88 minutes in the Champions Cup semi-final against Toulon, and nine minutes into extra time, Leinster were 18-15 down but playing with an extra man.
Ian Madigan - believing he needed to stretch the Toulon defence - tried a looping, cut-out pass that Bryan Habana gobbled up. He claimed the ball on the run and raced free for an intercept try.
Leigh Halfpenny converted and the score, all of a sudden, was 25-15.
Sean O'Brien heaved over for a late try but the comeback fell short and Toulon won 25-20.
Interviewed by Sky Sports, post-match, Habana says he will give the match ball pride of place in his château in the south of France.
They can go the whole way! After selecting our Ireland match-day 23 for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, we have gone one step further and picked our full 33-man squad. Props Tom O’Toole was the big winner from the Six Nations, taking his opportunity with aplomb. Paddy McCarthy and Jack Boyle haven’t seen much game […]
That seems to be that. Away from Ireland’s Triple Crown-winning exploits on the rugby pitch, there has been the ‘slight’ distraction that is Andy Farrell’s contract. Speculation over his post-World Cup plans ramped up when it was reported that Saracens were looking to bring him back. However, the latest comments from Ireland’s head coach suggest […]
It’s getting close! With the Six Nations over and done with, Ireland’s 2027 World Cup match-day squad has become a whole lot clearer. We’ve picked the side we would like to see, with a few surprises on the bench. Loosehead prop – Paddy McCarthy After injuries to Ireland’s top-three looseheads – Andrew Porter, Jack Boyle […]