After four pulsating games, the Heineken Cup quarter-finals are over and the semi-finalists have been decided.
Munster managed to thump Toulouse and Clermont overcame Leicester. A 14-man Ulster were unable to beat Saracens and Toulon proved far too much for Leinster. I actually correctly predicted the outcome in all four games – normally I’m lucky to get one prediction right.
Leinster’s loss also means that Brian O’Driscoll and Leo Cullen have both made their last appearances in the Heineken Cup.
It wasn’t a great weekend for the Irish provinces, overall. Despite Munster’s great performance, both Leinster and Ulster bow out of the tournament. There are also injuries to Rory Best and Peter O’Mahony to contend with, both players having been ruled out of the rest of the season. This means they’ll miss their club’s games in the Rabo and Ireland’s summer tour of Argentina.
As well as that though, the IRFU will miss out on a lucrative Heineken Cup semi-final at the Aviva Stadium, which could have netted them more than €1 Million!
Munster 47-Toulouse 23
Both teams seemed evenly matched going into the game, though Toulouse had a tough task as Munster have an amazing record in their home ground.
In 15 years of Heineken Cup rugby, only Leicester and Ulster have come away from Thomond Park with a victory. Toulouse were making their first ever visit to the stadium and they seemed to be in with a good chance, but they got absolutely trounced.
It was one of Toulouse’s poorest performances in their history!
Munster dominated the first half, but were unable to convert their pressure into points and Toulouse were lucky to go into the break only four points behind. Keith Earls scored Munster’s first try of the game, after only six minutes, but Toulouse managed to cut off a second attempt by Conor Murray.
Toulouse kept themselves in the game by the boot of New Zealand born out-half Luke McAllister.
The second half started almost identically to the first, with Earls scoring again in the first few minutes. Toulouse managed to keep themselves in the game, with some great pressure and two superb tries, but the day was mainly Munster’s, who scored a further five tries!
It was one of the greatest performances Munster have put on in their home ground and the record crowd of 25,000 got more than their money’s worth!
Munster will now face Toulon in the semi-final, on Sunday, April 27th at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille. Though their victory doesn’t come without a price: their captain Peter O’Mahony has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
Clermont 22-Leicester 16
Leicester also had a tough challenge ahead of them, as Clermont have a staggering record, having won their last 74 games at home! Leicester put in a valiant effort but the French team were too much for them.
The teams were pretty evenly matched, scoring a try apiece, but Clermont got the nod with penalties.
Clermont dominated the first half, going into the break, 17-9 ahead. Leicester managed to reduce the lead early in the second half to five points, but Clermont managed to hold on despite increased pressure from the English side. Leicester kept up the pressure but Clermont wouldn’t budge.
After Leicester had a man sent off and Clermont went six points ahead, it proved too steep a hill for Leicester to climb, and Clermont advanced to the Heineken Cup semi-finals for the third time in three years!
Saracens 17-Ulster 15
Ulster performed valiantly but were fighting an uphill struggle for almost the entire game. The Ulster full-back Jared Payne was red carded after only four minutes (for a dangerous hit on the airborne Andy Goode) and they played the rest of the match with 14 men.
The province held on until the end but were unable to overcome a determined Saracens side. Saracens will have the home advantage when they face Clermont in the semi-final, on Saturday 26th April at Twickenham.
It really was a careless hit by Payne: Goode was in the air when Payne took him out. The rules very clearly state that a player must have two feet on the ground before contact is made. Payne should have let Goode land before hitting him. It was not only careless but dangerous.
If Goode had landed badly he could have easily broken his neck. Goode was taken off on a stretcher and Payne received a two-week ban for his moment of madness. It was the ugliest incident in all four quarter-finals.
Although the hit didn’t look malicious, it was still very dangerous. Although some might feel that the red card was a trifle harsh, I believe that there should be a zero tolerance view on these kinds of dangerous hits.
It still amazes me after all these years that neither Tana Umaga nor Keven Mealamu received any form of punishment for their dangerous spear tackle on Brian O’Driscoll during the 2005 Lions Series. The rules have gotten much more strict since then.
Saracens were unable to capitalise on their one-man advantage, though. Ulster even got the first points on the board, after a Ruan Pienarr penalty. Saracens finally took the lead, after a Chris Ashton try.
Ashton put in a great run but decided to perform his custom swan dive in the corner, despite having a clear run to the posts.
Owen Farrell was unable to convert from the touchline (Farrell would only be successful with a kick once during the whole game), leaving Saracens with only a 5-3 lead.
Ulster took back the lead and the first half finished 9-5. Saracens seemed unable to get a grip on the game. Saracens scored another try early in the second half but Ulster wouldn’t give in. It was a titanic effort by the Irish side.
The one man advantage finally took hold towards the end of the game, Botha scoring and Ashton scoring his second try, with Farrell finally converting.
Ulster managed to get two penalties before the end, but Saracens managed to hold on for the slenderest of victories. Ulster will be forever asking themselves what might have been. Given their amazing performance with only 14 men, it seems likely they could have easily won the game if not for Payne.
Ulster suffered more woes, with injuries to Rory Best, Nick Williams, Ruan Pienarr and Andrew Trimble. All four are pivotal players for the team and will be much needed as the Rabo12 enters it’s final stretches and Ulster will want to maintain a top four placing for a chance to advance to the semi-finals.
Toulon 29-Leinster 14
Brian O’Driscoll and Leo Cullen have made their last appearances in the Heineken Cup and neither will be happy on the way their team went out of the tournament. Leinster under-performed in the game and it was only some tremendous defence (and some Toulon errors) that prevented the floodgates from been opened.
Toulon had at least seven chances in the first half to score tries, but whether through their own errors, or courageous Leinster defence, they failed to touchdown.
Given Toulon’s dominance in the first half, it was amazing that the teams went into the break level at six points apiece. Toulon finally managed to convert pressure into points in the second half, through tries by Xavier Choicci and Drew Mitchell.
The pick of Toulon’s players were Mathieu Bastereaud (who cut lines through the Leinster defence) and Stefon Armitage. Toulon don’t need to worry about losing Armitage (or his brother Delon, who kicked a monster penalty from half way) to England any time soon as the RFU have a ban on using players who ply their trade overseas.
Leinster did very well to stay in the game until the closing stages. Toulon made a lot of unforced errors and will need to tighten their play if they are to have any chance of beating Munster in the semi-final and going on to retain their Heineken Cup.
Brian O’Driscoll and Leo Cullen will want to forget this game but they leave the Heineken with some great memories and three winners medals in five years!
So after another great weekend of rugby, four exciting, unique matches, each with plenty of drama and some wonderful rugby, we go into the semi-finals of the last ever Heineken Cup, with Saracens facing Clermont and Toulon taking on Munster.
Will the final be a repeat of last year’s (Toulon versus Clermont)? Will Saracens progress to their first Heineken Cup Final ever (Saracens are the only team of the four never to have won the Heineken).
Will Munster reach their first Heineken final since 2008, when they won after beating Toulouse (this year’s final takes place in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, where Munster won both their Heineken Trophies (2006/’08).
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
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