Leinster faced Scarlets in the Guinness PRO14 final at the Aviva Stadium. The blues were looking for a historic double with the Welsh region hoping to defend their title.
No one should underestimate how tough it is was for Leinster to pick themselves up after wining in Europe and then go outclass that scarlet team in that final. Amazing
Geralt Of Hell aye cause the Scarlets really would have stood a chance anywhere else 😂 sorry but when you're dominated twice in a row in that fashion doesn't matter at all where you are. You were outclassed by a much better side, get over it 😂
Geralt Of Hell Well no other stadiums put themselves forward to host it apart from the principality in Cardiff, but they had something else on the same day. No one knew it would be a home game when the stadiums are picked at the start of the season! Do your homework before you make idiot comments
Shuggy Thomas genius yeah...so fans would have to fork out a couple 100 euro/pound and travel couple of 100 miles to go to a half empty atmosphereless Stadio Olympico...what an intelligent comment
Fair play Leinster. I'm an Ulster fan, but well deserved. Best try was Jordon Larmour's. What a pick up! Now Ireland can move on to Australia and win the 3-test series. Grand Slam champions, European Champions, and Pro14 champions in the same year. Phenomenal!!! Irish Rugby is better than it ever has been. Future is bright for Irish Rugby!
Remember what happened to England. You are on a big high at the moment but one goes up must come down. Next season will tell us if Ireland can challenge for the world cup or not.
Archie the england situation is different. They got a new coach in and a new style of play that took all the other teams by surprise. Happens all the time. Ireland won grandslam in 09 and by 13 they were one of the worst teams in the tournament. That was just by not evolving tactics. Ireland have had schmidt for 5 years now and hes been building the squad rather than just papering over cracks and figuring out short-term solutions. That being said, I hope I'm right and they can keep the pace
No i don't think Ireland will get another slam next year either. The 6n's is so competitive and it's been great. It's just a different situation to england
What a difference between the start of the then Celtic League and now. The standard of play and coaching now is wonderful. Leinster deserved the win and no "coning" from this Scarlets fan. I am so proud of the Scarlets this season and when you consider they operate on only a third of the budget Leinster enjoy what they have done is remarkable. As stated in a previous comment our problem is the WRU which is still suffering from the Roger Lewis era when the regions were starved of funds. Hopefully this will be resolved. Enjoy your win Leinster but we will be back playing the attractive rugby that fans pay to see. Diolch yn fawr iawn Scarlets. Yma o Hyd.
McNicholl!! unreal performance. As an Irish man, I'd be worried if he pulled on a Welsh shirt. Great play by Leinster, fantastic advertisement for the game.
Fair play to Leinster, what a game. Such a shame for the Scarlets since they have been phenomenal all season. Being Welsh my favourite try was the last. Pure genius by Scott Williams. Can't wait for the next season to start :D
How can anyone NOT like this???? I was there, it was amazing! And SumoRugby?? Have you forgotten Sexton's unbelievable drop goal against France? Under extreme pressure in the 82nd minute 42 meters! HE made the start for winning the Six Nations! Yes, he is my idol, so what? They write songs about him! To me he is Flash Gordon and even Flash Gordon can't cure cancer with one look. It's rugby! Johnny won everything this season: the Six Nations, the European Championship and now the Guinness Pro 14. Stop analyzing the man, don't compare and just be happy for him (and his team mates)! I love you Johnny!!!
What kind of stupid reaction is this, Shuggy?! I can't wipe my cum of myself because I'm a girl! Yes I love Johnny for the marvelous player he is. And Leinster IS the best! Some players were in Ireland's Six Nations winning team, Leinster won the European Championship and now also the Guinness Pro 14! In my eyes that makes them the BEST team, they've got two cups to prove that and were part of cup number three! Why can't you just allow someone to express her happiness with that?
I'm still running round my Garden trying the pickup at full tilt ... and I'm a 57 yr old front row ... that was a superb demonstration of Balls! Remember he was roasted for being over ambitious last day out in the Aviva ... Lets call it the spirit of Campese Try. Just like Isa's first try against Sarries back in the day... It will live on. The Cullen Lancaster War Machine will prevail No way Leo would have approved that try, but that's why he has Stuart:-)
Shaggy the facts speak for themselves. Six Nations Grand Slam, European Cup and now Pro 14 Champions. If that isn't a roll, I don't know what is. Jealousy seems to be a hard pill for you to swallow.
Congratulations to Leinster on the win and without taking anything away from Leinster I do feel the damage was done last week. The amount of scarlets players I saw yesterday with blood pouring from the burns they picked up last week was awful and hope the tournament organisers ban those 4g pitches there was a shot of steff Evans standing and blood coming from his legs and coming through his bandages on his arm. Shingler was another with blood coming from his leg and to be fair asking players to play with such injuries is a disgrace obvious evidence to rid any fields with 4g pitches I believe Cardiff blues ground has such complaints not to just point out scotstoun stadium. But to be fair the scarlets turned up and fought on no matter what and have gained so much respect from me for doing so. But again well done Leinster and see you next year from a scarlets fan.
Michael Halligan must be watching a different game to what are you referring to as dangerous play . I think you are referring to Scott williams on Johnny sexton high tackle I have reviewed this tirelessly and sexton went in looking for contact and in doing so lowered his body to go for a hand off as for Scott williams he never went above the shoulders which if you look at the rule book suggest there is no foul play whatsoever. So yes I think the ref and tmo need to carry a copy of the rule book or at least read up on the current version of it. I agree wales rugby has hit a low with the ospreys and dragons by far worst performers in wales but the scarlets and blues have had a awesome season so not worried about them at present.
Shuggy Thomas didn't want to reply with such comments as you have but I don't disagree with you. Talking of foul play Leinster first try should have gone to review watch their player coming around the ruck on the open side blocking would be tackles that's a penalty.
To be fair leinster were coming from a tough few weeks themselves. A European cup final and then a derby against their biggest rivals. It was interesting during the week I was listening to an interview I believe it was Alan Quinlan (although I could be wrong on the person) and he was saying that he would be rubbing his hands together if he saw a side complaining about cuts after a game like that. For him it was a sign that they’re head wasn’t in the game. His point being that if you’re in a final you don’t show your opponents any weakness at all. For example you didn’t hear leinster talking about having players struggling after so many big games in a small space of time.
Saoirse del Tufo Leinster have won more in 1 season than the Scottish and the Italians have in 30 years. Every season the Scottish talk themselves up and every season they choke , be in Europe the celtic league or the 6 nations .
Fair play to Leinster for the win but i think there where two major moments in the match that won it for them 1. The moment scot Williams made a big tackle which resulted in a penalty (personally I don’t think it was a penalty but what ever) and then sext kicks to touch 6-7 letters from where the penalty actually occurred which I think if he is those 6-7 meters back it’s a different kick (still a great kick) And when Arron shingler went off due to injury I’d say those two key moments allowed Leinster to dominate
Shuggy Thomas Ronaldo was Real's top goal scorer with 26 and 2nd in the Spanish league after Messi. Bale was like joint 9th with 16, cracking player though.
How about a worldwide club rugby tournament suggestion to replace and improve on the current European Champions/Challenge Cup formats over the same 9 weekends? Ideally with three tiered tournaments (1st Champions/2nd Challenge/3rd Shield) with each tier containing 16 teams. Each tier has 3 teams each qualifying from the Premiership, Top14 & URC, 4 from Super Rugby and one each from the Japanese League, MLR & SLR. The 16 teams are allocated into the relevant tier based on their league performance. Then further split up into four pools of four, playing home & away matches, with home Quarter finals being awarded to each of the pool winners. Every year the Semi & Grand Finals for each of the three tournaments are played in different continents on a rotational policy, which sees each continent host either a Shield, Challenge or Champion Semi & Final series every second year within a 6 year cycle. The Winner of the next RWC can even host the inaugural Champions final series to begin the rotation.
Anyone know how the Pro 14 determine what bid to accept for which country hosts the final? Just find it strange that they choose Dublin two years on the trot and Wales haven't hosted it once. Did they not bid to host the final for this year? And with it already being decided that the final will be in Celtic Park next season, we'll have had 5 successive seasons where the final hasn't been held in Wales. Again it just seems strange to me that the league wouldn't decide to have Wales host the final for at least one season.
Wales were meant to have it this year but the millennium stadium was double booked. Irfu offered Lansdowne again as a result it was accepted. Before that the stadium that was chosen was done differently. Until 2016 it was the team that finished higher in the league between the two teams in the final that got the home advantage. Because that was considered unfair it was decided that the venue for then final would be chosen well in advance to ensure that 1) a top stadium was available to take a big crowd (not ones that take less than half the crowd size of the Aviva). And 2) that if a team did have a final in their home city it was by good fortune.
I remember hearing that they wanted a safe destination for the first pro14 final event, with the 2 new new SA teams coming into play and Dublin fit the bill best. Don't know how true that is though.
Was completely flat. Pause at the pass and look at the pitch colour lines. Both players are stood on the line at pass and receive, the ball went flat along that line
Saoirse del Tufo Ireland had a great six nations and they thoroughly deserved their grand slam but the WC is another story. There is a little matter of the AB'S, especially down there. I think that Ireland are the best that the NH has to offer but it's a big ask.
Yes. Same as this year. It’s in Celtic Park next year. It could have been in the Millennium Stadium this year but WRU turned it down due to previous booking.
Either you guarantee a neutral venue and make sure all fans have to travel to somewhere like England or France, or you acknowledge that there’s a chance one team will be at home
Peter Young Peter Young you seem very bitter towards Leinster. I bet you wouldn't be complaining if your team won the double playing like Leinster. Idiot!
Damien Woods Not bitter at all mate, Leinster are a great side, they are what they are but I hate boring, stick it up your jumper phase rugby like Irish teams play, one of those attacks Leinster had today had 32 phases, yawn!!! The Welsh national team have played like it under Gatland for the last ten years and been quite successful but we in Wales are sick of it. Now its time for a change and I hope that Wales adopt the Scarlets way in the run up to the next world cup. It's so much more exilerating for for the paying public.
I doubt very much Leinster fans or Irish fans in general care too much. At the end of the day, I see alot of happy Irish rugby fans at the moment. Been a great year. People like you with your small minded and bitter comments don't bother us too much.
Damien Woods There is no doubt that Irish rugby has hit a purple patch but we all know that it could all change next season, so don't get too smug about it. I stick by my original comment.
2018 European cup final was in Bilbao not Dublin. Home draws for quarters and semis are earned by group performances in the European cup. Leinster won all their qualifying games. Munster played their European cup semi final in France. 2018 Pro 14 final venue was offered to Wales but they refused so Dublin was chosen before a kick was taken.
Anyone else thought the larmour try was a knock on? He scooped the ball up but it went forward off his hand and then he gathered it! Taking nothing away from Leinster they deserved it , just an observation.
The ball can go forward off your hand as long as you can gather it before it touches the ground or another player. He gathered it before it had the chance to hit the ground again, so no knock-on.
Scarlets scored a similar try against Zebre, caught it identical to larmour yet it was disallowed? I suppose it's 50/50. But they should always favour attacking rugby imo
LOL "Leinster has Sexton, Scarlets have Halfpenny. Two of the best in the business" 🤣🤣🤣 I'm not saying Halfpenny is the better player, because he isn't, but Sexton is nowhere close to 1/2p on the boot. Be real, people. You've won, you've earned it 100%, but that doesn't mean, that Sexton is the new Flash Gordon and can cure cancer with one look. What a bunch of idolatrous homers. Also the ref was reviewing every single Scarlets try. At 9:01 all creation could clearly see, that the ball is grounded on the line. The aliens could see it from Earth's orbit, that's how evident that was. The only person unable to see it was the person that gets paid to see it. A big congratulation to Leinster. They are the best club in the Northern Hemisphere hands down. No one else comes even close. They are making history and it's absolutely deserved. Would love to see them square off against the Crusaders or the Hurricanes to see who's the best in the world. Oh, and Pro14 >> Aviva Premiership, Top14. It's not even a debate. Pro14 is very close to Super Rugby in the amount of talent that trots on the park every weekend, if not on par.
SumoRugby Pro14 definitely plays the best rugby in the NH. On Sexton you can't say he didn't have an amazing year. He and Farrell both changed the lions team when they took charge over the game plan, he marshalled Ireland to a grandslam and now has done the double. Who's being a better 10 this year in the NH?
at the moment i really couldnt pick between sexton and barrett. barrett is flashier and a better runner but no one marshals a team like sexton can, his decision making is unbelievable and his hanging kicks for his teammates to chase are absolutely deadly. by far the two best 10s in world rugby
Eoin Collins No argument there. Sexton is an amazing player, and he came he saw he won everything there was to win this year. Together with Faz and Barrett, those are the top 3 fly halves in the world. I just disagree with the notion the homer commentators tried to sell us, that he's in the same league with 1/2p on the boot. With all the immense respect to Sexton, he simply isn't. He's a better player overall, but not as good place kicker. I meant no disrespect to Sexton, just wanted to be realistic. I hope this made it clear.
Brid Kerrigan Well, what a luxury problem to have, if you're picking between Barrett and Sexton, right? I'd take any of those two and say thank you. I have to say I follow Super Rugby and Rugby Championship very closely and if I had to make the call, I'd go for Barrett. He has improved on the boot (which used to be his only weakness). He is just so insanely good it's hard to comprehend. He's not just a better runner, than Sexton. He's got elite winger acceleration and top speed. He scores tries by absolutely ripping through defence. There are very few rugby players who can match his top speed. And perhaps only Tom Banks (Brumbies' full back) might be a bit faster than him. Barrett's playmaking and handling skills are second to no one in the world. It's just pure pleasure to watch him. But yeah, those two and Faz are head and shoulders above anyone else in the world and you simply can't go wrong with either of the three.
From Watching Leinster in their last 3 games I just find it amazing how they know were each other is and they communicate so well. Sextons high balls, wow!
Geralt Of Hell lad your so bitter haha just suck it up dry your tears and try come back stronger next year whoever you support and beat the best in Leinster. We were just too good this year #COYBIB
How is it cheating? The stadium is decided before the tournament starts, nobody is guaranteed to make it to the final. Leinster have been phenomenal this season, any team would be up against it facing them, regardless of stadium.
