 24 votes to South Africa’s 15 in the final round of voting. In the first round, France received 18 votes to South Africa’s 13 and Ireland’s eight.

18th Nov: The EOY Tests swung into full action as England retained the Cook Cup disposing of Australia 30-3, Scotland pushing NZ to the wire 17-22 and Wales being challenged all the way but beating a determined Georgia.

25th Nov: In a thrilling display in Edinburgh, Scotland tore up the form book as they destroyed Australia 53-24, in a game described as Gregor Townsend as ‘being right up there with my Lions Series win in 1997.

1st Dec: In a year where he straddled the game like a Colossus, Beauden Barrett was named World Rugby Player of the year.

2nd Dec: A virtual Welsh 2nd team, shorn of 14 unavailable players, puts in a magnificent display to complete a sorry season for the Springboks, as they won 24-22 in Cardiff.

7th Dec: World Rugby launch a new simplified rule book will be introduced globally from January 1, 2018 in which the game's laws will become clearer. Approved at the November World Rugby Council meeting, the simplified law book is designed to make the laws easier to understand while not altering the meaning of them or how the game is played.

11th Dec: New Zealand were crowned winners of the Cape Town Sevens after comfortably beating Argentina 38-14. They edged host nation South Africa 19-12 in their semi-final, with Argentina having made the final two after overcoming Canada 14-12

12th Dec: Jim Mallinder is sacked as Director of Rugby at Northampton Saints. their run during October, November and December 2017 saw them win 1 game from 10 in all competitions.

19th Dec: And finally, Wayne Barnes breaks the record for most Aviva Premiership matches refereed when he took charge of Worcester Warriors’ home clash with London Irish, taking his tally to 191 matches.