Leinster 32-23 Toulouse
Back in 1996, when it was far from clear that the Heineken Cup was a venture worth pursuing, Toulouse beat Cardiff in the final, in Cardiff. No side has done more to make European competition what it is. But now might be the time for Toulouse to call in a debt or two, because this semi-final wasn't entirely fair.
In a pulsating game settled by the tiniest of margins, Leinster proved again what a force they are at the sparkling Aviva Stadium. And that is the point. On the basis of results in the pool stages, Toulouse, the holders, had travelled to San Sebasti�n for their quarter-final, against Biarritz. Fair enough. But now they were deep in somebody else's backyard again, as a result of not being drawn first from a hat. It is time for the Heineken Cup to go neutral when it reaches the semi-finals.
The 11 penalties awarded against Toulouse suggested it wasn't all bad luck. In fact, they benefited from a wonderful bounce of the ball for their first try. David Skrela's penalty hit the post and the floor and rebounded over a cluster of Leinster defenders into the arms of Florian Fritz.
Leinster had made a poor start, but soon Gordon D'Arcy was running at Skrela and Cl�ment Poitrenaud, not the most impenetrable midfield in the world. Jonathan Sexton began his accumulation of 22 points from eight kicks out of eight as the intensity of Leinster's awakening began to tell. The home team scored two tries, both from waves of attacks from short range by the forwards. For the first the No8, Jamie Heaslip, stretched out an arm and the other players persuaded the referee, Dave Pearson, to go upstairs.
For the second, the referee's indication of a penalty gave the Irish licence to chance their arm beyond the forwards. Brian O'Driscoll cut between Vincent Clerc and Census Johnston for a try typical of the muscular half of his glittering career, the one shaped by injury ahead of natural talent. Not as indicative of genius was his yellow card earlier, for playing the ball "cynically", according to Pearson, as the centre was retreating back into position. While O'Driscoll was away Louis Picamoles, following a reset five-metre scrum, took a pass from the impressive ? but by no means first-choice ? scrum-half Jean-Marc Doussaint to score.
If the absence and presence of O'Driscoll were important, so were the props Cian Healy and Heinke van der Merwe. The one ended his game with a storming run, a charge to underline the sweep of the second-half tide towards Toulouse; the other replaced him and immediately blasted Johnston out of the scrum.
Nicolas Bezy threatened with a penalty to make the last few minutes interesting, but Leinster broke out to earn a kick of their own. Sexton finished his day's work and Leinster were on their way to Cardiff, neutral ground, for the final. Toulouse were on their way home, to the Top 14. The club that made Europe can only rule France this season.
Leinster Nacewa; Horgan, O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, Fitzgerald; Sexton, Reddan (Boss, 52); Healy (Van der Merwe, 52), Strauss, Ross (Wright, 73), Cullen (capt), Hines, McLaughlin (Jennings, 52), O'Brien, Heaslip.
Tries Heaslip, O'Driscoll Cons Sexton 2 Pens Sexton 6.
Toulouse Heymans; Clerc, Fritz (Jauzion, 60), Poitrenaud, M�dard; Skrela (Bezy, 67), Doussain; Poux (Human, 45), Servat (Lacombe, 77), Johnston (Falefa, 68) Maestri (Lamboley, 60), Albacete, Bouilhou (capt), Nyanga (Dusautoir, 48), Picamoles (Sowerby, 64).
Tries Fritz, Picamoles Cons Skrela 2 Pens Skrela, Bezy DG Skrela.
Referee D Pearson (England) Attendance 50,073.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/may/02/leinster-toulouse-heineken-cup
No comments:
Post a Comment