Turning point: Rob Kearney breaks clear to set up Cian Healy
Leinster are still on track to defend their Heineken Cup title after beating Clermont 19-15 in Sunday's semi-final in Bordeaux.
Leinster will now face Ulster in an all-Irish final at Twickenham on Saturday, 19 May - the team from Dublin's third final in four years.
The match was billed as the 'game of the season' in Europe and the capacity crowd at the 34 500-seater Stade Chaban-Delmas were certainly treated to a tussle of the highest quality.
Clermont led 12-6 at the interval of a cut-and-thrust encounter but Leinster ruled in the second period and took control thanks to a try set up by Rob Kearney and scored by Cian Healy.
The French side looked to have snatched victory in the dying moments however but Wesley Fofana lost control of the ball in the act of crossing the try-line.
The game ended with les Jaunards camped under the posts but referee Wayne Barnes handed a decisive penalty to Leinster, much to the displeasure of the booing French fans, who felt that the Englishman already owed them two yellow cards.
Glorious sunshine had replaced the rain of the earlier in the day and Jonathan Sexton put Leinster on the board first from the kicking tee. But his effort was cancelled out by a penalty from opposite number Brock James to leave matters all-square at the end of the first quarter.
Leinster skipper Leo Cullen was lucky not to see yellow after landing a punch on Lionel Faure. If anything referee Barnes's decision to let Cullen off the hook was probably influenced more by theatrical manner in which the loosehead went to ground rather than the weak punch itself.
Clermont enjoyed a strong 15 minutes but their only reward was another penalty from James to which Sexton replied three minutes later.
But the French side were slowly but surely beginning to control the tempo of the game and were enjoying the lion's share of field position. Clermont finished the half the stronger of the two teams and two more penalties gave l'ASM a deserved six-point lead at the break.
Europe's defending champions started the second period in perfect fashion however as Kearney burst through a gap in the inside channel from Richardt Strauss's clever pass to set up a try for Healy.
Sexton's conversion put Leinster one point ahead before Kearney stunned Clermont when he slotted a long-range drop goal!
Almost immediately James had a chance to cut the lead to a single point but pushed his penalty attempt wide to awaken the ghosts of that fateful day in Dublin two years ago. The Australian didn't waver with his next kick though, leaving the scores at 16-15.
Sexton held his nerve to split the uprights from out wide going into the final quarter to restore the four-point gap as Leinster plied the pressure.
The closing stages were filled with drama and the TMO was called upon when Sexton sent a penalty attempt directly over the top of the outside upright. Leinster were denied the three points, setting up a grandstand finish as Clermont went in search of what would surely be a winning try.
Fofana and Clermont celebrated what they considered a five-pointer, but the video referee correctly ruled against them.
With just seconds left, Leinster survived a monumental final assault to advance to Twickenham after an epic battle.
Man of the match: The best full-back in Europe at the moment, Rob Kearney didn't put a foot wrong and produced a seven-minute spell that changed the complexion of the game.
Moment of the match: In an extraordinary finale, Fofana thought he had scored two minutes from time as he twisted out of Gordon D'Arcy's tackle, but as he landed on his elbow he lost his grip on the ball, which squirmed out of his hands as he tried to ground it.
The scorers:
For Clermont:
Pens: James 5
For Leinster:
Try: Healy
Con: Sexton
Pens: Sexton 4
The teams:
Clermont: 15 Lee Byrne, 14 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 13 Aurélien Rougerie, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Julien Malzieu, 10 Brock James, 9 Morgan Parra, 8 Elvis Vermeulen, 7 Alexandre Lapandry, 6 Julien Bonnaire, 5 Nathan Hines, 4 Jamie Cudmore, 3 Davit Zirakashvili, 2 Benjamin Kayser, 1 Lionel Faure.
Replacements: 16 Ti'i Paulo, 17 Vincent Debaty, 18 Daniel Kotze, 19 Julien Pierre, 20 Julien Bardy, 21 Ludovic Radoslavjevic , 22 Regan King, 23 Jean-Marcel Buttin.
Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Isa Nacewa, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Isaac Boss, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Shane Jennings, 6 Sean O'Brien, 5 Brad Thorn, 4 Leo Cullen (c), 3 Mike Ross, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Nathan White, 19 Devin Toner, 20 Kevin McLaughlin 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Fergus McFadden.
Venue: Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Comments
makemehappy says...
@papachinzo - are you having a laugh
1) - a punch is a punch - don't do it! Are you suggesting there should be a measurement of force? The problem was Barnes refused to give a penalty and had to decide the colour of the card, not whether there should be one.
2) Not cynical even after a team warning??
3) Correct if I'm thinking of the same incident as you.
4) He might rarely do it, but he did do it, and should have been penalised. You can't argue with a blatant penalty with such a good view. Barnes got it wrong - AGAIN!
A great game, but spoilt by an idiot of a ref
Posted 13:09 30th April 2012
papachinzo says...
@froggy73 hmm, Maybe you didn't see Clermont's three off the ball hits on Leinster and the Penalty stats... Yellow cards could have gone to both teams.
Barnes got everything spot on, but did miss a few incidents on both sides.
Posted 13:05 30th April 2012
Ybgurrrrr says...
I couldn't have been more neutral for this game, with all the English teams out I settled down with a cup of tea to enjoy the match and was frankly appauled at the way in which the referee influenced the outcome of the game. A really embarrasing day for northern hemisphere rugby.
Posted 12:46 30th April 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
As a neutral I want to congratulate both teams. I think Wayne Barnes may have let his dislike for the french crowd influence the final result which is a shame, but Leinster were smarter, cooler under pressure and well worth their win. Clermont kinda lost the plot when things went against them and needed a little more composure.
Posted 12:27 30th April 2012
Rosbif says...
@blametheref. good post, agree with you on most points as ever! fofana def not a try (don't think I've heard anyone say otherwise?). barnes poor for both sides, killing momentum etc. your point re kicking vs running game in the asm backline is significant. asm use byrne's boot to play territory. and rougerie and malzieu to carry and break defensive line with others running lines off them. with buttin at 15, the kicking game was gone (have you ever seen sivivatu or rougerie kick!!). with regan king at 13 (who hasn't played for months after coming back from injury....and who's much smaller than rougerie) and no malzieu, there was no-one to take it to the line. Hence, leinster had a relatively easy time drifting on D. And were able to use the wind and camber of the pitch to keep ASM in the bottom right corner. Simple. Re the lineout, ASM made some poor decisions. Taking Hines off was a mistake. Paulo's throwing not always precise. And Bonnaire blood/injury brought back Vermeulen who's no jumper. So any leinster weakness there was not exploited.
Anyhow, well played Leinster. Some good fortune in their try (fwd pass?) and some of their pens (eg sivi's block on nacewa!), along with a wonder drop goal, but no complaints :)
Posted 10:02 30th April 2012
froggy73 says...
@BigRugbyBalls: it's funny that before the game, there were so many Irish posts against Barnes inhability to refer a game so important (which I kind of secretely approved)
I cannot see any Irish complains after the game. That sums it up doesn't it ? Or did Barnes suddenly become a great referee ?
Posted 09:33 30th April 2012
J_Hdk says...
@Rosbif Goodluck
@froggy73 Yaaaaawwwwnnnn
@Genghis_J in fairness I have seen plenty of games in all the major pro leagues north and south where refs just ignore this rule supposedly to promote attacking rugby by essentially prohibiting counter rucking. Removing the breakdown as an area of contest. But it's a debate for another time
Posted 09:30 30th April 2012
BigRugbyBalls says...
@froggy73
blah blah blah blah blah
Posted 09:07 30th April 2012
Rosbif says...
@jonesy2. immense!
@danut. good point :)
Posted 09:02 30th April 2012
blametheref says...
Ok, Barnes wasn't the ref who should have been in charge but Clermont can have no complaints they had every chance at the end with penalties on the line to steal this game but couldn't do it even with players coming in from the side in desperation and not being penalized before the overdue Leinster penalty was finally awarded, rightfully. Fofana's try attempt was 100% not a try, he was just plain unlucky the ball went forward, and the fact Leinster were the away team, scored a drop goal and converted try definitely shows they were the worthy winners over the full 80 minutes. These are the 2 best teams in Europe and though Ulster are good they will find it very difficult to find a way past Leinster in the final but it will be no easy match....Leinster STILL have worrying line out problems especially with long throws and yet again need to sort this prior to the final. I was amazed Clermont didn't exploit this by kicking more to the corners for line outs but they chose to take Leinster's backs on and like most teams who take the leinster backs on from too deep they end up on the wrong side of the score board....If Leinster win the final they are more than worthy European champions, if Ulster win it they will have been lucky!
Posted 08:54 30th April 2012
froggy73 says...
Barnes + Leinster 19 - Clermont 15
Well done Barnes + Leinster
Posted 08:26 30th April 2012
Chancer says...
Never mind the result, Mr Barnes has been rubbish for too long and has ruined too many games. He should be sent back to officiating at Championship level or lower.
Far too many infringements on both sides went without comment.
That aside, Leinster are worthy winners, Clermont just did not take their chances
Posted 07:22 30th April 2012
jonesy2 says...
how did thorny go?
Posted 06:33 30th April 2012
hayj05 says...
Barnes was awful & feel like he's completely lost the plot. Having said that Leinster were still good money for their win & Clermont or rather Fofana botched a relatively simple try to win the game. Atmosphere was electric but game wasn't as good as people are saying, it was very stop start with the amount of whistle, drop balls & weird advantage rulings that a lot of refs seem to be employing now. However the last 5 minutes was played with great accuracy & intensity, amazing finish.
Posted 03:14 30th April 2012
tombomb says...
this constant blaming of officials is disgraceful yeah he got some calls wrong like not giving Cullen a yellow card for something that had no effect on the the game. this always blame the ref attitude is turning rugby into soccer. anybody remember what the welsh media's reaction to warburtons red card was like? even though it was the right call by the ref he was hounded for it and it cost him the ref job for the world cup final absolutely pathetic.
Posted 01:35 30th April 2012
ciaran1792 says...
@crunchfit
I agree completely he made a meal of it it i think that's why Barnes let him off. I would have sent Cullen off for that though was stupid lashing out like so. Zirakashvili made a meal of it and that's why Barnes was so lenient if he did not go to ground after it Cullen was as good as off. There was a lot of coming off the feet in the 1st half. I noticed the Clermont player holding the tackled player on his knees and contesting the ball and Clermont got a penalty wrongfully because you have to be on your feet to contest for the ball, I think it was Rourgire on the Clermont try line got it and he was off his feet and legally should not have been aloud to contesting it. Clermont got a penalty and relieved the pressure. lots of things go wrong in matches and I am sure Leinster did a lot of sneaky stuff at the ruck most likely illegal but Clermont are no angels either.
Posted 23:17 29th April 2012
GCP_JONES says...
@davodiablo says...
It was Fuare who earned the oscar for the slap. Cullen should still have been yellow carded though. Barnes was certainly not a hometown IMO.
it raises the question yet again of why Ireland cannot take these players and make a team out of them.
But after all the 50 50 calls Leinster were still the better team over the 80 minutes. Is there any other sport that can say can come down to milameters to how a game can be decided'
GREAT CONTEST
Posted 21:31 29th April 2012
papachinzo says...
Everyone seems to be blaming the referee although the penalty counts we're the same (14 Penalties each)... There we're four major talking points for Leinster though: 1: Leo Cullen Punch, 2.D'Arcy Killing the ball, 3.Nacewa "killing the ball", and 4.Heaslip "pulling in the line out".
1. The Punch itself was a more of a push, but the dive that followed ruined all hope of a card. (Clermont dive all the time as well...) IF there was no dive, then a Yellow, yes.
2. yes is was cynical, but not major enough to warrant a yellow.
3. If you watch it again, Parra clearly milks the penalty. Parra himself knocks the ball of Nacewa's foot while he was taking it out of the ruck.
4. Heaslip never "pulls" or disrupts the players jump, or causes him to fall. (Rightfully not a penalty).
The two penalties at the end we're for players failing to roll away in time, but never actually killing the ball, so not major enough for a yellow, and the final turn over was legal. the rest of Leinster's penalties we're either for: side entry(3), crooked Line out(4) and collapsing the scrum(2).
Posted 20:51 29th April 2012
Rosbif says...
@peachlegs. totally agree. (and sorry, i may have inadvertently started the whole Barnes thing). To be fair to ASM, it seems that none of their players, coaching staff or fans (are there any on this forum?) have said anything about the ref. Just some of the other Top 14 fans, like myself, pointing out the irony, since ASM always seem to benefit from the rub of ref's decisions in the domestic league!!
And I suppose that touched a nerve (rightly so) with some of the Leinster fans here, who are worthy winners and certainly don't need the likes of me making excuses for ASM. Simple fact is ASM scored fewer points at the end of a titanic struggle. Leinster are in final. Job done.
(But, as a Toulouse fan, I'm still pretty scared by that ASM team, and what they are capable of over the next several years....)
Posted 20:50 29th April 2012
crunchfit says...
@ciaran1792
Agree with you on all points. And that was a disgraceful bit of play regarding the dive. Maybe if Zirakashvili didn't flop to the ground like a fat baby Cullen may have gotten the card.
Posted 20:14 29th April 2012