The Heineken Cup Thread

Hoof Hearted · May 19, 2011, 07:50:38 PM

Quote from: Capt Pat on May 19, 2011, 07:44:57 PM
Look I think Northampton will have the edge in the front 5 but I am listening to Frano say the Northampton Half bacs Dickson and Myler are the worst to contest a Heineken cup final. Who is their number 8? The point is Leinster are miles better at 8,9 &10. How can Leinster lose. Unless it rains cats and dogs......scratch that as they will shut the roof in Cardiff. I suppose Northampton with a good pack and Foden and Ashton if he recovers from the boxing have a chance but it is slim.

It looks like a Leinster win.

Roger Wilson, former Ulster player who obviously wont need extra motivation. Half Backs are average OK. Myler went through a phase at the beginning of 2011 where he was missing pens from everywhere.

muppet · May 19, 2011, 07:56:26 PM

Quote from: Hoof Hearted on May 19, 2011, 07:44:28 PM
Ah muppet, Who's looking after me this weekend then ?

The Heineken Cup.

There's a clue in that somewhere.

Hoof Hearted · May 19, 2011, 08:04:03 PM

Quote from: muppet on May 19, 2011, 07:56:26 PM
Quote from: Hoof Hearted on May 19, 2011, 07:44:28 PM
Ah muppet, Who's looking after me this weekend then ?

The Heineken Cup.

There's a clue in that somewhere.

it was the "Too Much Heineken" Cup in Edinburgh, that's what im afraid off !!

Hoof Hearted · May 19, 2011, 11:00:50 PM

to get to the final, Leinster have beaten the reigning champions, the current, and winners of the 3 out of the last 4 English Prem Champions, the finalists in the last 2 English Prem finals (twice, and possible winners this year) last years French Top 14 champions (twice) and the finalists from this years French Top 14 final. No wonder their actually favourites !

Hoof Hearted · May 20, 2011, 01:24:11 PM

Brian O'Driscoll passed fit for Heineken Cup final

O'Driscoll had to be substituted at half-time at the RDS against Ulster Brian O'Driscoll is named in Leinster's team for the Heineken Cup final against Northampton on Saturday after recovering from a knee injury.

The Irish captain was rated doubtful after sustaining the injury against Ulster last weekend.

O'Driscoll is a part of an unchanged line-up to face the Saints at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff.

Hooker Richardt Strauss injured a hip in the Ulster game but he has also been passed fit for the decider.

Leinster skipper Leo Cullen, who lines up alongside Scotland's Nathan Hines at second row, is one of six Ireland internationals in a pack which includes Sean O'Brien, who has scored four tries in this year's competition.

O'Driscoll helped Leinster clinch an emotional final triumph over Leicester two years ago and he is hungry for more European success.

"It's a very different mentality now," he said. "By winning it a second time you copper-fasten the fact that you are a quality side."

O'Driscoll turned down an invitation to last month's royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton to concentrate on his preparation for the semi-final against Toulouse.

"As big an honour as it was to be asked, the team ethos comes first," he said.

Leinster: I Nacewa; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, E Reddan; C Healy, R Strauss, M Ross, L Cullen (captain), N Hines, K McLaughlin, S O'Brien, J Heaslip.

Replacements: J Harris-Wright, H Van Der Merwe, S Wright, D Toner, S Jennings, I Boss, I Madigan, F McFadden.

Kerry Mike · May 20, 2011, 01:58:49 PM

Still 2-1 to Munster in European titles

but hopefully the Leinster ~~Ladyboys~~ Lions can equal up the score at the weekend.

oakleafgael · May 20, 2011, 02:05:37 PM

O'Driscoll may be fit but he is a lucky boy that it was Ulster they where playing in the semi final and not a Welsh or Scotch team. The punch on Henry would have been a citing from any other team but an Irish one.

AZOffaly · May 20, 2011, 02:07:15 PM

Quote from: oakleafgael on May 20, 2011, 02:05:37 PM
O'Driscoll may be fit but he is a lucky boy that it was Ulster they where playing in the semi final and not a Welsh or Scotch team. The punch on Henry would have been a citing from any other team but an Irish one.

Is it not an independent citing commisioner?

oakleafgael · May 20, 2011, 02:13:12 PM

Quote from: AZOffaly on May 20, 2011, 02:07:15 PM
Quote from: oakleafgael on May 20, 2011, 02:05:37 PM
O'Driscoll may be fit but he is a lucky boy that it was Ulster they where playing in the semi final and not a Welsh or Scotch team. The punch on Henry would have been a citing from any other team but an Irish one.

Is it not an independent citing commisioner?

He is independent of the competing teams but either team can cite an opponent.

Dinny Breen · May 20, 2011, 02:15:54 PM

Teams can only bring an incident to a citing commisioner's attention, thet cannot cite.

If BOD was cted for that we might as well give up as every game will have a dozen citings. It was no more than a gay slap.

oakleafgael · May 20, 2011, 02:30:28 PM

Quote from: Dinny Breen on May 20, 2011, 02:15:54 PM
Teams can only bring an incident to a citing commisioner's attention, thet cannot cite.

If BOD was cted for that we might as well give up as every game will have a dozen citings. It was no more than a gay slap.

Dinny,

Don't get me wrong I don't want him to miss the final but it was a lot more than a gay slap. He tried to hit him as hard as he could, with a closed fist. Its an exaggeration to say there are a dozen of those punches throw in every match. Plenty of slapping of arms and pushing at the breakdown. If he had connected he could easily have broken his jaw.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktG2aOEwNgk

ballinaman · May 20, 2011, 02:47:31 PM

Quote from: oakleafgael on May 20, 2011, 02:30:28 PM
Quote from: Dinny Breen on May 20, 2011, 02:15:54 PM
Teams can only bring an incident to a citing commisioner's attention, thet cannot cite.

If BOD was cted for that we might as well give up as every game will have a dozen citings. It was no more than a gay slap.

Dinny,

Dint get me wrong I dint want him to miss the final but it was a lot more than a gay slap. He tried to hit him as hard as he could, with a closed fist. Its an exaggeration to say there are a dozen of those punches throw in every match. Plenty of slapping of arms and pushing at the breakdown. If he had connected he could easily have broken his jaw.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktG2aOEwNgk

I wonder will they go for O'Driscolls knee the first chance they get...i'd say so.

Dinny Breen · May 20, 2011, 03:51:06 PM

Quote from: oakleafgael on May 20, 2011, 02:30:28 PM
Quote from: Dinny Breen on May 20, 2011, 02:15:54 PM
Teams can only bring an incident to a citing commisioner's attention, thet cannot cite.

If BOD was cted for that we might as well give up as every game will have a dozen citings. It was no more than a gay slap.

Dinny,

Don't get me wrong I don't want him to miss the final but it was a lot more than a gay slap. He tried to hit him as hard as he could, with a closed fist. Its an exaggeration to say there are a dozen of those punches throw in every match. Plenty of slapping of arms and pushing at the breakdown. If he had connected he could easily have broken his jaw.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktG2aOEwNgk

It was not a citing offence, he threw a punch and missed, if the ref saw it, it was a penalty at worst a yellow card. People are losing the run of themselves.

magpie seanie · May 20, 2011, 03:53:45 PM

Good luck to Leinster from the impoverished 4th province of Ireland. Every time Leinster or Munster win it remember its money ye are stealing from Connacht that helps ye win it! Anyway, we're used to it.

As for the "punch" - I'd say Amy has given him worse.

Kerry Mike · May 20, 2011, 05:43:38 PM

If Leinster win don't Connacht then qualify for the Heineken next year which will be great having the 4 Irish temas involved for the 1st time however the transfer policy of the IRFU where they have allowed half the Connacht team to transfer to Leinster for next year could rebound on them if Connacht get tanked in every game.