A valiant effort from Leinster in the Clermont cauldron today
Of all the places to travel in European club rugby; Clermont Auvergne's Parc Des Sports Marcel Michelin, probably ranks up there with Munster's Fortress Thomond Park and Leicester's Welford Road as "THE Hardest Places" to travel. Today, this was the task facing Leinster and in a fantastically entertaining tussle, Leinster came away with a much deserved losing bonus point and can indeed consider themselves unlucky to lose 20-13 having coughed up a few chances. We now await the "Fever in the Aviva" - and hopefully the return of the main man BRIAN O'DRISOLL next weekend, in a game which will most likely decide who emerges from Heineken Cup Pool 2.
All to play for next weekend at the Aviva:
40,00 tickets already sold
Elsewhere, the Munster Express rolled on at "Fortress Thomond" with a flattering 22-16 win over a Tommy Bowe inspired Ospreys. Munster however will miss Paul O'Connell next weekend, who was "controversially" red carded for an elbow-to-face offence...an offence which is always a red card from this observer's perspective. The red card did not meet the approval of the Thomond Park faithful however, which I suppose is hardly surprising.
Meanwhile, a Johnny Wilkinson inspired Toulon won 19-13 against London Irish at the Madejski Stadium in the same Pool. It's still all to play for in the Pool, with 5 points separating top (Muntset) from bottom (London Irish).
Paul O'Connell: will be missed next week
Ulster score an impressive 22-18 win over Bath at Ravenhill, but are unlikely to progress from a Pool (Pool 4) which also contains Olympique Biaritz.
This Ulster try clinched an impressive Ravenhill win;
But qualification remains unlikely for the Mourne men
In Pool 6; the Pool with two former multiple Heineken Cup winners;
Glasgow Warriors 16-28 Stade Toulousian
Newport Gwent Dragons 16-23 London Wasps
The heavyweight duo of Toulouse & Wasps are in control here.
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