With 2014 winding down we've decided to give in to the online peer pressure to produce lists for once.
In a special 4-day edition of our popular "Front Five" feature we're going to share with you quotes and links from our writeups for what we feel were the five best Leinster & Ireland rugby matches of the year.
This post will update between now and New Year's Eve around 6pm each day. Spoiler alert - the match in Thomond Park on Stephen's Day didn't quite make our top five...
#5
around the 60-minute mark, the stadium announcer informs us about a substitution. “They’re taking BOD off?” I said in disbelief. “He NEVER comes off unless he’s injured? But he seems to be fine and he’s playing a blinder? Why would they……oh." THAT is when it hit me.
IRELAND-46 ITALY-7
#4
...for this one off test, I can offer nothing but congratulations to everyone involved. Joe says transition is a continuum - if so I can think of no better coach in world rugby to be in charge of ours.
"ALL IN A WEEK'S WORK"
IRELAND-29 SOUTH AFRICA-15
#3
...I had to laugh watching back the RTE coverage as Donal Lenihan remarked that the Leinster fans didn't seem to know Cullen had taken the field...clearly the chants of “Leeee-o, Leeee-o” hadn't tipped him off. He won us a penalty at a key moment and got busy with his usual sterling work around the breakdown area. Again, a fitting way to end such a successful career.
"LEINST WE FORGET"
Leinster-34 Glasgow Warriors-12
#2
#1
...if the three on that overlap were Tales, Huget and Dulin, the outcome would have been pretty much certain. In this case, however, it was forwards Dubaty, Pape and Chouly and between them O’Driscoll and Dave Kearney did absolutely everything they could to prevent that ball going through the hands.
FORRRRRRRWARRRRRRRRRDDDDDDD!!!!!!
Go on, tell me you shouted it too, it’s ok.
"REIGNING ON OUR PARADE"
FRANCE-20 IRELAND-22
*****
Thanks for following this post throughout the week and of course for following our writeups throughout the year. Here's to an exciting and of course successful World Cup year of 2015!
Enjoy your celebrations tonight, see you on the other side!
JLP
#4
...for this one off test, I can offer nothing but congratulations to everyone involved. Joe says transition is a continuum - if so I can think of no better coach in world rugby to be in charge of ours.
"ALL IN A WEEK'S WORK"
IRELAND-29 SOUTH AFRICA-15
#3
...I had to laugh watching back the RTE coverage as Donal Lenihan remarked that the Leinster fans didn't seem to know Cullen had taken the field...clearly the chants of “Leeee-o, Leeee-o” hadn't tipped him off. He won us a penalty at a key moment and got busy with his usual sterling work around the breakdown area. Again, a fitting way to end such a successful career.
"LEINST WE FORGET"
Leinster-34 Glasgow Warriors-12
#2
For many Irish fans the notion of those 109 years of hurt have instilled a sense of inevitability about how we see these matches; that no matter how valiant our efforts, the black-clad ones were just too good. Well thankfully noone told that to Goose’s Glorious Green Goddesses.
IRELAND-17 NEW ZEALAND-14
#1
...if the three on that overlap were Tales, Huget and Dulin, the outcome would have been pretty much certain. In this case, however, it was forwards Dubaty, Pape and Chouly and between them O’Driscoll and Dave Kearney did absolutely everything they could to prevent that ball going through the hands.
FORRRRRRRWARRRRRRRRRDDDDDDD!!!!!!
Go on, tell me you shouted it too, it’s ok.
"REIGNING ON OUR PARADE"
FRANCE-20 IRELAND-22
*****
Thanks for following this post throughout the week and of course for following our writeups throughout the year. Here's to an exciting and of course successful World Cup year of 2015!
Enjoy your celebrations tonight, see you on the other side!
JLP
