HEC: Semi-Final Leinster vs Toulouse

[Leonormous Boozer]

Thanks I'll take a look now

 

[fusuke78]

It was a truly fantastic game, too bad for us, Toulouse could have won, but Leinster deserved to win. Great rucks, no fouls commited, and a great intensity, as always with Irish rugby players. That's the kind of game I expected to see in H-Cup semi between two of the best european teams with one fantastic winner ! And the defeated team was really good too...

If USAP don't manage to beat Northampton, I'll be cheering for Leinster !

 

[shtove]

2nd Toulouse try; start of the 2nd half. Toulouse had a scrum in Leinster's 5 metre line. Picamoles broke from the back of the scrum into heaps of open space where O'Brien should've been. In the replay it can be seen that Nyanga was holding O'Brien back so he couldn't go in to defend. O'Brien swung and arm at Nyanga. I would've done the same were I O'Brien

And you would have got a red card - elbow to the face. Nyanga was taken off, but he looked ok on the bench. Maybe bad call by Noves to sub him.

 

[coonor]

And you would have got a red card - elbow to the face. Nyanga was taken off, but he looked ok on the bench. Maybe bad call by Noves to sub him.

You are exactly right. IRB rules state that retaliation to any infringement (e.g. Nyanga's obstruction) is offence that must be punished. O'Brien striked Nyanga's face and therefore should have had atleast a yellow and probably a red. However I do think that the jury will sympathise with O'Brien considering he could have stopped what may have been the winning try in the Heineken cup semi final and he was trying to stop player from illegally holding him back.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I can understand O'Brien's reaction but can't condone it. He'll probably be banned for the final. It's a shame for him because he's been awesome this season. Even in yesterday's game when I thought he was quiet, he carried for the most yards and made the most tackles of any Leinster player.

As pointed out by Joe Schmidt, Leinster have knocked out the top three teams in France and the top two teams in England. Among them are the current Heineken Cup champions, Premiership champions (and runner up) and the Top 14 champions. To win the final, they'll have to beat the French champions of two years ago (and runner up last year) or the top seeds in the knockout stages and Amlin Cup winners of two season ago. To be the best, you have to beat the best and it's hard to deny Leinster deserve to be where they are based on who they've knocked out so far.

 

[lucky number 7]

And you would have got a red card - elbow to the face. Nyanga was taken off, but he looked ok on the bench. Maybe bad call by Noves to sub him.

I think so ..he was dominating in the lineout for toulouse and making superb tackles including a trysaver on Heaslip

 

[monkeypigeon]

Leinster lads out celebrating last night...

 

[Logorrhea]

Nyanga was taken off, but he looked ok on the bench. Maybe bad call by Noves to sub him.

It was tactical from Noves. Nyanga went down like a sack of potatoes but once he realised the try had been scored (a fellow player told him) he was up and running back with the rest of the team.

Was a good smack he took, but he deserved it.