Article by John Manenti
The “Super Lega”, much desired by some of the major European football clubs – which would thus leave the context of the respective National Championships – is, in part, achieved in World of Oval Ball, since since the beginning of the new Millennium, the main Rugby Clubs of Wales, Scotland and Ireland give life to theCeltic League”, in order to establish a tournament that could rival the English Premiership and the French Top 14 …
Since 2010, the The tournament has also been extended to include two Italian teams – initially Benetton Treviso and Aironi, the latter a sort of mini national team then replaced two years later by Zebre, owned by the Italian Rugby Federation – assuming the name of Pro 12, which later became Pro 14 when it is granted also participation in two South African clubs initially participating in Super Rugby in the southern hemisphere due to the reduction of members, and finally assuming the denomination of United Rugby Championship following the expansion to as many as four South African teams.
The importance of the Tournament is related to the participation in the “European Rugby Champions Cup” – also known as the Heinken Champions Cup for sponsorship reasons – in which they participate the top 8 teams from the English and French Championships and the top 8 from the United Rugby Championship (South African clubs excluded, of course…) which represents the equivalent of the Champions League of Football…
As you may have understood, as far as blue rugby is concerned, this circumstance causes the Benetton Treviso no longer takes part in the National Championship, of which it had won the Scudetto in four (2006-’07 and 2009-’10) of the last five editions in which he had participated, so as not to be able to reach the Amatori Milano in terms of titles won, stopping at 15 against the 18 of the opponents.
That said, let’s now see what happens in the inaugural edition of this continental tournament which aligns 15 formations at the starting line – 9 Welsh, 4 Irish and only 2 Scots – divided into two Groups of 8 and 7 teams respectively, with the top four qualifying for the knockout stage in a single match on the field of the best classified with a scoreboard (first against eighth, second against seventh and so on …) Playoff style of Basketball …
And, despite the massive presence of Welsh clubs, they don’t make a very good impression, given that of the 5 included in the first round, only Llanelli manages to qualify for the quarter-finals, moreover placing himself in fourth position in a group dominated by the Irish of Leinster who finish with full scores at 21 points, followed by his compatriots from Ulster and the Scottish from Glasgow with 13 and from the Welsh cited with 12while also in the second round it is the Irish teams who place that dictate the law Munster and Connacht top two with 16 and 12 points respectively, followed by Welsh Neath and Newport on 12 and 9 respectivelywith the latter only edging out compatriots Cardiff on a better points difference.
With the pairings formed on the basis of the points won, the first round of the Playoffs includes the challenges Leinster-Newport, Ulster-Neath, Munster-Llanelli and Connacht-Glasgow Warriorswith the prospect of an Irish en plein in the semifinal, a circumstance that takes shape after the dispute of the first two challenges that are staged on 30 November 2001, with Leinster winning 34-22 of Newport in Dublin at the end of a highly spectacular match characterized by 7 goals (four to three for the hosts …) as well as by the precision at the foot of the Irish fly-half Nathan Spooner who, in addition to as many conversions, also sends two goals between the postsas well as in Belfast Ulster are right 38-29 from Neath, with fly-half David Humphreys starring again who, in addition to transforming the two tries scored by Blair and Andy Ward, scored 8 free kicks …
The next day in Limerick, it’s the turn of the Munster line up with the other two Irish teams, not without difficulty overcoming Llanelli 13-6, for then the “coat by the Trefoil Club” to be avoided by the enterprise of the Glasgow Warriors, who take the only away success by winning 34-29 on the Connacht field, scoring four times with McLaren, Hayes, White and Flockhart to frustrate the accuracy of the Irish fly-half Eric Elwood who, in addition to converting the two tries scored by Robinson and Munn for his team, scored four goals and a drop for a total of 19 points.
Appointment therefore after a week, when on December 7, 2001 at the “Lansdowne Road” in Dublin – playground of the Irish national team – Leinster and Glasgow Warriors face each other at 19:30 and then, the day after, Munster and Ulster at 15:00 for the second of the two semi-finals from which the two finalists of the first edition of the Celtic League will emerge …
Definitely the most beautiful formation to behold, the Leinster does not deny itself even in this circumstance, continuing on its path that has so far seen it leave the field always victoriousand this time it is the willing Scots who pay the price, who can do nothing in the face of the fury of their opponents, who four tries with Dempsey, O’Driscoll, Horgan and Hickie for a final score of 35-13 such as not to admit recriminations of any kind …
The second semi-final was not as spectacular – almost as if the spectators were expecting it, given the only 5,500 present compared to the 12,500 of the previous evening – with Munster faithful to its creed of formation more inclined to contain than to attack, confirming this attitude in a match without high game peaks, based more on competitive spirit than on hand actions, so much so that neither of the two formations manages to violate the opposing goal line and the difference in the scoreline (15-9) in Munster’s favor comes from fly-half Ronan O’Gara’s kick who converts 5 set pieces compared to only three of the already mentioned Humphreys.
An inaugural Tournament characterized therefore by the dominance of the Irish Clubs, finds its logical conclusion in the Final scheduled for Saturday 15 December 2001 in a “Lansdowne Park” which this time welcomes 30,000 spectators who do not intend to miss the “Derby irlandese” to which Leinster comes as the undoubted favorite, the result of 9 victories out of as many matches played, with 350 points scored and only 149 conceded, even though they are facing one of the most grumpy opponents they could ever meet …
And then, a Final is always a Final, and Australian coach Matt Williams’ XV soon realizes this, given that, after Spooner misses a set piece, Anthony Foley manages to deposit the oval in the middle of the posts for O’Gara’s comfortable conversion for the 7-0 in favor of Munster after just 5′ of playdisadvantage then reduced to 6-7 following two placed goals by Spooner, before what could have been the “turning point” of the meeting, ie the expulsion in the 25th minute of Leinster’s third row Eric Miller for a kick inflicted on an opponent on the groundwhich means having to play 55′ with one man down.
Munster intended to take advantage of their superior numbers before the break, which they succeeded thanks to an opening by O’Gara in favor of Anthony Horgan who scored in the try near the flag, so as to go into the break with the score 12-6 in his favor and an authentic mountain to climb for Leinster which sees its immaculate path faltering, especially as at the start of the second half a free kick converted by O’Gara fixes the score at 15-6 with just over half an hour available to try to reverse a situation that appears desperate …
Spooner still thinks about restoring hope to his team, with two other placed goals for 12-15 with just over a quarter of an hour to go, and then, a few minutes later, it was Shane Horgan’s turn to break through the Munster defense and widen on the right to the rushing Gordon D’Arcy who had no difficulty overcoming the Munster defense and go to dunk in goal, so from allow Spooner to convert for the unthinkable lead of 19-15 when there are only 10 left at the end of the meeting.
A margin that is not reassuring – even a non-converted try would be enough to overturn the fate of the match – but the determination of the Leinster XV is such that it does not feel the fatigue and, conquered the oval following a touche, O’Driscoll launches towards the opponent’s goal with a forward kick to climb over an opponent and, even if he is stopped, the first to dive over the line is Shane Horgan for 24-15 among the delirium of their supporters …
Incredulous and unable to realize what is happening to them, the players of Munster are only able to react belatedly, when we have already entered added time when winger John O’Neill overcomes the opposition defense for a try with a consolation flavor and O’Gara’s failure to convert is nothing more than the summary of a challenge which seemed already won and on which, conversely, we will have to reflect a lot …
For his part, the Leinster coach, Matt Williams, summarized his team’s performance at the end of the match: “the courage they showed is incredible, everything was against us, a very strong opponent, one man down and a score to overturn, but against all odds we got up and obtained one of those victories that will go down in history …” …
And try to blame him, if you are capable of it …