Champions Cup Final

[JP14]

Difference between Challenge and Champions Cup final officiating, TMO intervention lead to a turnover and Leinster penalty when Jonny Sexton was hit at the neck. If only this TMO was at the Challenge Cup last night otherwise Gloucester would've won definitely!

[POSTIGER]

If I were one of Teddy Thomas' team mates I don't think I could talk to him for a few months. That was such a stupid thing to do, just when Racing had snuffed out the danger.

[fortysix]

Truly awful spectacle, every single Leinster pass was forward, Barnes was not at his best.
Teddy Thomas, what an appalling mistake.

[LE18]

Very glad Leinster won, very well done. That was definitely a yellow card offence, real howler by Barnes, but he is so much better than Owens, great communication in French. Well done!

[Robespierre]

Bravo, Monsieur Barnes for your French! That must be the first time I’ve heard à British ref communicating so well to French players since Alain Rolland. Other refs should be told to learn to do similar. It’s been a gripe of French players over the years that non-French refs aren’t able to communicate decisions clearly. As for the match - Teddy Thomas should be sent to the guillotine!!

[JP14]

Ummmm Robespierre, don't forget that JP Doyle reffed a Challenge Cup game between Pau and Stade Français entirely in French.

[JP14]

Well, in my opinion, that was the most boring Champions Cup final I'd have ever watched! Congrats to Leinster though, they deserved the Cup as they have been the best team by far this season.

[Robespierre]

Ummmm Robespierre, don't forget that JP Doyle reffed a Challenge Cup game between Pau and Stade Français entirely in French.

Not forgotten, just didn't see the match and was unaware that he speaks French! Tant mieux!!

[TigerCam]

If I were one of Teddy Thomas' team mates I don't think I could talk to him for a few months. That was such a stupid thing to do, just when Racing had snuffed out the danger.

How many times do we see this happen - loads!! This is where captaincy comes in big time. IMO it beggars belief that you would try such a play given you are a. in your own half b. the time on the clock is in your favour. TT lost the game for R92 whom IMO were the dominate side. Well done SL, maybe the stuffed shirts of the RFU should't have been so hasty? I always said it was a sad day when Leo left the Tigers

[POSTIGER]

If I were one of Teddy Thomas' team mates I don't think I could talk to him for a few months. That was such a stupid thing to do, just when Racing had snuffed out the danger.

How many times do we see this happen - loads!! This is where captaincy comes in big time. IMO it beggars belief that you would try such a play given you are a. in your own half b. the time on the clock is in your favour. TT lost the game for R92 whom IMO were the dominate side. Well done SL, maybe the stuffed shirts of the RFU should't have been so hasty? I always said it was a sad day when Leo left the Tigers

Got to be honest, I thought Leinster were quite poor and that was a massive stroke of luck. It was the moment that lost the game for Racing that's for sure. For them to steal that lineout so brilliantly and for him to then run back towards the touchline, away from his team mates, toward 2 Leinster tacklers.....the mind boggles. I can only think he thought there was a gap but even then he was 80 metres out. Total lunacy.

[Rugbyflanker]

Well done Leinster,awful game though! Had to laugh today,there is some door handle on the DTRR proclaiming that Chiefs are Europe's second best team haha,that site really has gone to the dogs these days!

[WhitecapTiger]

Bravo, Monsieur Barnes for your French! That must be the first time I’ve heard à British ref communicating so well to French players since Alain Rolland.

JP Doyle reffed a Challenge Cup game between Pau and Stade Français entirely in French.

Neither Rolland nor Doyle are 'British' refs (some would commit you to the guillotine for that faux pas Robespierre )....they're both Irish refs who speak French - and Rolland was half French (French Father) so not surprising, much to the chagrin of the Welsh when he red carded Warburton in RWC11 semi final against...France.

Horrible match to watch imo, and would have preferred Racing to win if honest, but mildly ambivalent to it all.

[Robespierre]

Neither Rolland nor Doyle are 'British' refs (some would commit you to the guillotine for that faux pas Robespierre

oops!

[JP14]

My mistake, thought Doyle was Northern not Republican

[Grimlish]

Returning from Bilbao tomorrow. Both finals were predictable - yesterday’s tight and a triumph of two ‘efficient’ Teams, decided on penalties, the other more open and more entertaining but clearly at a lower standard.

More important was the win for rugby as a game. Sure the infrastructure of Bilbao struggled to provide the Hotel space but the welcome here has been fantastic. We were surrounded by Spanish/Basque fans for both games and people were rightly proud of their Home City, it’s environs, culture, food, wine and rugby (although we didn’t sample the latter). A great rugby party.