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

LEIN

ERC Highlights.

TheGoldenAges

Unreal last few minutes on the radio from Michael Corcoran http://www.rte.ie/sport/player/#!/clip/816/

Quint2010

I still can't quite work out that move for the try. It was bewildering!

ScareGilly

MungBean wrote: »

Watching the end again and the Clermont 20 clearly head butts Leo and then proceeds to try and twist his head off. Wonder if he'll be cited for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ld2SorgVK9c

In fairness, he'll probably get away with the headbutt easily, doesn't actually look too bad to me, the fish-hook on the other hand is disgraceful.. Also, just seen it there, Cullen is holding the Clermont 14 in the ruck not allowing him to get away to the next ruck, am I the only one who thinks he might've been able to secure the ball if he was able to break free?

Podge_irl

Just back in the door after taking three bloody flights today. Voice is pretty close to gone and am completely exhausted but have some nice Clermont gear I traded with fans and it was the best experience I've ever had at a game.

I simply can not say enough about the Clermont fans - absolutely unreal.

WeeBushy

This is why Clermont fans are the best in the world!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roJ_Sqqmg4Q

Teferi

And this sign...



Those classy French bastards.

totallegend

Teferi wrote: »

And this sign...



Those classy French bastards.

Google translate strikes again!

irishbucsfan

Clermont fans are just absolutely brilliant. I remember asking to the Michelin last season and a bunch of them came up to me to tell me how great Jonny Sexton is, as if they were grateful to me! Discovering 20 or so of them in a pub before the final was epic, singing songs about Joe Schmidt!

irishbucsfan

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

Not really...
I'd obviously wish for Munster to be where Leinster are now, but we had our years of dominance. The next few years will be about rebuilding a squad capable of scaling those heights again.

Am I not allowed to express my opinion on Cullen's actions in that .gif, or is that an exclusive right to being a Leinster fan?

:pac:

We're you calling Quinlan a coward after the semi in 09? Somehow I doubt it. It's an all-Irish Heineken Cup final, not the end of the world!

andrewdcs

That cullen clip is full on pronogaphy. :eek:
Could easily also be an attempt to grab shorts for purchase. :rolleyes:

See what citing dude says, lot of nasty digs towards the end of the match. Lime rougerie in the WC final (butt n gouge on mccaw)

.ak

Just home from Bordeaux. Haven't read all of the thread, but will just say that I have never, and probably never will experience anything like the reception the Clermont fans gave us on the march to the stadium. Absolutely unreal, best fans on the planet.

ktulu123

They really are. Definitely the best rugby experience I've ever had! For those of us that were lucky enough to be there it will be a day to never forget! Are Clermont still going to be second seeds next year? I would love to have them in the group stages again.

thebaz

ScareGilly wrote: »

In fairness, he'll probably get away with the headbutt easily, doesn't actually look too bad to me

not too bad ? he was lucky he didnt break Cullens jaw -

Sundy

Haha just looked at the gif that people claim is Cullen grabbing balls. There is no way Rougerie allows his balls to hang down that low.

I would think like any player these days be wears something pretty tight which keep them jammed up between his legs and not dangling down where cullen caught his shorts.

The bitterness is hilarious.

tolosenc

ktulu123 wrote: »

I would love to have them in the group stages again.

I'd far sooner have Edinburgh, tbh!

Dangerous Man

WeeBushy wrote: »

This is why Clermont fans are the best in the world!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roJ_Sqqmg4Q

That is epic. I think I"m going to have to buy a Clermont jersey after seeing that.

funky penguin

That right there is why I love rugby.

Tox56

Sundy wrote: »

Haha just looked at the gif that people claim is Cullen grabbing balls. There is no way Rougerie allows his balls to hang down that low.

I would think like any player these days be wears something pretty tight which keep them jammed up between his legs and not dangling down where cullen caught his shorts.

The bitterness is hilarious.

I'm a Leinster fan who thought he should be cited and I wasn't the only one.

WeeBushy

WeeBushy wrote: »

This is why Clermont fans are the best in the world!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roJ_Sqqmg4Q

What makes this even more impressive imo, is that they have been to 11 finals in 11 years, and lost 10 on the trot.

How hard would it be to follow this team unless you were a nutcase!?

Tempted to try get across next year for a HEC match, regardless of whether or not they have Irish opposition!

GerM

Well, citings have to be in by 5pm today so we'll soon know. 4 possible citing incidents in the game. The two for Cullen, Bardy's headbutt and Cudmore's off the ball charge.

I think Bardy might be the only one that is cited although I think there's good cases for Cullen's slap/punch and Cudmore's charge. Cullen's grab is a nothing incident for me and I can't see how he could have grabbed anything but shorts. It looks like he grabbed the bottom of the shorts from the pictures and unless Rougerie doesn't wear a strap or undershorts which nearly everyone wears and he is hung like a rhino, then nothing was grabbed.

Barnes seemed satisfied that Cullen's effort was handbags and Faure made a meal of it after holding Cullen back. He spoke with Cullen and seemed happy to leave it which could come into account. Should definitely have been punished at the time though in some way and surprised it wasn't. Cudmore's effort seems to have had very little coverage and, although both cynical and dangerous, I think it will go unpunished with a try being scored from the resulting move.

Bardy's effort is in a class of its own. You really can cite him for any one of three things: a headbutt, a choke hold and what appears to be fish hooking Cullen's mouth. Cullen had blood on his mouth after the game. Not sure if it was directly resulting from that clash but it definitely would have further damaged an existing wound. Should definitely be called to a hearing.

Sundy

Tox56 wrote: »

I'm a Leinster fan who thought he should be cited and I wasn't the only one.

What exactly should he be citied for? Grabbing a players shorts?

theres no way he was able to catch a hold of the guys nuts there.

Tox56

Sundy wrote: »

Tox56 wrote: »

I'm a Leinster fan who thought he should be cited and I wasn't the only one.

What exactly should he be citied for? Grabbing a players shorts?

theres no way he was able to catch a hold of the guys nuts there.

What convinced me was A) What on earth was Cullen doing, and Rougerie's right leg collapsing at the exact moment Cullen squeezed without any other obvious provocation. It's more circumstancial but even if he isn't cited, what does he think he's doing putting his hand in someones shorts, and squeezing.

irishbucsfan

By leg collapsing you mean he moved it a. couple of inches. In the middle if a ruck. Could not possibly be more circumstantial.

Fishooks12

Sundy wrote: »

What exactly should he be citied for? Grabbing a players shorts?

theres no way he was able to catch a hold of the guys nuts there.

Of course he would have, I'm not sure how you're laid out but if someone grabbed me around there it would be in and around the money

It careless of Cullen at best and cynical if he meant it. But as I've said before it's impossible to judge by the GIF if it was or not but it's plain as day where his hand ended up

And for the record, it's not bitterness if someone discusses a somewhat controversial moment in the game in relation to Leinster so can we stop it with that ****e.

Otacon

Why does it matter if he actually got a hold of the vegetables? Actually succeeding in hurting a player is not a prerequisite for other types of foul play like gouging [not comparing it to gouging] for a citing and ban to occur.

Sundy

Well if i was in that position I would be trying to impede the player by holding on to his shorts. Players do it all the time. Cullen wasnt looking where he put his hand.
He doesnt exactly go rooting for rougeries balls
he doesnt squeeze he grabs the shorts.

Tox56

irishbucsfan wrote: »

By leg collapsing you mean he moved it a. couple of inches. In the middle if a ruck. Could not possibly be more circumstantial.

His leg was firm while players were being tossed around and on top of him, and then the second Cullen squeezes it "collapses" or however you want to say it.

That sounds a bit odd, but it's the best way I can describe it.

tolosenc

Tox56 wrote: »

His leg was firm while players were being tossed around and on top of him, and then the second Cullen squeezes it "collapses" or however you want to say it.

That sounds a bit odd, but it's the best way I can describe it.

Is he unable to bend his knee otherwise?

Tox56

tolosenc wrote: »

Is he unable to bend his knee otherwise?

Yes he could, but there is no other immediately obvious provocation, and the "squeeze" and the leg bending are simultaneous. I presume Cullen's aim was to get Rougerie off his feet and free up the ball, and I think he was succesful from my memory of the match.