HEC SF: Clermont Auvergne vs Leinster; Sunday 29 April, KO 1600(CET); Live Sky Sports

errlloyd

Who was the Man of the Match? Kearney had an unbelievable 5 minutes. SOB was up to some tricks during the game?

So happy, so so so happy

Taco Corp

errlloyd wrote: »

Who was the Man of the Match? Kearney had an unbelievable 5 minutes. SOB was up to some tricks during the game?

So happy, so so so happy

Kearney was MOM

Tox56

Kearney motm

CouchSmart

tolosenc wrote: »

Who was MOTM?

Kearndashian. Well deserved too. Shoe in for player of the year.

Fishooks12

Kearney surely

Hagz

its_phil wrote: »

Love the hate being shown by some of the immature Munster fans. Some clearly looking to introduce a soccer mentality of complete bitterness between rivals. Get over it and just be happy for Irish rugby in general. If you really hate Leinster that much just cheer for Ulster!!

Point out all these bitter Munster fans won't you phil. I'm pretty sure you'll be hard pressed to find more than two people who don't believe Leinster deserved to win. Don't know why you're bringing Munster into it. It's post like this that turn a thread into a p***ing contest.

Tim Robbins

Fishooks12 wrote: »

Actually can't believe the bitching going on here

Probably the most historic occasion in Irish club rugby in a few weeks

Luck plays a part in every game

+1

Mods please wipe some of the muppetry and keep it to rugby!

Have to admit that was the most nerve racking game I have ever come across. Will also admit I could not watch the last play...

Thought C.A. were superb. They have some world class ball carriers an strike runners. We've won two close games against them now.

Clegg

Reddan made a huge difference when he came on. Everything was sped up and we were beginning to cause Clermont a lot of problems.

RuggieBear

the standard of the posting needs to improve folks. Lets not turn this thread to ****e. No more about this "luck" nonsense.

errlloyd

To sum up every single pundit in the world "it'll be a close game"

Possibly the most accurately predicted game ever?

Cpt_Blackbeard

danthefan wrote: »

The bitterness, it makes it even sweeter.

How is there bitterness? I'm happy that Leinster are in the final, but they have gotten a rub of the green on the way there. No shame in that, it has happened Munster/any successful team on numerous occasions. This Leinster side will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the greats. The have raised the bar and it is up to the rest of the provinces to try and get up to their level.

MLC61 wrote: »

They haven't won three.

Being the best team helps. So does courage, intelligence, hard work and luck.

No they haven't, but they should get the win against Ulster. The only chance Ulster have is of a monumental effort from 1-23.

That is the point I am making. Simply being the best team doesn't get you over the line. You need to have the self-belief that you are never beaten and a little bit of luck when things aren't going your way. Leinster have all of that and things don't look like they are taking a turn for the worse either.

GerM

uriah wrote: »

Cullen will be off for the final.
But I don't think he'll be a great loss to Leinster.

Cullen was absolutely immense. He was everywhere and a total menace at rucks and mauls. Must be one of the top tacklers today too. On that performance, he'll be a huge loss if missing.

whenever

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

Barnes did Leinster favours. Just admit it and move on.

You need luck to win three HECs in four years. Just being the best team usually doesn't get you that far.

Would you have any example in mind of a case where the 'best team' didn't win 3 HECs in 4 yrs? I think in most tight rugby games the vagueries of the bounce of the ball and the vision of the ref introduce a random effect. But anyway Leinster were great and deserve their opportunity to win 2 in a row.

ScissorPaperRock

Tox56 wrote: »

Lucky for Clermont Sexton didn't get that penalty?

Sorry I'm just teasing about the luckiness thing. It's just funny how philosophical this post-match commentary is!

It was a fantastic win by Leinster, and they did exceptionally well to prevent a try in the last five minutes.

Obviously there are always going to be things (ref decisions, errors, etc) that are unexpected and can sway momentum to some extent to either side. Some people might call that luck, but it doesn't really matter what you call it at the end of the day.

CouchSmart

GerM wrote: »

Cullen was absolutely immense. He was everywhere and a total menace at rucks and mauls. Must be one of the top tacklers today too. On that performance, he'll be a huge loss if missing.

I made the same point earlier. Checked stats. Backed me up. He was huge for us. Outplayed Thorn.

Skid

Leinster and Ulster in the Heineken Cup Final, and Irish teams dominating the Pro 12 yet again.

This is the Golden Age of Irish Rugby, enjoy it while you can before the IRFU butcher the Provinces in the misguided belief that it will assist the Ireland team.

ninebeanrows

Will Cullen get sighted for the punch and banned for the final?

chupacabra

Between the ulster game at the aviva yesterday and watching the leinster game in dublin today my voice is absolutely non existent. While I would give anything to have Munster in the final of the Heineken cup im the happiest man alive that we have an all Irish final regardless of who's there.

My mother was in hospital for close to 10 years straight in Dublin so growing up I always associated dublin with negativity and never really cared much for the city since then. However this weekend i fell in love with the city and the people who live here. Thats the strength of rugby and something you dont find in any other sport. Munster may be the very beating of my heart but today, I am a Leinster man.

Good luck in the final.

BBDBB

To deny luck plays a part in a game played with an odd shaped ball is naive, thats not news to any rugby follower, some bounces and decisions go for you, some against, thats a part of the game. Its a given.

I thought the ten minutes after half time were immense by Leinster, Rob Kearneys drop goal was astonishing. Fair play to Clermont for that fight back at the end, Im sure they will learn from that and be even tougher next year, God help us.

Well done Leinster, enjoy your night and Im looking forward to the all Ireland final

Tox56

Hopefully an All-Irish final will give the IRFU a kick up the backside with regards to Kidney.

My name is Mud

14penalties conceded a piece. Record for wayne Barnes

BBDBB

Skid wrote: »

Leinster and Ulster in the Heineken Cup Final, and Irish teams dominating the Pro 12 yet again.

This is the Golden Age of Irish Rugby, enjoy it while you can before the IRFU butcher the Provinces in the misguided belief that it will assist the Ireland team.

sound advice and wise words, we will be in for a fall at some point in the next few years

CatFromHue

My name is Mud wrote: »

14penalties conceded a piece. Record for wayne Barnes

He didn't commit the fouls though did he?

Oooooh the Clermont fans were booing his decisions in the game and they're great guys so Barnes must be wrong......or maybe he was right for 90%, a % percentage every ref should be aiming for, of the calls but hey it's Wayne Barnes so lets get a dig in.

redmca2

Gerry Thornley wrote this week very negatively about Barnes but today he did us a lot of favours.
Cullen is a lucky man (so far). Wouldn't be surprised if he's cited. Stupid of him to hit out so openly.
In the final minute, it would be normal after the 2nd penalty on the line to sin bin someone from Leinster, but he didn't.
The Clermont fans must be very sore at some of his decisions

totallegend

OK, back to the rugby so:

Kearney; excellent, didn't get a chance to claim any high balls but otherwise excellent. Carried into contact a couple of times when he should have passed, conceded a penalty on one such occasion but probably the best player on the park.
Nacewa; started brilliantly, got so little ball in the second half that he faded out completely but did what he had to.
O'Driscoll; brilliant in defence, not many opportunities in attack
D'Arcy; ran down a couple of blind alleys when in possession and got turned over, not his best day.
Fitzgerald; missed a couple of tackles, needed to come infield more, pretty anonymous.
Sexton; excellent, broke out of defence a few times and probed the corners when he needed to.
Boss; did what he needed to, kept it tight, but the change in tempo when Reddan came on was very clear.
Healy; immense
Strauss; mixed excellent work in the loose with a couple of dodgy throws, plenty to work on.
Ross; will have been glad to see Faure going off, but he held up well enough and he even carried with good effect a few times.
Cullen; thought he was excellent, always seemed to be in the right position to tackle or sweep up, but was he used as a target in the lineout at all?
Thorn; did was he was brought in to do, hit the rucks, tackled well, good job.
O'Brien; he stole the ball under the posts after 81 minutes. Anything else was a bonus, and there were plenty of bonuses.
Jennings; not sure he justified his selection tbh
Heaslip; the best backrower on the pitch IMO, he was everywhere.

Subs: VDM kept it solid, McLaughlin tackled his heart out but the real star of the bench was Reddan, the speed he brought to the game was a real fillip for Leinster. However, he should be made to watch that attempted drop goal many, many times over the next few weeks in a Clockwork Orange style aversion therapy.

[Jackass]

Lads we had a bit of luck here and there, but that's the type of game it was. I always say that luck evens out over the season, and I felt we had a few unlucky games, like Ospreys at home, that we were due some. Thems the breaks.

I think we were lucky with some calls, I think both teams got away with a lot, I also think the TMO peno was over, but on balance, we completely dominated the second half, built a lead with 10 unanswered points and pinned them back in their half and on that basis i think we definitely deserved it.

psicic

Hines is a class player - IRFU should never have let him go.

He was instrumental in closing down on Leinster.... I don't remember him seeming exhausted or injured or anything worthy of subbing him off, unless Clermont had decided to 'save' him for the final. Biggest mistake of their season, if you ask me.

The rake of substitutions made by Clermont seemed to weaken them something awful.

Leinster didn't walk it like we've walked so many other matches this year... it certainly was nerve wracking, and I like the fact Barnes was fairly balanced in how he approached infringements. (I'm guessing they were told - or he decided to - not to card players unless absolutely 100% necessary, because both sides would have lost more than one player to the sin bin).

IRFU is doing its best to ruin the provinces - so we should enjoy this golden age of rugby. Whatever happens in the final, an Irish team will have won and Connacht will get another shot at the big leagues next year. Yay!

madds

What a performance by both sides. Thought we were lucky not to have someone binned in the 2nd half for a number of reasons - CA on top and we were creaking and niggly at the breakdown, French location & partisan crowd, and Wayne Barnes. Some incredible last ditch tackles on our own line in those last few minutes. Cullen took a nut to the head from their #20 and never flinched, just got on with his job of keeping them out. Incredible stuff from the whole squad. What a team.

totallegend

redmca2 wrote: »

Gerry Thornley wrote this week very negatively about Barnes but today he did us a lot of favours.
Cullen is a lucky man (so far). Wouldn't be surprised if he's cited. Stupid of him to hit out so openly.
In the final minute, it would be normal after the 2nd penalty on the line to sin bin someone from Leinster, but he didn't.
The Clermont fans must be very sore at some of his decisions

Did I miss this? Tell me you're not talking about that incident in the first half with the Clermont prop???

badbeatcentral

What a game. Leinster's maturity shone through. I don't think last year's HC team would of ground out that result. Sexton showed immense game management.

Also fair play to the fans over there, even on the TV coverage you could hear them over the din for large parts of the match.

MADIGAN IS GODIGAN