Heineken Cup Final - Dublin 2013 [NO TICKET SALES HERE!!!]

Sea_point

awec wrote: »

My understanding is that all of Toulon's foreign imports learn French etc.

Most clubs have that policy to encourage players to fit in, however there are still a great many who couldn't string more than two or three words together. I watch the TV5 Europe Top14 round-up on Sunday mornings, en Francais. Have a listen to Luke McAllister..:rolleyes:

neilmulvey

Sea_point wrote: »

Most clubs have that policy to encourage players to fit in, however there are still a great many who couldn't string more than two or three words together. I watch the TV5 Europe Top14 round-up on Sunday mornings, en Francais. Have a listen to Luke McAllister..:rolleyes:

Leinster should make the foreign imports learn the D4 english. Loike

Aidric

neilmulvey wrote: »

Leinster should make the foreign imports learn the D4 english. Loike

Nacewa is fluent in dart.

bilston

Disapointed with the result but delighted for Wilkinson. I hope he has flight to Australia booked for the 2nd June as I dread to think what will happen to the Lions if Sexton does himself a mischief.

Neil3030

jimjamcos wrote: »

Leinster and Munster would of beaten Toulon today

Well 30 v 15 is hardly a fair contest...

pickarooney

I'm not sure why D Armitage is more of a villain than J Cudmore.

jimjamcos

Neil3030 wrote: »

Well 30 v 15 is hardly a fair contest...

Maybe...but wage-wise 15 Toulon players = 30 from Leinster and Munster!! :P

phog

Very disappointed with Clermont, poor tactics and a lot of poor handling at times. I was sure they had it in the bag once they got their 2nd try. Toulon's defence was top notch in the final 20 mins or so when it mattered. Can't understand Clermont not trying for a DG earlier then they did.

Swiwi

Ah, Clermont gave a masterclass in how not to win a tight game. Every team should practice the set-move drop-goal play, and Cotter has got to take that on the chin. Skrela was never a great fly-half, but why on earth he was crashing the ball up, and then he gave himself little time to take the drop-goal when he got his chance. If the shoe had been on the other foot, I have no doubt JW would have done the business.

Foxtrol

The end of that match was very similar to the game against Leinster in the RDS, Clermont just didn't fancy taking the drop.

I'm gutted for the Clermont fans but the side really can't perform when the pressure is on them. They showed the same weaknesses in the semi against Munster but they were lucky that Munster didn't have the quality to put them out at that point.

RuggieBear

folks,i know armitage is not held in high esteem but no more abuse please

thomond2006

YEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSS



Well done Toulon (except for a certain someone)

.ak

Just back from the game. Very disappointing result, never good to see the undeserving team win it, especially by a point.

Highlight of the day was marching down to the Aviva with the Clermont fans and them breaking out into a Leinster chant with a French accent. Gas.

thomond2006

I only saw the last 10 minutes, but I saw Toulon's try in the highlights. People were telling me Lobbe was class as usual.

.ak

Toulon won the contact game for 80 minutes, which is really what won them the game in the end. Monster pack.

vienne86

Just in from the match - gutted for Clermont and their supporters, but they bottled it. It was theirs for the winning, and they may never get a better chance than that. A team like that should be able to put away a game like that. Not a great spectacle of a match - at least it livened up after the first try, but first half was woeful to watch.

tolosenc

Sea_point wrote: »

Have a listen to Luke McAllister..:rolleyes:

Look up videos of Byron Kelleher doing interviews in French. Worthwhile.

schools rugby

Just back , Clermont fans were great . When JW was walking around the pitch afterwards some of the Toulon crowd were crying screaming his name saying "merci johny" , beautiful to see how he has touched the natives.

For me Leinster are a class above any side in Europe however

donfers

schools rugby wrote: »

For me Leinster are a class above any side in Europe however

Both these sides have better players than leinster, if you think leinster are the best in europe at the moment then for me,you are living cloud cuckooland, beaten home and away in the group stages by the same team says it all

In the last few years you may have had a case but now the french clubs are powering ahead, indeed it is arguable if leinster are even the best time in Ireland now with Ulster having the upper hand on them in recent encounters, I suppose we'll learn more about that in the rabo final

schools rugby

donfers wrote: »

Both these sides have better players than leinster, if you think leinster are the best in europe at the moment then for me,you are living cloud cuckooland, beaten home and away in the group stages by the same team says it all

In the last few years you may have had a case but now the french clubs are powering ahead, indeed it is arguable if leinster are even the best time in Ireland now with Ulster having the upper hand on them in recent encounters, I suppose we'll learn more about that in the rabo final

The French teams have better players on paper anyways but we know rugby isnt played on paper . Leinster were woeful in the pool stages and werent helped by a few injuries. 3 Heineken Cups in the last 5 years says it all.

Clermont and Toulon are up there but for me Leinster are the best team in Europe

jimjamcos

donfers wrote: »

Both these sides have better players than leinster, if you think leinster are the best in europe at the moment then for me,you are living cloud cuckooland, beaten home and away in the group stages by the same team says it all

In the last few years you may have had a case but now the french clubs are powering ahead, indeed it is arguable if leinster are even the best time in Ireland now with Ulster having the upper hand on them in recent encounters, I suppose we'll learn more about that in the rabo final

Strange post. Were Leinster not missing some key players in those games though? It's not all about who has the best 15 players when it comes to the best team you know? If that was the case Clermont, in their own country, would of kicked Munster off the park in semi. Didn't happen.


And I'm an Ulster fan BTW. We wont beat Leinster if they're at full throttle.

tolosenc

donfers wrote: »

Both these sides have better players than leinster, if you think leinster are the best in europe at the moment then for me,you are living cloud cuckooland, beaten home and away in the group stages by the same team says it all

In the last few years you may have had a case but now the french clubs are powering ahead, indeed it is arguable if leinster are even the best time in Ireland now with Ulster having the upper hand on them in recent encounters, I suppose we'll learn more about that in the rabo final

Leinster would have won today had they replaced either side.

athtrasna

Just in from the game, great day out. Not the quality game it could have been, some sections were scrappy to say the least. Clermont should have and could have won but failed to finish vital plays and the non-drop goal debacle at the end was dreadful, ok one was charged down but there were at least 2 other opportunities before the final whistle and neither Parra nor James anywhere near the pocket.

Found the silence for Wilkinson's kicks amusing, don't think I've ever heard a French crowd go quiet for a kicker, and was in stark contrast to the Clermont kicks. Wilko's kick preparation was more annoying than usual for some reason, whatever happened to kick the feckin ball?

Clermont fans lived up to their reputation, great bunch. Toulon gang not quite so sociable. And as for THOSE t-shirts....the tackiest thing I have ever seen in a professional game of rugby :mad:

Glad I wore my Munster jersey, I counted more than 20 different jerseys there, it was great to see people bond over rugby. Bigger attendance than I expected.

darragh_haven

tolosenc wrote: »

Leinster would have won today had they replaced either side.

Either of those two teams would have out musled any irish province. The fact that leinster werent in the final should be evidence enough. Every team has to deal injuries. So thats no excuse.

Ps. A spot prise goes to who ever can fit more advertising on the toulon shirt

Dave_The_Sheep

As gutted as they are, the Clermont fans I know know full well they threw that one away. Toulon are a quality side, but at 15-6 up, Clermont should have had it in themselves to see it out. Even toward the end, they had three opportunities for a drop goal and they only went for the one. Skrela went missing, bigtime, as much as James a few years ago. Gutted for them.

Great to see so many different jerseys out and about around the ground today. Even saw a few southern hemishpere ones.

Good occasion, good intensity game, if lacking on quality moments, perhaps. Toulon deserved to win the game, great comeback, delighted for Wilkinson and Lobbe, Giteau too, not so much the rest. Bastareaud had a great game though. Defense and going forward.

Can't see past Clermont and Toulon next year too, unless other teams get their arse in gear. Leinster are good, but I don't think we'd have won today, against either team.

rrpc

darragh_haven wrote: »

Either of those two teams would have out musled any irish province. The fact that leinster werent in the final should be evidence enough. Every team has to deal injuries. So thats no excuse.

Ps. A spot prise goes to who ever can fit more advertising on the toulon shirt

I'm sure they would, I'm also not sure it's not something any Irish province would aspire to.

rrpc

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

Can't see past Clermont and Toulon next year too, unless other teams get their arse in gear. Leinster are good, but I don't think we'd have won today, against either team.

I can. Toulon only seemed able to defend and take kicks, Clermont seem to lose their focus in the red zone. Both teams have a lot of ageing players. For me this was Clermont's last chance with the current team, Toulon may well be strong next season but they need to find another dimension to their game.

thomond2006

How poor were the weather conditions?

athtrasna

thomond2006 wrote: »

How poor were the weather conditions?

Strong swirling breeze and greasy rain for most of the game. It was bloody freezing too!

schools rugby

thomond2006 wrote: »

How poor were the weather conditions?

Handling was very poor from Clermont in particular . Kicking from hand was also poor i thought - must have been down to the weather conditions