RDP12 Final - Leinster v Ospreys 27/05/12 - KO 4pm - RTE/TG4/S4C

Banbridgeman

By the way, Shane Jennings mother has just been diagnosed with cancer again. Fair play to him for stepping up today for his team during what must be a really tough time for him.

Fishooks12

shootermacg wrote: »

I personally have no idea why we have a last 4 thing going on in the rabo. A league should have the league format.
Teams are doing just enough to make the play-offs, whereas the points should settle it.

It's the done thing in rugby though, and to be honest I think the rabo needs to keep the format to create more of a buzz around it

Banbridgeman

liammur wrote: »

Monty Burnz wrote: »

There's nobody with a stronger claim to that title though, is there? What's the point of having the competition I wonder, seeing as it decides nothing in your view...

I guess the World Cup doesn't determine the best national team either... :rolleyes:

Of course they don't. That's why leagues are cherished the world over. The best team ALWAYS wins leagues, but not necessarily cups as chelsea proved.

Leinster were 10points clear of the league. They lost the league through cup format so to use your own theory then Leinster are the best team in europe

thomond2006

Epic, epic game. Even better than Clermont vs Leinster a few weeks ago. Thankfully the quality of rugby made up for Poite's nonsense at scrum time. His decision at the end of first half was shameful, if it's going to be a penalty try then give it earlier for goodness sake.

Both sides were excellent and deserve huge credit. A great game to win and an awful game to lose.

Unfortunately Dom Ryan is the villain, his needless crossing was the turing point. He's a guy with obvious youthful enthusiasm, but it was a fatal error. Leinster could have recycled and gone through 10+ phases before taking a DG or forcing a penalty.

I'm disappointed for Leinster, their efforts this season deserved a double, but I'm happy for Ospreys since they took the brave decision to get rid of their idiot coaches mid-season and appoint an inexperienced coach in Steve Tandy. However Tandy is Ospreys through and through and he has instilled great teamwork and belief in that team. They have so many class young players like Tipuric, Biggar and Beck who will only improve.

Comiserations to Leinster, unfortunately (IMO) this signficantly derails ynour season. But it's good for the league as a whole that the Irish teams don't win it every year.

Also, what a great introduction the playoffs have been, the league would have been dead in April had it still used the league leader system.

Chucky the tree

Foxtrol wrote: »

Who in your opinion is currently the best team in Europe then?

It's not really possible to answer tbh. There's a very fine line between Clermont, Toulouse and Leinster tbh that I don't think can be split really. I certainly don't think a competition which teams won't play every other team is how you would judge it.

Monty Burnz wrote: »

There's nobody with a stronger claim to that title though, is there? What's the point of having the competition I wonder, seeing as it decides nothing in your view...

I guess the World Cup doesn't determine the best national team either... :rolleyes:

lol at all of this anyway. I didn't realise every competition had to decide something, especially as stupid as who the best team in europe is. So what we learnt this season is that Ospreys are the best team in Ireland, Wales and Scotland but Leinster are the best team in Europe. I shouldn't have to explain just how dumb that logic is.

No the world cup doesn't. I suppose you honestly thought Greece were the best team in Europe in 2004. :pac:

Fishooks12 wrote: »

Aye, those Romanian and Spanish club sides would have Leinster for breakfast

What about all those English and French clubs Leinster never played?

Quint2010

A fantastic match won by the better team in the end. Leinster just ran out of gas. People talking about the ref-I think he made bizarre decisions for both teams eg Leinster were haunted not to concede a penalty try at the end of the first half. He just evened it up in the end. Bit surprised Leinster didn't try and go for a long range drop goal from Kearney at the end. Definately within his range. They weren't going to open The Ospreys up with 14 men. Oh well-we will have to make do with the Heineken Cup again..:)

Irlandczyk

liammur wrote: »

Of course they don't. That's why leagues are cherished the world over. The best team ALWAYS wins leagues, but not necessarily cups as chelsea proved.

Ok Liam, Ospreys are the best team in the world. And so underrated. We get it.

Fishooks12

It would be great if Ospreys can get their house in order for the HC next year

Would be great for the tournament if we could have a Welsh region seriously competing again

Neil3030

neilmulvey

BoardsMember wrote: »

I thought ospreys were far better. They somehow failed to score a breakaway try, should have had a penalty try, and seemed to maybe just win the things in the physicality stakes.

A penalty try was never an option because the ball wasnt even getting into the scrum so the ref cant assume that a try is coming, and anyway, the Leinster scrum wasnt going backwards.

Both sin-binnings were wrong. TV pictures on both show the Ospreys player with his hand on the ground. Bizarre decisions. Deciding a league in this manner is wrong.

The playoffs should be for the Rabo Cup (or whatever the sponsor is), with the final league standings deciding the league winner.

Whatever ever about who was the better team, Leinster were 9 points up after 72 minutes and a dreadful decision by a referee has effectively cost Leinster the game.

Fishooks12

Chucky the tree wrote: »

It's not really possible to answer tbh. There's a very fine line between Clermont, Toulouse and Leinster tbh

There's not really. Leinster bet Clermont in their own back garden. Had that game been on in the Aviva I doubt Clermont would have been able to return the favor. Toulouse were beaten by a medicore Edinburgh side so how do they even enter the equation? Leinster bet them last year anyway for good measure

lol at all of this anyway. I didn't realise every competition had to decide something, especially as stupid as who the best team in europe is. So what we learnt this season is that Ospreys are the best team in Ireland, Wales and Scotland but Leinster are the best team in Europe. I shouldn't have to explain just how dumb that logic is.

Your own logic is flawed. Look at it like this. Leinster have one the biggest competition in NH club rugby 3 out of the last four years. It would be very hard to argue they're not the best club side in Europe right now, impossible actually

I suppose you honestly thought Greece were the best team in Europe in 2004. :pac:

That's a different sport, and Greece didn't win it 3 times out of four

What about all those English and French clubs Leinster never played?

The ones they've beaten on numerous occasions on for the last 4 years? The same ones that failed to qualify from their groups this year to make that possible?

They humiliated Bath this year btw



(this post surely makes up for my lemon gif!)

shootermacg

neilmulvey wrote: »

A penalty try was never an option because the ball wasnt even getting into the scrum so the ref cant assume that a try is coming, and anyway, the Leinster scrum wasnt going backwards.

Both sin-binnings were wrong. TV pictures on both show the Ospreys player with his hand on the ground. Bizarre decisions. Deciding a league in this manner is wrong.

The playoffs should be for the Rabo Cup (or whatever the sponsor is), with the final league standings deciding the league winner.

Whatever ever about who was the better team, Leinster were 9 points up after 72 minutes and a dreadful decision by a referee has effectively cost Leinster the game.

I hate begrudgers! Some of you little kiddies need to get back in your prams, stop spitting your dummys and just say GG and move on! I know it's what a good sport would do.

sock puppet

Crap. That's 3 from 3 finals lost. Great game though and easily the best of the finals so far.

irishbucsfan

liammur wrote: »

Of course they don't. That's why leagues are cherished the world over. The best team ALWAYS wins leagues, but not necessarily cups as chelsea proved.

Leinster won the league by an absolute mile.

Then the Ospreys won the playoffs, which is effectively a cup tacked on to the end of the league.

I'm not saying "Leinster won," I'm just saying that if everyone was satisfied that the champion of a league was always the best team then there would be absolutely no need for a playoff system.

ambid

thomond2006 wrote: »

...Comiserations to Leinster, unfortunately (IMO) this signficantly derails ynour season...

Disagree. Leinster are champions of Europe. Losing today was a shame, but winning the Heineken is more important than anything.

Today was no more than a minor irritation and I love this team!

Tox56

How on earth can anyone argue Leinster aren't the best team in Europe? They've played the best and won more often than they have lost. Clermont are a fantastic team but need to win the big games in Europe like Leinster have to catch up. Toulouse lost 3 times in 7 games this season in the HEC.

Irlandczyk

shootermacg wrote: »

I hate begrudgers! Some of you little kiddies need to get back in your prams, stop spitting your dummys and just say GG and move on! I know it's what a good sport would do.

Oh yes, god forbid someone should post their thoughts in a public forum. We should all just say GG and move on. That would make perfect sense.

Fishooks12

neilmulvey wrote: »

The playoffs should be for the Rabo Cup (or whatever the sponsor is), with the final league standings deciding the league winner.

As Thomond pointed out, the semi final and finals have reinvigorated the league.

Chucky the tree

Fishooks12 wrote: »

There's not really. Leinster bet Clermont in their own back garden. Had that game been on in the Aviva I doubt Clermont would have been able to return the favor. Toulouse were beaten by a medicore Edinburgh side so how do they even enter the equation? Leinster bet them last year anyway for good measure

And Leinster were just beaten by the Ospreys, how does the best team in Europe not even win their domestic competition? Toulouse enter the equations because one off games shouldn't be accounted for. If they are do you really think Edinburgh are a better team than Toulouse?

Fishooks12 wrote: »

Your own logic is flawed. Look at it like this. Leinster have one the biggest competition in NH club rugby 3 out of the last four years. It would be very hard to argue they're not the best club side in Europe right now, impossible actually

It's actually very easy to argue. Leinster can't even win their own domestic competition yet they are the best team in Europe? Flawed logic right there.

Fishooks12 wrote: »

The ones they've beaten on numerous occasions on for the last 4 years? The same ones that failed to qualify from their groups this year to make that possible?

They humiliated Bath this year btw

Numerous? Hardly.

Fishooks12

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Numerous? Hardly.

Seeing as your "logic" seems to have your mind made up on everything else I'll deal with this point

in HC in the last 4 they've beaten:

Quins
Saracens
Saints
Bath
Sale, Tigers and Northampton

Nearly half the premiership (two in finals by the way)

would you consider that "numerous" ?

Clegg

Meh.

Leinster were the best team over the entire season. The league table doesn't lie in that regard. They are the best team in Europe, 3 Heineken Cups in 4 seasons proves that.

The Ospreys are a very good side and dederved to win today. No shame in admitting that.

thomond2006

I would be in favour of what they do in NRL, giving a 'minor premier' to the regular season winners, while awarding a 'premier' to the winners of the playoffs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_NRL_season

Tox56

Last season in the HEC Leinster played 6 teams:

Aviva Premiership champions 2011
Aviva Premiership Runners-Up 2011
Aviva Premiership Semi-Finalists 2011

Top 14 Champions 2011
Top 14 Semi-Finalists 2011
Top 14 Semi-Finalists 2011

And they lost just once all campaign, who is better in Europe than that?

Chucky the tree

Fishooks12 wrote: »

Seeing as your "logic" seems to have your mind made up on everything else I'll deal with this point

in HC in the last 4 they've beaten:

Quins
Saracens
Saints
Bath
Sale, Tigers and Northampton

Nearly half the premiership (two in finals by the way)

would you consider that "numerous" ?

You said numerous occasions. I picked that up as beating teams a number of times, not sure if you meant that or not.

Tox56 wrote: »

Last season in the HEC Leinster played 6 teams:

Aviva Premiership champions 2011
Aviva Premiership Runners-Up 2011
Aviva Premiership Semi-Finalists 2011

Top 14 Champions 2011
Top 14 Semi-Finalists 2011
Top 14 Semi-Finalists 2011

And they lost just once all campaign, who is better in Europe than that?

So if they beat all of those team it means they are better than them?

Quint2010

thomond2006 wrote: »

Comiserations to Leinster, unfortunately (IMO) this signficantly derails ynour season.

Losing a final (by one point) of a playoff in a league that they had won comfortably, a week after possibly the greatest Heineken Cup final performance ever, has hardly "derailed" Leinster's season..

Banbridgeman

It's actually very easy to argue. Leinster can't even win their own domestic competition yet they are the best team in Europe? Flawed logic right there.

So no team that has ever win the HC has been the best team in Europe other than Wasps? As a neutral fan your complete bitterness is ruining the thread. At times I really hate Irish rugby. I've never begrudged an Irish team but I don't expect that from everyone. At the very least be honest though. A lot of Munster fans annoyed that they're now behind Leinster and us in Irish rugby and lashing out!

thomond2006

Quint2010 wrote: »

Losing a final (by one point) of a playoff in a league that they had won comfortably, a week after possibly the greatest Heineken Cup final performance ever, has hardly "derailed" Leinster's season..

hmm maybe a poor choice of words on my part. I would be very disappointed if I was a Leinster fan, the double was so very close.

Fishooks12

I really think an alternative date for the rabo final should be looked into

last years 6 days was madness. It's a bit annoying that as a Munster fan I always have last years league win a bit ruined by the fact that Leinster clearly weren't fresh

Monty Burnz

Chucky the tree wrote: »

And Leinster were just beaten by the Ospreys, how does the best team in Europe not even win their domestic competition? Toulouse enter the equations because one off games shouldn't be accounted for. If they are do you really think Edinburgh are a better team than Toulouse?

One off games, like today? :rolleyes:

Wind your neck in, you are humiliating yourself at this stage tbh.

Aidric

Quint2010 wrote: »

Losing a final (by one point) of a playoff in a league that they had won comfortably, a week after possibly the greatest Heineken Cup final performance ever, has hardly "derailed" Leinster's season..

Ah jaysus, if it isn't bitterness it's hyperbole. This thread has hit the bottom.