My 3rd game on Hard mode, first game I had to quit at half-time I was getting beaten that badly, 2nd game I was munched aswell, only scoring a dropgoal... so I thought I'd give it one more go...
Ireland v England, Lansdowne Rd...
7 mins on the clock, no score in the game, I take the ball up to near the 40 metre line with the pack on the far right side of the field, playing plenty of crash ball to keep possession and tie up any extra England players. Stringer spreads the ball from the ruck out to O'Gara, who begins a flat run to allow the centres to receive the ball on the go...
the England defence is flying towards me, first pass to O'Driscoll (O'Driscoll then hammered by a big tackle) is flicked to D'arcy, another first time pass thrown, missing out Murphy at fullback who had joined the line before D'arcy is also smashed... the ball is soaring towards Hickie (with Foley on his shoulder) on the wing just in front of the 22, 5 yards from the touchline, with an England player about to tackle when the ball is received...
BOOM ... Hickie is smashed ... but somehow I have managed to hit L1 quick enough to fire a pop pass to Foley who is hugging the touchline... there's England backs chasing like mad, they're all faster then him!... Foley has to sprint from the 22 to the line... and he makes it !!!! Try to Ireland in the corner !!!
If it had not been 5:30am I would have shouted and jumped like mad as though it were a real match on TV... but I had to control myself
... I'd just scored a great try on HARD mode, this mode was now officially playable!!! ...
Missed the following conversion tho, but a drop goal, 2 converted tries and a penalty followed during the game for me to eventually win 25 - 13 ... and I've played on Hard mode ever since