A cracking game with an historic resurgence by Leinster after oranges against the 1st half bullies from England. It was underwritten by a comeback in the scrum for which Leinster scrum coach Feek earned his year's pay during 10 minutes at half-time. We shouldn't have been surprised at the quality of the game: the Leinster v Toulouse semi-final was like a test match.
BOD was playing on one leg, the other damaged in the Magners semi the week before, but was never going to miss the final. Hooker Richardt Strauss who had to be helped off the park in that same game, so painful was his rib injury, played with painkillers which didn't work for 40 minutes a time. Tonga'uiha, the Saints LHP, was trying to get his head on those ribs all day; for he never pushed straight once.
Leinster outhalf Sexton got over his demons from 6N as angels came down, as on a rope from heaven, to help him get the team home like an old stager. Flanker O'Brien had an "I didn't know he was playing " 1st half, but seemed all over the place at the same time in the 2nd, as though some doppelgänger was on the field with him.
Saints started well: Leinster, who had handled Clermont, Sarries, Racing, Leicester and Toulouse with distinction in the HC was rattled at how easily the Saints penetrated for tries against inside shoulders. Their defence in the comp had been a feature of their success up to then. They were bossed at the breakdown too and turned the ball over like rugby millionaires.
And the Saints scrum was like an irresistible force against a movable object. Coach Mallinder would have taken the "no oranges" option if it were somehow in the laws, but it wasn't. Then came the 2nd half and it was as though the teams had swapped their jerseys.
The punishing programme that some of the Saints players had experienced told in the end. 130 kg Tonga'uiha, the best LHP in Europe, had played 34 games out of 36, started in most of them and played a heap of minutes every game - even though they are allowed to have an extra prop as the 23rd player over there to share the load. He must have tired and didn't have the same effect in the scrums or otherwise after oranges. The others too: the whole Northampton team looked rooted, and when some were relieved their replacements were no match for the bench of Leinster.
Well done Leinster. When Ireland meet Oz in the RWC lets hope that they don't play like Leinster did in the 2nd half in Cardiff,