Saints, who have played two epic Premiership games in the last fortnight while cash rich and centrally contracted Leinster rested virtually their entire 23, finished much the stronger and could even have nicked it.
With an irony that wasn’t lost on Saints or their supporters they were pinged, with 90 seconds left, for going off their feet at an attacking ruck in front of the Leinster posts. Correct call but Leinster had been doing precisely the same unpunished at virtually every ruck all game. Rugby can be a truly unfathomable game for spectators on occasions.
As it is, the record will show that an outstanding hat-trick by James Lowe who, with Jamison Gibson-Park, kept Leinster afloat at times in the second half, proved just enough to book at place in the final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against either Toulouse or Harlequins.
Northampton, having educated themselves as to the historical significance of Croke Park in midweek, had to travel without in-form wing Ollie Sleightholme who hasn’t overcome a recent concussion and barnstorming flanker Lewis Ludlum who suffered a shoulder injury when being “cleared out” at a ruck against Harlequins last week. Saints have good depth, but you fancied both players would be missed at one of sport’s great cathedrals.
Not since Dan Parks – remember him? – kicked a late penalty to see Scotland home 23-20 against Ireland in 2010 – has rugby taken centre stage at Croke Park which staged 14 Ireland Tests in four seasons between 2007 and 2010. There was also that Heineken Cup semi-final in 2009 when 82,208, then a world record for a club game, watched Leinster beat Munster 25-6.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 05, 2024 من The Rugby Paper.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 05, 2024 من The Rugby Paper.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Crusaders stun Blues to keep season alive
CRUSADERS salvaged some dignity in their torrid Super Rugby Pacific campaign with a shock 29-27 win over league leaders and fierce rivals the Blues.
Resting players for big games isn't on
IT WAS just a couple of weeks ago that certain people were up in arms because the South African clubs had fielded weaker teams rather than their full strength sides in away games during the Champions Cup.
Calcutta Cup win the highlight of my career
I WAS sat on a mattress on the floor of Alex Lewington’s flat in Twickenham waiting for the rest of my stuff to come out of storage when Gregor Townsend rang me out of the blue to say I was in the Scotland squad for the 2020 Six Nations.
Barnes hits four in nine-try rout
HAMPSHIRE ran in nine tries to thrash Surrey and kick-start their campaign with Curtis Barnes crossing for four.
Saracens hold on to take it at the death
SARACENS held their nerve to secure a home semi-final and put an end to Gloucester-Hartpury unbeaten season.
Day O'Reilly missed out on Hollywood
WHEN he last spoke in public, at his old Dublin rugby club a few hefty punts from the church where they held his funeral mass on Thursday, Tony O’Reilly summed up his extraordinary life in one sentence:
Diamond out to add some steel
EVEN someone without Steve Diamond’s coaching experience would have known that taking over at Newcastle was never going to turn them into an overnight sensation.
Champion Trailfinders cut Blues to shreds
EALING celebrated their Championship triumph with a nine-try trouncing of fourth-placed Bedford to finish seven points clear at the top of the table.
Toulouse provide a lesson in brilliance
THERE have been some extraordinary Champions Cup finals over the decades but none better than this titanic clash for the ages which saw Toulouse pull away in extra-time to claim their sixth title.
We can beat anyone now says stoked up Matavesi
SAM Matavesi knew something had changed when he joined up with Northampton after Fiji’s World Cup quarter-final exit last autumn.