The 20 best rugby quotes of 2018 - Chip butties, dinner suits and speedy scaffolders

From the head-scratchingly bizarre to the laugh-out-loud quips, there were plenty to choose from and unsurprisingly, the usual suspects feature.

Here are RUCK's favourite 20 quotes of 2018.

1. “If he was Johnny Sexton then we’d be able to complain but because he’s Owen Farrell he’s allowed to be hit late. He’s tough so he gets up. He’s a tough rooster, a warrior. He puts his body on the line, he doesn’t play in a dinner suit.” Eddie Jones sings his fly-half’s praises

2. “My grandparents were very English and there was a lot of English heritage in the way we were brought up – teaspoons on the wall, chip butties on Sunday afternoon” – England’s new arrival Brad Shields reflects on his youth in New Zealand.

3. “I have friends working on scaffolding sites back home who are quicker than Jonny May.” Leicester Tigers and England prop Ellis Genge gave a feisty interview with the Mail on Sunday.

4. I was at a kids’ party and I had no mobile signal. There was a bouncy castle there and I was having a great time. When I finally walked out my phone was going mad.” Exeter prop Ben Moon on his England call-up.

5. “The great Winston Churchill said, ‘when you’re in hell, just make sure you keep going’.” Geordan Murphy, admitted that Leicester Tigers are at “their lowest ebb”. They were on their worst losing run since 1975.

6. “I am English, this is England, of course it would be great to have an English coach. But we have got to have the best coach for the job.” Acting RFU chief executive Nigel Melville has stated that the search for Eddie Jones’ successor has already begun. While he said that the search would encompass all nationalities.

7. In June, France hosted the Under-20 World Championship, with the hosts beating England 33-25 in a fantastic final in Beziers. Sale Sharks flanker and captain Ben Curry remained humble in defeat. “Not many players our age can say they have played in front of 20,000 fans. We’ll learn from this experience.”

8. “I have friends working on scaffolding sites back home who are quicker than Jonny May. That’s where football and those other sports have cracked it. Is rugby really grassroots? When I was younger, I never felt comfortable sitting in the clubhouse having my chips and sausage, because I just felt everyone was looking at me thinking, ‘Who the fuck is this’?” Leicester’s Ellis Gengequestions whether rugby union is truly inclusive.

9. “It’s about encouraging women that you don’t have to look a certain way to play rugby. When we’re out and say we’re rugby players, some people will say: ‘What, all of you?’ Then they point at the wingers and go: ‘Even them? They’re good looking!’” – Shaunagh Brown, Harlequins and England forward

10. “It’s not uncommon. It’s a high-impact injury – a lot of surgeons find it in people who have come off motorbikes. I’ve met an ex-serviceman who was shot through his brachial plexus and a young lady who was skiing and went off a cliff. My injury is not something I hold against the game in any shape or form, it’s just one of those things.” Rob Horne, the Wallabies and Northampton centre, on his life-changing arm injury.

11. “Guys in New Zealand who are second or third string, we’re not getting paid the same as the Beauden Barretts. I fell into that category. Now, if I’m smart and make the right choices, if I’m not buying stupid cars and stuff like that, this money will be put to good use. Who wouldn’t want that for their family?” – Wasps’ marquee signing Lima Sopoaga.

12. “The women’s game has changed massively. There were a couple of hundred watching and most of them were friends and family” – Katy Daley-Mclean, who won her 100th cap in November, recalls her international debut in 2007.

13. “I played like an absolute helmet, which often happened around England time.” Joe Marler reflects on the anxiety he used to feel about going away on international training camps.

14. “I don’t understand this, guys. We’re a bloody good team. We lost a few games, but we played tough today and we won. Why is it always the most important game? Because you want to sack me? You’re going to do it at some stage. You know that. You know that. If I stay long enough, you’re going to get me sacked. One day you’ll be happy. You’ll come in and say ‘Fantastic, we’ve got another bloke we can terrorise’.” After England narrowly beat a rejuvenated South Africa side at Twickenham in November, it was once again Eddie Jones that stole the headlines as he launched into a tirade against the press.

15. “We’re chipping away with a little rock hammer, picking up losing bonus points, but we must start winning games. We need to change that rock hammer for a sledgehammer and get some wins.” said Nick Kennedy. Despite being eventually relegated in May, London Irish started the new year positively with a losing bonus point at Welford Road against Leicester Tigers.

16. “If you’re going to be a bear be a Grizzly. For years I’ve thought like that. What’s the point of being someone who sits in a corner and no one knows who they are? When the big games are happening and the bright lights are on, that’s when I like to shine.” James “Cubby Boi” Davies.

17. “In the Premiership you get the result you deserve and today we deserved nothing.” In February, Worcester Warriors recorded their first-ever win at Sandy Park, in a 6-5 success against the Exeter Chiefs, but Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter was less than impressed.

18. “It was an absolutely unbelievable pass and it is so difficult not to throw those forward. Amazing.” Cipriani made a sensational start to life at Kingsholm with a magical pass in his first game. That earned him high praise from former England skipper Lawrence Dallaglio.

19. “I was sipping tequilas in Ibiza.” Schalk Brits on his unlikely Springbok comeback having retired in May.

20. “Every kid grows up dreaming of playing for Ireland. When you do that the next thing you want to do is win something for Ireland. To win something as captain in that special green jersey is what dreams are made of.” Ireland’s captain, Rory Best, savours a Six Nations Grand Slam.