Rabo Direct Pro 12 final
analysis, Leinster Rugby, Ulster Rugby, RDS Dublin, Lansdowne Hotel, Guinness
Area 22 TEAM
As the Guinness Area 22 TEAM
set up camp at the Lansdowne Hotel, and black nectar flowed from its cooling reservoir
into sparkling clean vessels awaiting the hands of the rugby clans, Leinster
and Ulster build their strategic Trojan Horse in the holding rooms of the
historic RDS.
Each TEAM would try to get beyond each other’s proven rock solid
defences, however, whatever the strategy, history has shown us that the
subterfuge adopted will normally bring victory to one over the other. In the
Rabo Direct Pro12 Final 2013 Johann Muller and Ruan Penaar had an opportunity
to climb from within their Trojan strategy and open the gates to an Ulster
celebration, alas, they choose a less defeating tactic.
Leinster 24 Ulster 18 : The
big call in this Rabo Pro 12 final was made by Ulster’s South African duo
Johann Muller and Ruan Pienaar with 76 minutes on the clock, the score reading
24-18 to Leinster.
It was winning time, World
champions both, they refused to kick for goal to make it a three point game,
instead taking the lineout in Leinster’s 22.
Ulster heavies rumbled into
the guts of Leinster’s defence until, finally, Iain Henderson, the young flanker
with a long international future ahead of him, was tackled by Brian O’Driscoll.
Shane Jennings capped a
brilliant performance by getting over the ball. Leinster penalty. It took a few
more phases before the 80 minutes came up and, fittingly, it was O’Driscoll who
went into scrumhalf and belted it off the park.
This being their fourth Pro
12 final in succession, they couldn’t stomach another year without the title.
Undoubtedly, Ulster will come again. It has long been the case with Leinster
that a few players pick up the slack and drive them to victory. Any number of
them are capable of doing this.
Take Sean O’Brien out of the
equation and Jennings has a blinder at openside. Lose Rob Kearney in the warm
up to a tight hamstring and Isa Nacewa is freed up to shine from fullback.
Kevin McLaughlin was another
unsung performer who made some huge plays. Another is Isaac Boss. A journey man
to the untrained eye, a stop gap for Ireland and useful physical foil for Eoin
Reddan, particularly away to French clubs, he has been outstanding these past
few weeks.
Here, the New Zealand born,
former Ulster scrumhalf saved a certain try in the early stages after Paddy
Jackson blocked Isa Nacewa’s attempted clearance.
He also turned over a vital
Ulster attack under his own posts. The visitors had no choice but to come at
Leinster with everything, having coughed up 10 points in the opening seven
minutes; a cardinal sin in Dublin (regardless of the even spread of supporters
on this fine occasion).
The fear today was which of
the 12 Lions playing in the Pro 12 and English Premiership final would pull up
lame. Sure enough, Kearney felt his hamstring tighten in the warm up and was
withdrawn but is expected to be on Tuesday’s flight to Hong Kong.
With Dylan Hartley’s chances
of touring Australia in serious trouble, having been red carded for abusing
referee Wayne Barnes, as Leicester put his Northampton side to the sword at
Twickenham, the focus switched to Rory Best and Richardt Strauss. Best looks in
pole position to be called up if Hartley is suspended.
The opening try was awfully
soft. Leo Cullen took a lineout five metres out and the maul walked Jennings
over. Sexton added the touchline conversion and another penalty when Best was
penalised for not releasing Ian Madigan.
Ulster’s response was
ferocious, with John Afoa destroying Healy in successive scrums, but all they
had to show for this period of dominance was Ruan Pienaar’s 24th minute
penalty.
Robbie Diack butchered what
looked a certain try after a fine break by Tommy Bowe and cut out pass from
Darren Cave. With two backs, Sexton and Conway, in the road all Diack had to do
was plough through them but instead he tried to spin over and was held up.
That mattered at the finish.
Two more Sexton penalties and one by Pienaar left Leinster in the ascendancy at
the interval, leading 16-6. Ulster needed the next score but they were reduced
to 14 men and Sexton put Leinster 19-6 up after Diack was sin-binned for going
off his feet.
The already raucous Ulster
crowd went berserk when Paddy Jackson was collared by Nacewa as he burst into
the Leinster 22. Nacewa, in his last ever game, got 10 minutes on the advice of
touch judge Peter Fitzgibbon. 14 players each and Pienaar made it 19-9.
Ulster’s tails were up and a
clever kick by Pienaar left Madigan in no man’s land. He was belted by Bowe,
allowing Pienaar to make it 19-12 from the resulting penalty.
The momentum had completely
shifted now, with Pienaar making it a four-point game, despite Cullen’s disgust
with referee John Lacey. Every single player needed to contribute.
And they did, Jamie Heaslip
eventually muscling over when O’Driscoll was stopped short. The Ulster
contingent was not happy with Fitzgibbon, claiming Sexton’s kick down the
touchline, leading up to the score, had gone dead.
For a split second it felt
like the result was sorted but Ulster’s investment in Pienaar was rewarded once
again. The Springbok landed a mammoth penalty from the right touchline on
halfway to make it a six point contest entering the final 10 minutes.
Ulster kept coming. Williams
rampaged over the gainline only for a clever incursion into the line by Bowe
ruined when replacement Mike Allen knocked on.
The drama wasn’t over but Ulster
will rue the early try they conceded and the one they failed to take. That’s
the difference right now, Leinster rarely leave any scores behind them.
In typical fashion Cullen
let Heaslip lift the trophy. It felt like the passing of the leadership mantle.
Scoring sequence – 3 mins: S
Jennings try, 5-0; J Sexton conv, 7-0; 7 mins: J Sexton pen, 10-0; 23 mins: R
Pienaar pen, 10-3; 28 mins: J Sexton pen, 13-3; 35 mins: R Pienaar pen, 13-6;
39 mins: J Sexton pen, 16-6. Half-time. 44 mins: J Sexton pen, 19-6; 46 mins: R
Pienaar pen, 19-9; 50 mins: R Pienaar pen, 19-12; 55 mins: R Pienaar pen,
19-15; 62 mins: J Heaslip try, 24-15; 69 mins: R Pienaar pen, 24-18.
Leinster: I Nacewa; F
McFadden, B O’Driscoll, I Madigan, A Conway; J Sexton, I Boss; C Healy, R Strauss,
M Ross; L Cullen (capt), D Toner; K McLaughlin, S Jennings, J Heaslip.
Replacements: S Cronin for R Strauss (28-40 mins), Q Roux for D Toner (72
mins), J Hagan for M Ross (74 mins), J McGrath for C Healy (76 mins).
Ulster: J Payne; A Trimble,
D Cave, S Olding, T Bowe; P Jackson, R Pienaar; T Court, R Best, J Afoa; J
Muller (capt), D Tuohy; R Diack, C Henry, N Williams. Replacements: I Henderson
for R Diack, M Allen for S Olding (both 64 mins), C Black for T Court (72
mins).
Referee: J Lacey (Munster).
Sin Bin: R Diack (Ulster),
Isa Nacewa (Leinster)