Leicester vs Cardiff Heineken Cup Semi Final highlights
The Tigers scored two excellent tries through Scott Hamilton and Geordan Murphy, both of which were created in some part by flyhalf Toby Flood. Flood unfortunately injured himself during the match, rupturing his Achilles tendon and will be out of all rugby for the next 6 months.
With just six minutes left in the match, and trailing 26-12, the Blues looked dead and buried with seemingly no way back. Two yellow cards for the Tigers soon changed that though, which sparked life into the Blues as they scored two quick fire tries through some brilliance from big Jamie Roberts, and superb finishing by wing Tom James.
Kiwi Ben Blair had two absolutely vital kicks to convert from the touchline, which he duly slotted, resulting in a 26-26 stalemate that led to extra time and then the much spoken about penalty shoot-out.
"It was strange to be involved in something like that, but it was pretty cool and we won it, so that helps," fellow Kiwi Craig Newby said.
"I back myself with the boot. I love kicking goals. I lived with Willie Walker and I used to hang around with him after training when we played for North Harbour. Then I lived with Nick Evans for three years and did the same thing. I should have been first on the list really!"
Martyn Williams though, the man who missed the vital kick for the Blues, wasn't as enthusiastic.
"There's never been a penalty shoot-out before in rugby, so I guess I've earned myself a place in the record books. But it's not one that I wanted.
"Lewis Moody, Geordan Murphy and Martin Corry all came over to me. They said they didn't feel like celebrating that much because of the way the game had ended, and they just said to keep my chin up.
"Fair play to them, they are top men for doing that."
Shoot-out glory for the Leicester Tigers
Note: Watch the full penalty shoot-out via the link above.
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33 Comments:
yip yip yip yip yee haaa first
By Anonymous, at May 08, 2009 6:28 pm
How many caps has dupuis?
By Anonymous, at May 08, 2009 6:53 pm
Great game, a genuine classic. No question in my mind that Leicester played the better rugby for 60 mins of the match, but all credit to the Blues for Cardiff comeback, classy stuff.
Leicester to win the final.
By Kerivoula, at May 08, 2009 6:55 pm
And good on Corry, Moody and Murphy for that post-match reaction. Class response from them.
By Kerivoula, at May 08, 2009 7:08 pm
fuck me what a try mays was. crap tackling on roberts for it. about 4 leicester players just fall over each other.
also, for the build up to leicester second awful attempted tackle by halfpenny on johnny murphy. cant be doing that in S Africa
By Anonymous, at May 08, 2009 8:07 pm
that was a great game, shame someone had to lose it! cardiff haven't had the best luck recently, niw that shanklin is missing for the lions.
By jonesy, at May 08, 2009 8:37 pm
roberts was all class. Leicester deserved the win in the end (even as a cardiff fan).
By Anonymous, at May 08, 2009 8:50 pm
what a game!
By josiah, at May 08, 2009 9:43 pm
Leinster will beat leicester they on form at the moment and have unstoppable forwards great backs too. Only worried bout front row
By ter fan 4 life, at May 08, 2009 11:11 pm
murphy u legend
By leinster fan 4 lfe, at May 08, 2009 11:12 pm
Video is no longer working
By Anonymous, at May 09, 2009 12:04 am
What makes me laugh is the fact that Europe is buying some of New Zealand's not so great players (& some that are the best). NZ-B team Players such as Scott Hamilton & Paul Tito - by the looks of things, are becoming great players - but if they were in NZ, they would be crap!
Says a lot about the standard of rugby across the globe
By Anonymous, at May 09, 2009 12:07 am
ben blairs kicking under pressure was superb !
By Anonymous, at May 09, 2009 12:14 am
If I was as big a bastard as Martyn Williams, I'd say I'm glad it was him who missed that kick. Wait, did I just say it?, Guess I did.
Great comeback from Cardiff, even though Leicester was 2 men down
By piaruskov, at May 09, 2009 12:23 am
My money (and heart, but only cos I'm an English c*nt) is on Leicester.
Games like this, experience is key.
By Kember, at May 09, 2009 1:45 am
Geordan murphy should be on the lions, ABSOLUTE class act.
By Anonymous, at May 09, 2009 3:34 am
Classic game, shame it ended with penalties..
piaruskov, since when is martyn williams a bastard?
By David, at May 09, 2009 10:11 am
this is like a dejavu... anyone who watching football would remember last tear CL when chelsea(also call the blues) loss to man united in penalty.. Tom James situation exactly the same as john terry situation... if terry convert the penalty they would win it so as James for cardiff blues.. what a coincidence.. and both club are called blues..
BTW.. IMO.. Geordan Murphy is the most accurate up and under kicker and one of the best catcher in the world...
By Anonymous, at May 09, 2009 12:58 pm
IMO.. Tom James is better than halfpenny...
By Anonymous, at May 09, 2009 12:59 pm
Epic match.
The Heineken has served up two classics in two semi's. Awesome.
By Anonymous, at May 09, 2009 1:59 pm
sorry, but i think one of the yellows (when the 6 went off - dunno who he is) was a total crap call. he was on his feet, got the ball and then got hit. great turnover and no way a yellow. martin williams was kill the ball all match and he didn't get anything save one penalty. reffing on reputation pisses me off. maybe its just me but thats the impression i get in a lot of matches.
great match - and man, was the end intense.
By Anonymous, at May 09, 2009 5:33 pm
blues for h cup 2010!!
By Anonymous, at May 09, 2009 5:44 pm
penalty shoot: horrible way to decide the match, IMHO. Was a great game, but spoilt by the ending. However, i guess leicester did deserve the win... tho i'm bummed they won.
By Anonymous, at May 09, 2009 5:56 pm
'Says a lot about the standard of rugby across the globe'
I think it speaks more to the size of Europe vs. NZ. NZ has limited opportunities to develope players. they have schools, NPC (Air whatever), S14 and Tests.
Playing in Europe gives these guys more oppotunity to play/develope. Blair is still little more than a kicker, albeit a fantastic one.
By Boz, at May 09, 2009 6:34 pm
"Anonymous said...
What makes me laugh is the fact that Europe is buying some of New Zealand's not so great players (& some that are the best). NZ-B team Players such as Scott Hamilton & Paul Tito - by the looks of things, are becoming great players - but if they were in NZ, they would be crap!
Says a lot about the standard of rugby across the globe
"
Yeah and then players who were "great" back in NZ currenly playing in France/UK and constantly put in average performance, ala Jerry Collins. Butch James has been shocking for the most part of the current season too.
SAYS A LOT ABOUT THE STANDARD OF RUGBY AROUND THE GLOBE.
By Anonymous, at May 09, 2009 8:09 pm
Does anyone else think mr flood was unlucky not to get the call for lions? I know hes injured now but i thought he woulda been good, he can play centre and 10 yea?
By Anonymous, at May 10, 2009 2:15 am
quotes :
Yeah and then players who were "great" back in NZ currenly playing in France/UK and constantly put in average performance, ala Jerry Collins. Butch James has been shocking for the most part of the current season too.
that's because they were old.. collins, umaga..
and James always has some problems with his knee.. before that he is world class..
Howlett has lost his pace but still can beat the defence line in europe... rocky elsom never been regard as one of the best flanker before he join leinster.. he never get the highlight in super 14.. in leinster.. he is a hero..
By Anonymous, at May 10, 2009 10:37 am
lol old?
Butch James and Jerry Collins are in their prime and both have failed to deliver in Europe.
By Anonymous, at May 10, 2009 3:25 pm
If you think a penalty shoot out is bad way to decide a match there is worse. Yesterday the division one amateur league in ireland went the whole way through extra time and was still a draw. The rule was that if it was a draw whichever team had scored the first try won the match. Now that's a bad way to decide a match!
By Anonymous, at May 10, 2009 5:02 pm
The best game i ever seen!
Go to: aacrugbysub16@hotmail.com
By Anonymous, at May 10, 2009 6:03 pm
i dont think flood was unlucky. hes a good player but certainly not one of the best in the british isles.
i do pity him that noone rates him that highly. for autumn internationals johnno favoured ajust fit cipriani and at start of the 6 nations he favoured goode. but fair play to floode hes kept working hard and if he hadnt got injured would probably have cemented himself as the number one stand off against the argies. as it is its prob between cips and vesty for those games now
By Anonymous, at May 10, 2009 8:18 pm
sorry flood not floode for the grammer police
By Anonymous, at May 10, 2009 8:19 pm
If you look at Leicester's second try and cardiff's final try it just shows what you can do if you KEEP THE BALL IN HAND.
I wish more NH teams would have the confidence to run from deep and support each other rather than just hoof the ball away and wait for a mistake from the oppo. This is one of the areas where SH teams are generally far superior to us.
By Ted, at May 11, 2009 10:41 am
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