Matchtracker: Leinster 19-16 Leicester

by Brendan Cole

80 mins+1 Leinster have it! The Tigers give them a penalty for holding on and it is punted into touch to give Leinster a long awaited first Heineken Cup Trophy!

Well done to Leinster - super displays from all 15 but Heaslip, Elsom, Jennings, Sexton, Healy, Wright and O'Driscoll were outstanding.

Shane Horgan is in tears on the field as he hugs O'Driscoll.

80 mins Tigers are on the Leinster 10 metre line. Can they nick a penalty? Driving it up they are desperate for a penalty.

79 mins Tigers given a penalty, again for a ruck offence. Leinster could live to regret these two pens....

Tigers must score from this lineout on half-way.

Elsom takes but it is a free kick - the Tigers are edging closer.

78 mins Leicester box kick and almost claim in a scramble but Leinster final secure it and have 80 seconds to see out.....

77 mins Overthrow ends up in Jennings hands and he kicks brilliantly to the corner - Croft gets there but he is shoved into touch by Heaslip. Deacon takes the lineout though.

76 mins Finally Leinster are blown for killing it but they have burned two minutes there.

75 mins Another Tigers effort to create width goes wrong - a long loopy one is spilled by Tuilagi and it goes into touch on the Tigers 22. Cullen claims - was he played in the air? - and Leinster begin to drive it from in tight.

73 mins Horgan makes an error - spilling Dupy's box kick on half-way to hand Leicester a scrum.

Harry Ellis is about to come on.

72 mins Perfect series - Kearney's superb kick has Hamilton scrambling and he takes it before falling into touch.

Leinster can't win the lineout but put the pressure on inside the Tigers 22. Hamilton clears but not too touch and Nacewa runs it back and almost springs Horgan with a slipped offloads down the line!

Tuilagi shoves the big Meath man into touch on the 22.

71 mins Kearney is on for Fitzgerald. Can't afford a scrum penalty here - on half-way either side will have a shot if they can......

70 mins Vesty dumps the restart directly into touch - scrum on halfway lifts Leinster even more.

Leicester 16-19 Leinster

69 mins Sexton knocks it over - very close to the right hand post but it's there!

66 mins Leinster spill it on half-way - tentative passing and a Sexton to Heaslip delivery ends up on the deck.

Scrum to Leicester. Vesty chips again but Nacewa gets it and clears.

Then, Fitzgerald has a go instead of kicking and gets Leinster going forward after again beating a man.

Leinster keep playing and are suddenly on the Leicester 22 where Nigel Owens pings for a penalty! Stan Wright's rucking was key there.

Tough chance, but Sexton will have a shot at goal from 10 metres from touchline and near the 22......

65 mins Leinster clear well but Hamilton returns and it is a Leinster lineout and they win it and laucnh D'Arcy in midfield.

Healy is back in.

Kicking contest ensues and then Elsom punts downfield and it is a 22 after the ball comes to rest there.

64 mins Forward pass in midfield by the Tigers.

63 mins Leinster concede a penalty for holding on. Neither side is able to extend the other through more than few phases at this point.

Vesty now misses touch but from the ping pong, Hamilton launches and wins an up and under.

Leicester chip it high and O'Driscoll puts it out now.

Brian O'Driscoll is now down - clutching his shoulder. He gets up but looks a little shook.

61 mins Now Healy is forced off - this time for a blood injury. Huge scrum and Ronan McCormack and Fogarty must stand firm.......

The first one collapses and Owens decides Leicester's improper bind caused it. Let-off for Leinster and they clear it but Fitzgerald's kick doesn't find touch.

Horgan gets it next and he clears. Eventually ends up with a Leinster lineout on halfway.

60 mins Near turnover by Heaslip in midfield. Leicester again struggle to make yards with ball in hand and their momentum peters out with a risky effort at a pass from Erinle that ends up on the deck.

Leinster scrum and Lewis Moody is on.

57 mins Steepling take by Croft at lineout and Leicester run it in midfield before a chip through by Vesty. Trickles into touch by the flag and it is a lineout 5m from their line for Leinster.

Fogarty's throw just about works out - close to crooked.

The Tigers have almost nicked it at the ruck but eventually it is secured. Whitaker box kicks - good one to near the 10 metre line.

55 mins Bernard Jackman is also forced off meaning John Fogarty's throwing in will play a big role in deciding this one.....

His first one succeeds and Leinster shift it wide from ball to the tail. Whitaker knocks on from the ruck though.

Leicester win a penalty after their scrum gets properly nailed for the first time and they kick to near half-way.

54 mins Tigers have it on half-way but again, the Leinester defence forces a penatly. Healy's hit did the damage and Leicester are done for killing it.

Sexton punts to the 22.

Chuter goes off for Benjamin Kayser.

53 mins 22 turns into ping pong Hamilton collects an up and under and Leinster sniff a chance from the ruck but end up giving away a pen for over-eagerness (aka over the top....).

53 mins Julian White is in for Castrogiovanni. Next scrum will be interesting.

52 mins Sexton lines up a shot at goal from just inside half-way.

The 23-year-old's can't quite manage to get it, he pushes it short.

51 mins Tuilagi nails Horgan with a big carry on half-way - Horgan was down for a minute but had enough in him to get up and make a hit later in the sequence.

Ouch.

Play continues around halfway before Leinster win a penalty for holding on. Leinster are surging here.

Leicester 16-16 Leinster

48 mins Try for Heaslip! Great driving play from the pack and a couple of quick rucks did the trick. O'Driscoll was involved twice there and his quick lay back stretched the Tigers.

Jennings did well to drive Heaslip over from 5 yards.

Sexton converts and it is 16-16.

46 mins Hamilton switches to full-back and Kay takes the captaincy. Applause from around the ground as Murphy walks off.

45 mins Leinster make some progress but sloppy play by Whitaker and Healy hands it back.

Elsom, for the second time, charges back downfield and Leinster chip to the corner behind Hamilton through O'Driscoll. Hamilton is forced into touch by D'Arcy.

Great ball - all from Elsom's massive charge. Croft and Tuilagi were taken to school by the big Aussie there.

Leinster lineout inside the Tigers 22.

Bad news for Leicester - Geordan Murphy is forced off with an injury. Matt Smith comes on.

43 mins Wright is back and Leinster win the restart. Sexton again punts in behind Tuilagi and the Tigers are under pressure on their own 22.

Kay claims at the front and Murphy clears downfield. Nacewa up and unders it back but Murphy marks on the edge of his 22.

42 mins Leicester 16-9 Leinster

42 mins Leicester are driving hard at Leinster - 5 yards in it but Leinster are holding firm for now.

Vesty has a cut but Sexton makes the tackle round the ankles.

Kay finally knocks on but Owens blows for offside and it will be another three points - right in front of the posts.

41 mins Vesty kisk off. Heaslip catches and Leinster clear to the 10 metre line through Fitzgerald. Disaster though - it was taken back into the 22 meanting a lineout on the Leinster line!

Huge error - Whitaker must take the blame.

Two minutes of sinbin to go before Wright comes back in.

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Second half should be a belter. Leinster's midfield trickery isn't really working and they need to rejig the approach but Leicester are also having trouble penetrating.

Of the two, you have to say that Leinster look more likely to cut loose and score a try or two but they will need to do so early in the second half.

They had a chance to really get away with D'Arcy's drive to within a foot of the line but credit to the Tigers, they have come back strongly......

The bookies make the Tigers 4/6 favourites.

40 minutes Half over after a bit of ping pong.

39 minutes Leicester 13-9 Leinster

Leicester try. Vesty’s offload to Woods does the trick.

Brian O’Driscoll didn’t get a hit on the ball there, allowing Vesty to offload and Nacewa’s tackle also was off the mark. Came from very little but they all count.

Dupuy converts for a four point lead.

38 minutes Leicester run sideways and Croft is shuffled into touch. Very poor stuff from the Tigers. Leinster win the lineout and drive it a few yards.

Whitaker’s box kick is directly into touch though. They win the lineout and drive to near the 22. Hipkiss again makes a half-break and they are getting closer.....

34 minutes Murphy passes the restart to Murphy and he drops but it doesn't go forward. He gathers and clears it downfield.

Leinster lineout on halfway. Louis Deacon - who has come on for Crane, who took a bang earlier - nicks it though and the Tigers are on the front foot. Tackle area ends up as a pile up in the middle of the field and it is a Tigers scrum.

Shane Jennings goes off for the 10 minutes - Ronan McCormack is in.

33 minutes Dupuy puts it over.

Leicester 6-9 Leicester

31 minutes Leinster hold firm through multiple phases. The linesman has his flag out though and it is a penalty to Leicester for a tackle off the ball. Stan Wright is called up by Owens and yellow carded for a professional foul.

This could be a turning point.

Tough call, but Wright can have few complaints.

Leicester opt to take a shot at goal - on the 22 and out to the right a touch.

29 minutes A Leinster backs move breaks down from the lineout but a clever kick by Sexton keeps the pressure on. Hamilton deals with it well though and then Hipkiss breaks clear though and charges downfield before chipping very well!

Sexton is forced to kick it into touch and it will be a Tigers lineout on the Leinster line!

They win it and Tuilagi charges. Leicester ball within yards of the Leinster line.......

28 minutes Leicester go wide but can't break the blue wall. Going back the other way, they make a yard or two down Horgan's wing. But they drop it, handing possesion back. Nacewa clears into the Tigers 22 where Erinle collects and kicks it up to near halfway.

27 minutes Scott Hamilton almost takes the restart on the Leinster 22 but knocks on. Again the scrum is sound and Sexton punts clear - well into the Tigers half, near enough their 22.

The Tigers lineout is again a mess, but Leinster are called for closing the gap. Free kick to the Tigers.

Leicester tap and go and launch a Tuilagi charge and then Hamilton makes a strong charge. Penalty is then called for pullling Dupuy into the ruck. Near the running track touchline and Murphy punts into the Leinster half.

24 minutes Sexton knocks it over. Low flight and maybe a little pull, but it's good.

Leicester 3-9 Leinster

23 minutes Leinster get it moving though. First, O’Driscoll beats a man and slips it Whitaker. Elsom gets it next and a typical shrugging charge sees him beat four tacklers in the space of a telephone box.

Leinster shift it right and a stretched Leicester give away a penalty.

20 mins Leinster again fail to win their lineout - Elsom nicks another. O'Driscoll attempts a risky pass in midfield and is almost intercepted by Tuilaggi but he knocks on.

Sexton carries it up again and makes good yards but it becomes static ball halfway between the 10 metre line and the Tigers 22.

19 mins Sexton repeates the trick – again punting behind a stunning kick behind Tuilagi.

Leinster win the lineout in the Tigers 22 and from Sexton's offload, D'Arcy is within a half yard of the line!

But the Tigers turn it over for holding on. Super defence, but they are cracking in places. Newby made the saving tackle.

17 mins Murphy is hit hard and his offload effort goes to Elsom on the 22. Leinster give it back though, failing to contro.l the back of the ruck. Sexton lines up a monster drop goal effort and it goes over!

From nowhere, the Mary's man has conjured three points. He took that from halfway!

Leicester 3-6 Leinster

16 mins Sexton drills a kick in behind Tuilagi – and Leicester are the team on the back foot.

Leicester win the lineout at the middle but Dupuy’s kick is charged! Murphy again tidies up, grounding the ball in the dead ball area for another 22.

14 mins O’Driscoll is hit hard in midfield and Leicester then launch a kick at Fitzgerald. This time, he runs it back. Beats a man (Murphy) and from the ruck, Leicester infringe.

Sexton punts downfield.

From the lineout. Nacewa is the man hit hard in midfield on this occasion.

Leinster keep the ball but can’t pentrate.

Sexton punts behind Tuilagi but he takes it to himself from touch and punts back downfield.

Punt series begins and Murphy eventually dots it for a ’22.

11 mins Leinster have a scrum after Leicester fail to handle the restart drives series from the penalty.

The scrum stands up very well but the back move attempt fails. Leicester knock it on though.

Another scrum, and this time its chipped for Horgan to chase. Murphy gets across and slides into touch with the ball.

9 mins Leicester 3-3 Leinster

Dupuy strokes it over from the right hand side and on the 22.

7 mins Leinster handle the restart well and Sexton punts downfield. Fitzgerald drops the return and Murphy gathers. From the ruck, Hipkiss charges through to put Leicester in sniffing range of the line. Penalty against Leinster for not rolling away will give Dupuy a shot.

Heaslip is the culprit this time - he didn't roll away from Heaslip.

4-5 mins Leicester claim the 22 and end a series of drives with a mediocre chip through by Erinle. Nacewa punts it downfield. Good result for Leinster.

Tigers fail to win the lineout and Leinster are driving forward> Healy and Jackman take it up before Sexton launches a bomb. Murphy fields it athletically and punts a big one downfiled. Leinster take it quickly and Luke Fitzgerald up and unders.

Elsom gets it after Fitzgerald makes a big hit and he runs over Tuilagi.

Leinster then shift it wide and Brian O'Driscoll take a drop goal!

Leicester 0-3 Leinster.

2-3 minutes Quick warning for Shane Jennings for use of the boot near that ruck - linesman in, he spotted a little trip - Murphy boots the penalty downfield.

Tigers win the lineout at the front and shift it to Murphy who punts down the middle. Jordan Crane runs it back but Jennings is pinged again by Owens, this time for not retreating.

Dupuy lines up the shot from 45 metres and over to the right but hooks it. A let-off.

1 minute Geordan Murphy fields the kick-off and is tackled by his old friend Shane Horgan just inside the 22. Leinster ruck well and are given a scrum by Nigel Owens. Gordon D'Arcy charges but from the ruck, Rocky Elsom knocks on. Leinster within 10 metres of the Leicester line.

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Check out our preview, get George Hook's expert view or listen to live commentary with Saturday Sport. E-mail us at sportonline@rte.ie if you have a view.

4.58pm Final look at the line-ups and the impression that Leinster have the edge in the back-row and at centre is hard to shake. Julien Dupuy still looks like the most likely danger man for the Tigers.

4.54pm The sun has come out at Edinburgh and Murrayfield also looks pretty blue - there is a little bit of moisture about on the grass though, with a shower having fallen in the last half hour or so.

4.50pm 10 minutes to go before what has been a pretty low key build-up finally comes to an end: time to make a call.

I'm saying 25-10 to Leinster......

4.40pm Hard to tell which side has attracted more support to Edinburgh at this stage. Plenty of Leinster support in evidence but the Tigers are expected to travel in numbers. That said, they had a Premiership final in Twickenham last week which might impact on the numbers.

It won't be settled until kick-off but the blue army performed well at Croker and if they get something to cheer are guaranteed to contribute strongly again.

4.32pm Shots of the teams arriving show most of the players are listening to their iPods - Sam Vesty looked relaxed, Alesana Tuilagi quite serious. For Leinster, Brian O'Driscoll seemed....focussed.

4.25pm For those who take an interest in such things, the bookies actually make Leinster slight favourites for this match - at 4/5 or thereabouts generally.

A tight price, but maybe worth a few quid........

3.30pm www.rte.ie will be rating the players and giving you the chance to do the same straight after the match so don't forget to check in later.

3pm There are clouds about with the possibility of the odd shower....which might suit the Tigers better than it does Leinster. Currently (as you can see from our pictures), it is dry but with dark-ish skies.