Matthew Impey's 'Gladiator'

As the IRB and Emerates launch the rugby photograph of the year award for 2009 I look back at last years winner to see what we have in store for us again this year. Last years winner Matthew Impey's with his 'Gladiator' photograph embodies the spirit of the sport every Welshman is born to play. This photo of Rafa Ibanez emerging triumphantly from the pile of Leicester Tigers and London Wasps bodies in the Guinness premiership final of 2008 captures all the emotion and physicality that accompanies the most gladiatorial of modern team sports. Possibly another reason this picture works so well is because of the balding head of Lawrence Dallaglio lifting himself from the mess of bodies, this the last game of a player who has become legendary in British rugby. I remember the moment when he went off about 60 minutes into this match and the whole crowd, supporters from both sides gave the modern legend a standing ovation. I can't think of any way this picture could encapsulate this match and this sport any more than it does without maybe switching Rafa and Lawrence just to give that extra bit of meaning, with this being his last match at Twickenham. But of course sports photography is not about setting up the scene, its about capturing that moment of emotion, the dive across the whitewash, the second a ruck is hit, the instant ball meets boot, and this photograph is a perfect example of that.