A review of the Heineken Cup knock-outs

AND the Oscar goes to:

Munster, Kings on the Road, the No 1 team.

The top team ran out a bonus point win on the road at Northampton before 22,220 spectators at Stadium MK, they had come to see the home team win!

After the Leinster win at the RDS, the journos had Leinster in the pole position and ready to play Ulster -1 V 8. They had lost the red faith for a couple of hours. But the fat lady had not sung and the Reds pulled another one out of the bag. Not that is will matter except for the bragging rights, it depends on the results from here on in from a home quarter final.

Ireland managed three qualifiers, Munster, Leinster and Ulster at this stage for the first time in 17 years. Two former winners and the holders. What a result for the Irish Squad gathering for the Six Nations and for the IRFU. Not just another year, this is 2012- has to be special now for the Six Nations.

(As of 22 January 2012, it is the Year of the Dragon? China, not Wales!)

The quarter final draw is as follows:

1. Munster V. Ulster, (Thomond Park Limerick) 2. Leinster V.Cardiff, (Aviva)

3. Edinburgh V. Toulouse, 4. Saracens V. Clermont.

The semi-final draw is as follows:

1 V. 3 and 4 V 2, for the home drawn country and the ERC dictates the Stadium.

The winner of Munster/Ulster QF will play in Ireland in the semi-final (Aviva - Logical) V. Edinburgh/Toulouse winner

If Leinster wins the QF they will play away in England or France (V. winner Saracens/Clermont).

It seems a pity that two of our teams meet each other in the QF, however we do have one home semi final in Ireland and we are still on target for an all Ireland final of the Heineken Cup at Twickenham on the 19th May at 5 pm.

So where do we go from here, it is twelve weeks to the quarter finals on the 6-8 April after the six nations. So as usual the call goes out to the national coach from the provincial coaches “please give us back the players in the same condition - in a winning frame of mind and injury free”.

It is a truly international quarter finals stage:

Ireland 3 teams, France 2, England 1, Scotland 1, Wales 1, the odd six nations country out is Italy. Scotland, Michael Bradley’s Edinburgh are in for only the second time, last one was 2004.

Munster:

Munster’s Man of the Match Simon Zebo stole the show at Northampton with three tries as they ran out comprehensive winners to land the title of “Lords of the Heineken Cup”, if QE 2 was visiting this year again, she could Knight this team. Ronan O’Gara made another massive contribution with a haul of 24 points.

Siege

At the D4 venue we had the Siege of the RDS, Montpellier camped in Leinster half from the 18th minute to the 32nd minute, and I can never remember anything like it. It was a forwards onslaught. Considering the French side had the national out half in Francois Trinh-Duc, they made no effort, not even once to move the ball out to the backs to give them a shot at a try. In the middle of it Damian Browne illegally bounced Toulou to save a certain try, give the penalty and get a yellow card for a stay in the sin bin.

Leinster held out, Madigan kicked up field after 15 minutes to a huge reception/relief of the full house. Leinster had a healthy 20-0 lead at half time with the breeze, they squeezed a third try in the 42nd minute, running out 25-3 comfortable winners without a bonus point at the end. Rob Kearney was the Heineken MOM

Elwood for President of Connacht?

Eric would give President Michael D. Higgins a run for his money this week in Connacht, it was late coming but the win was terrific and put paid to Conor O’Shea’s and Harlequins chances in the competition. They only scored five tries but did manage two losing bonus points in five games and won one game.

It will give the west an appetite for next year, if one of our three qualifiers wins the cup, they are in business again and I hope maximum support will be forthcoming from the IRFU.

Ulster qualifies:

Ulster came as close as you can get to winning the pool, they finished level on 20 points, “it was a technical knockout”. They had the satisfaction of qualifying as a second placed loser and more than matching two of the great teams in this competition, Clermont Auvergne and Leicester Tigers.

It was brilliant team stuff and they failed by a narrow four points 19-15 away to Clermont as Ruan Pienaar struck five penalties in front of a crowd of 17,633. Clermont managed to score a Paulo try and it was converted by Morgan Parra who added four penalties for the home side which included former Leinster player Nathan Hines.

Zero points / Loans?

Spare a thought for Aironi who did not manage a single point in the six rounds and succumbed to Leicester Tigers in the last round by 33-6 in front of a 20,000 crowd at Welford Road. They scored four tries, 51 points and conceded 274 points in six games and not even a smell of a bonus point. It is back to the drawing board for them to try to improve their showing in the RaboDirectPro12 and the Heineken Cup. If they had the money perhaps we could loan them some of our up and coming players to give them game time in the meaningful competitions that they play in.

Trivia:

Munster was the only unbeaten team in the pool stages of the competition.

Clermont Auvergne scored 26 tries and 215 points and were the meanest team conceding just 69 points, and 5 tries to head the categories.

Montpellier had 2 draws, Leinster and Glasgow and finished the pool on 10 points.

The only other draw Ospreys V. Treviso.

Cardiff, qualifier - scored 9 tries and conceded 5 in six games. Exciting stuff?

Biarritz holds the record for bonus points at 6 (3 for try and 3 for losing bonuses)

The Toulon record for the lowest points as a pool winner still stands at 17 from last year