Australia's Quade Cooper continued to cause plenty of controversy in 2012 © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

Features: Olympic envy and breaking new ground

Features: ESPNscrum's 2012 Quiz of the Year

Teams: Australia | England | France | Ireland | Italy | New Zealand | Scotland | South Africa | Wales

Another year is coming to an end and it has been 365 days packed with incident. Our Quote Unquote feature has kept you abreast of all the best sound bites from 2011 and here ESPNscrum brings together a few of our favourites.

"I would have been in the south of France smoking marijuana and drinking red wine."
Former All Blacks boss Graham Henry reveals what he would have done had his side lost their Rugby World Cup Final showdown with France

"I don't care if he speaks French. It just means he's getting it wrong in two languages."
BBC TV commentator Brian Moore frothing at referee Alain Rolland's handling of the scrum.

"Is he talking about Charlie Sharples with his bean head or Chris Ashton with his see-through skin? I can see what he means about Ugo Monye, to be fair. He is an attractive man."
England's Toby Flood responds to Digby Ioane's 'pretty wingers' jibe

"I had my first refereeing sodomy in the semi final [last season] against Clermont. I've just had my second tonight. It appeared to hurt the first time but it was just as bad this time. We will review the images not on Youtube but on YouPorn."
Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal hits out at referee Christophe Berdos in a unique manner after their loss to Clermont

"Obviously it wasn't ideal for me to end up as hammered as I was."
Former England centre Mike Tindall reflects on his infamous night out in Queenstown during last year's Rugby World Cup.

"That scoreline is a bit embarrassing."
Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll accepts his side's 60-0 hammering by the All Blacks does not read well

"I do not eat children."
Toulon lock Bakkies Botha attempts to play down his bad boy image

"There's a lot of people who are afraid to say what they feel so they just go along with it and nothing is going to change. That's why I feel so strongly as a player. I don't want to be involved in the toxic environment, and that's how it is at the moment."
Quade Cooper criticises the atmosphere within the Australia camp.

"There have been a lot of great people involved in New Zealand rugby. But I think this man is the greatest."
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen pays tribute to former All Blacks skipper and New Zealand Rugby Union chairman Jock Hobbs after he lost his cancer battle.

"We've been in two close ones now and one's gone against us and the other feels like kissing your sister!"
Ireland coach Declan Kidney reflects on his side's mixed Six Nations fortunes

"To quote Bubba Watson, I haven't got that far in my dreams."
Leinster captain Leo Cullen reflects on his side's Heineken Cup final victory over Ulster - the province's third European title in four years.

"You haven't just dodged a bullet - you've dodged a cannonball."
Wallabies legend Michael Lynagh relays his doctor's assessment following his recent stroke.

"Players like Quade get sorted. Sooner or later they get their beans."
All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw on controversial fly-half Quade Cooper.

"I have no desire to swim in troubled waters with someone you can't trust."Carcassonne coach Christian Labit washes his hands of Rupeni Caucaunibuca

"Suffice for me to say he's so exceptional I'd pay to watch him train."
Harlequins boss Conor O'Shea waxes lyrical about fly-half Nick Evans

"How in the name of Jesus are we getting to the point where a guy flies into the country and he will play for Ireland?"
Former Ireland captain Keith Wood despairs at the immediate promotion of Kiwi Michael Bent into the international set-up

"He would as soon eat his own entrails as Tweet."
Greg McGee, the journalist who helped Richie McCaw pen his autobiography, reveals the All Blacks skipper's feelings about the micro-blogging site.

"Deans has destroyed Australian rugby and I want him to go."
David Campese holds no punches as he criticises Australia coach Robbie Deans and demands he resigns

"This was an unfortunate case of human error."
IRB match official selection committee chairman John Jeffrey admits referee Alain Rolland and his team got it wrong when they prevented Australia from making a substitution in the closing moments of their Rugby Championship clash with South Africa in October.

"We looked up and Netani was sucking out the eyeballs and spitting out the little hard bit in the middle on to his plate."
Scotland's Tim Visser recalls a dining experience with Fiji's Netani Talei during their summer tour.

"You have got to remember Chris hasn't been with the club now for four months - out of sight out of mind."
Northampton skipper Dylan Hartley is fairly dismissive of previous Saints player Chris Ashton

"'It's quite simple', he would say, 'all you need is a girl that looks like Cindy Crawford and is able to calve a cow in the middle of the night'."
Ulster hooker Rory Best remembers the late Nevin Spence's relationship advice at a memorial service at Ravenhill.

"Gav has had three or four years of fannying around and not being serious about his rugby."
London Welsh coach Lyn Jones provides a frank assessment of Gavin Henson's recent playing history.