Heineken European Cup 2012

[Bardon]

I can't believe I'm going to miss both these games and the final. I'm in Tokyo atm and will be here for a while yet so wont get to see any of the games as my sky subscription doesn't let me sign in from outside Ireland & the UK.

If Leinster were at home against Clermont I would see it as a foregone conclusion (as much as any semi final can be). It being in France makes it much more even. If Clermont had actually been at home I'd make them slight favourites. However since it's moved to Bordeaux I think Leinster must be slight favourites. Leinster know how to win away in France and the squad is used to dealing with the pressure of a semi final. But if I were back in Europe I wouldn't be booking my ticket for the final just yet.

No disrespect to the 2 teams in the other semi final but this would have made a cracker of a final. I can't see either team walking away with it and both will proably still be in with a shot come the last 10 minutes.

As for Ulster v Edinburgh, looking at the Pro12 table you'd think Ulster would walk this one. But Edinburgh's team has been very different in the HEC and the Pro12, both in personnel and performance. Neither squad are used to being in the Semi Finals. One slight advantage for Ulster is that there are still members of the 99 winners side around Ravenhill to help prep them. However there's no replacement for personal experience.

Ulster are an improving side and this might be the first of a number of HEC semi finals for them over the next 5 years are so. If I'm honest I think for Edinburgh this is a one off deal and therefore those guys will give it their all. Because of those reasons this is a tough one to call. I expect Stephen Ferris to have a monster game in this one and if he does Ulster will win but only just.

So if my predictions are correct I'm going to miss the first all Irish HEC final. But still I can see any of the 4 teams making the final.

 

[Nusadan]

I can't believe I'm going to miss both these games and the final. I'm in Tokyo atm and will be here for a while yet so wont get to see any of the games as my sky subscription doesn't let me sign in from outside Ireland & the UK.

I use http://vpntraffic.com/ to gain access to certain sites from Oz whilst in the UK...so try this from Japan to circumvent the geographical barriers etc...

 

[Bardon]

Thanks Nusadan, guess I have a couple of late nights of fantastic rugby ahead of me this weekend now.

Here are the teams for Ulster v Edinburgh:

Ulster: Stefan Terblanche; Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Paddy Wallace, Craig Gilroy; Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar; Tom Court, Rory Best, Declan Fitzpatrick; Johann Muller (captain), Dan Tuohy; Stephen Ferris, Willie Faloon, Pedrie Wannenburg.

Replacements: Nigel Brady, Paddy McAllister, Adam Macklin, Lewis Stevenson, Robbie Diack, Paul Marshall, Ian Humphreys, Adam D'Arcy.

Edinburgh: Tom Brown; Lee Jones, Nick De Luca, Matt Scott, Tim Visser; Greig Laidlaw (captain), Mike Blair; Allan Jacobsen, Ross Ford, Geoff Cross, Grant Gilchrist, Sean Cox, David Denton, Ross Rennie, Netani Talei.

Replacements: Andrew Kelly, Kyle Traynor, Jack Gilding, Steven Turnbull, Roddy Grant, Chris Leck, Phil Godman, Jim Thompson.

The two big talking points were the selection of young Paddy Jackson ahead of Ian Humphreys at fly half and Declan Fitzpatrick in for the suspended John Afoa. Jackson was very impressive against Leinster last weekend.

 

[Bardon]

Clermont v Leinster teams:

Clermont Auvergne: Lee Byrne; Sitiveni Sivivatu, Aurelien Rougerie (capt), Wesley Fofana, Julien Malzieu; Brock James, Morgan Parra; Lionel Faure, Benjamin Kayser, Davit Zirakashvili; Jamie Cudmore, Nathan Hines; Julien Bonnaire, Alexandre Lapandry, Elvis Vermeulen.

Replacements: Ti'i Paulo, Vincent Debaty, Daniel Kotzen, Julien Pierre, Julien Bardy, Ludovic Radosavljevic, Regan King, Jean-Marcel Buttin.

Leinster: Rob Kearney; Isa Nacewa, Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald; Jonathan Sexton, Isaac Boss; Cian Healy, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross; Leo Cullen (capt), Brad Thorn; Sean O'Brien, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip

Replacements: Sean Cronin, Heinke van der Merwe, Nathan White, Devin Toner, Kevin McLaughlin, Eoin Reddan, Ian Madigan, Fergus McFadden

Big call starting Boss instead of Reddan. Boss will mean slower ball for Leinster but maybe it's in recognition that it will be very tight from the start and Schmidt has gone for a bit of dog from the start. Then Reddan can come on for the last 20 when the game is a bit looser. Both teams look impressive on paper but it's what they do on the pitch that will get one of them into the final.

 

[Nusadan]

Thanks Nusadan, guess I have a couple of late nights of fantastic rugby ahead of me this weekend now.

Here are the teams for Ulster v Edinburgh:

Ulster: Stefan Terblanche; Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Paddy Wallace, Craig Gilroy; Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar; Tom Court, Rory Best, Declan Fitzpatrick; Johann Muller (captain), Dan Tuohy; Stephen Ferris, Willie Faloon, Pedrie Wannenburg.

Replacements: Nigel Brady, Paddy McAllister, Adam Macklin, Lewis Stevenson, Robbie Diack, Paul Marshall, Ian Humphreys, Adam D'Arcy.

Edinburgh: Tom Brown; Lee Jones, Nick De Luca, Matt Scott, Tim Visser; Greig Laidlaw (captain), Mike Blair; Allan Jacobsen, Ross Ford, Geoff Cross, Grant Gilchrist, Sean Cox, David Denton, Ross Rennie, Netani Talei.

Replacements: Andrew Kelly, Kyle Traynor, Jack Gilding, Steven Turnbull, Roddy Grant, Chris Leck, Phil Godman, Jim Thompson.

The two big talking points were the selection of young Paddy Jackson ahead of Ian Humphreys at fly half and Declan Fitzpatrick in for the suspended John Afoa. Jackson was very impressive against Leinster last weekend.

Got a soft spot for Edinburgh perhaps from being in Scotland myself and being fond of the city itself, I wasn't too surprised to see them beating Toulouse earlier, and could do so again here...so will be checking the odds in that!

 

[Bardon]

20 minutes gone Ulster 10 Edinburgh 6. Pretty entertaining so far. Ulster aren't missing Afoa in the scrums where they are dominating and that's where their try came from. It looked like the ball came out of the scrum for a split second but Poite didn't give it. Wannenburg control it back into the scrum before picking and driving over for the try.

Edinburgh have looked very dangerous and are making easy yards when they attack.

 

[Nusadan]

Ferris should have been yellow carded for that slap down right on half time...

 

[Bardon]

Half time Ulster 13 Edinburgh 9. Ulster did well to see out 10 minutes with 14 men when Terblanche picked up a silly yellow card for slaping at a ruck right under the nose of the touch judge. Ulster actually came out 3-0 up for the sin bin period when Pinaar put over a penalty just as the clock was ticking down the final minute on the yellow.

Stephen Ferris was very lucky not to get a yellow right on the stroke of half time as he slapped the ball out of Blair's hand while off his feet at a ruck 5 metres out from his own line. Poite gave then pen but not the card. Edinburgh popped it over to make it very close at half time.

One worry thing for Ulster was that Ferris seemed to be hobbling as he left the field, hopefully they can patch him up at half time.

 

[Nusadan]

Half time Ulster 13 Edinburgh 9. Ulster did well to see out 10 minutes with 14 men when Terblanche picked up a silly yellow card for slaping at a ruck right under the nose of the touch judge. Ulster actually came out 3-0 up for the sin bin period when Pinaar put over a penalty just as the clock was ticking down the final minute on the yellow.

Stephen Ferris was very lucky not to get a yellow right on the stroke of half time as he slapped the ball out of Blair's hand while off his feet at a ruck 5 metres out from his own line. Poite gave then pen but not the card. Edinburgh popped it over to make it very close at half time.

One worry thing for Ulster was that Ferris seemed to be hobbling as he left the field, hopefully they can patch him up at half time.

Hopefully not!

 

[Bardon]

60 minutes gone Ulster 16 Edinburgh 12. It's been pretty much all Ulster since half time but importantly Edinburgh have managed to keep them out for extended period where Ulster have been camped in their 22. Getting really nervous for Ulster now as we go into the final 20.

 

[Bardon]

Final score Ulster 22 Edinburgh 19. I'm glad Edinburgh got that try at the end as it was reward for all their efforts. Obviously very happy Ulster still won but fair play to Edinburgh for making it a really good contest. 1 Irish team into the HEC final, now to see if my team Leinster can make it an all Irish final tomorrow.

 

[Nusadan]

Final score Ulster 22 Edinburgh 19. I'm glad Edinburgh got that try at the end as it was reward for all their efforts. Obviously very happy Ulster still won but fair play to Edinburgh for making it a really good contest. 1 Irish team into the HEC final, now to see if my team Leinster can make it an all Irish final tomorrow.

No, Clermont Ferrand to be there! I can't stand Leinster TBH...they're the Brumbies version in Ireland/Europe for that matter!

 

[kronic]

Shattered I'm going to miss the final.

 

[Nusadan]

Shattered I'm going to miss the final.

Picked the weekend of the final to go to Venice for a 'romantic' weekend with my missus!

 

[Bardon]

I'm guessing the old let's go out for dinner to a place that just happens to be showing the rugby wouldn't go down too well.

 

[Blue]

Ruaan Pienaar. Holy crap. He owned that game. Has to be in a Bok 22.

 

[Bardon]

Half time Clermont 12 Leinster 6. I'd love to give my impressions on the first half but my stream is lagging so much it was hard to see what was going on most of the time. What I did see is that Leinster's lineout is in trouble and after a good start in the scrum Clermont are beginning to get the nudge there too. Leinster need to produce a very big 2nd half and spend more time in Clermont territory if they have any chance to turn this around.

 

[qwerty51]

Wayne Barnes is pissing me off as a neutral supporter, he always kills great attacking play

 

[Bardon]

My connection has really improved in the 2nd half and so have Leinster's performance. Clermont 12 Leinster 19 with 15 minutes to go. Not there yet but Leinster are looking really good. Kearney has been amazing in this 2nd half and Sexton is right back to top form. Plenty of work still to do to close out and game and I'm going to be nervous as long as it's a one score game.

 

[Bardon]

Wow what a finish I was convinced Clermont were going to score a try at the death. But great defence from Leinster and bad luck for Fofana saw them through. All Irelnd HEC final for the first time.