I hate seeing fans of losing sides I support blame the ref, nevermind booing him, but in this instance I think it is justified. Clancy was a chicken on the night and we deserve better. As for booing Heaslip, I don't see the point in that. He exploited a weak ref and dragged his side to a win. This was supposed to be a game to be won by the allstars in the Leinster backline. When (Darcy aside) they failed to do anything it was up to their pack to grind out the win. Will the same folks boo Heaslip if he gets away with doing that to Owen Farrell in a few weeks?

I am slow to blame refs in general because I think we do it too often, but in this case I think we have every right to feel aggrieved. Both decisions were very poor, but my main beef was with the failure to bin Heaslip for what was a blatant late and dangerous hit. Being at the game, I couldn’t hear what was said by the TMO, but I could tell as Clancy walked towards Heaslip that it was just going to be a penalty. I couldn’t believe my eyes then as they walked along together, and Clancy gave Heaslip a little pat on the arse, as if to say “don’t worry about it Jamie, I’ve got your back”. That might seem paranoid, and maybe it is, but I’m sure if the exact same scenario played out in the RDS with a Connacht back row taking out their 10, it would be an immediate yellow without even consulting the TMO.

One other note about Saturday night. I hung around the Clan bar for a drink, and the Leinster players began to wander past, towards their bus which was parked on College Road. There was a bunch of kids mainly looking for autographs, and the players all seemed happy to stop and sign them. Then BOD came out, surrounded by security/stewards. “Pictures while I walk, pictures while I walk” he says. In fairness to him, only a handful of people approached the other players, and there was a bigger crowd around him, but it would have taken 5 or 10 minutes to sign a few young lads match programs. Poor form I thought. On the other hand, Rob Kearney was also in big demand, and he was much more willing to oblige. Maybe BOD was just in a mood having been outplayed by Robbie!

As regards the booing, there's no denying it for Clancy. I didn't see anyone booing Leinster in general, or Heaslip in particular, but I wouldn't be surprised.

Not much to add here except to say I thought Carty and Leader did exceptionally well and also Muldoon, he's been in great form lately. I see no point in even having Parks on the bench when Ronaldson returns from injury. I'd be looking at a coaching role for him next season. He was poor again when he came on. It really is very worrying how many games we've failed to score in the second half this season (not blaming Parks specifically for that).

I always wait around until the teams have left the pitch and Clancy and Heaslip were definitely both booed off. It's also not the first time this season a ref has been booed off, if we didn't already have a reputation for this we surely do now.

I can't add anything further to the Heaslip or forward pass issues. But what did annoy me was Leinster's put ins. Both Reddan and. Boss realise Cronin can't hook, and at least 4 put ins were reminiscent of last year where SH put in to props feet or worse. Has this rule been forgotten. Clancy could not have missed it. maybe we did the same...funny I didn't notice that. :whistle:

I heard an interview with Lam who said that Leader and Carty had developed cramp which was why they were called ashore.

theCulk wrote: 3) I've never met more of an ignorant c*** (Edited) that one particular Leinster fan tonight.

Lads, watch the language please, I'm sure there are kids reading this so let's try to set an example

I don't know what went on between Clancy and the TMO but they manufactured it well to keep Heaslip from getting a card.

I saw this on TV and the it was the TMO both times who bottled it. Clancy said he didn't see Healsip and asked if it was a cardable offence and the TMO said no just a penalty and a talking to. The same thing with the try on slow motion you clearly see the hands go forward which is the obvious case for a forward pass but the TMO said it was 'inconclusive' and terefore a try should be awarded. I thought Clancy had a good game but Jude Quinn the TMO shouldn't be allowed ref a U12's he was so bad last night.

As for Leinster they did have a 7. Dominic Ryan on the bench whom they brought on around 60 mins for Ruddock with Jordi Murphy switching to 6. As for White I think Lam wanted Dave on for his line-breaking abilities around the same time he brought on Buckley and Heffernan who are all very zippy around the park.

As for Parks I think Lam's though process was it started bucketing around the 60 min mark so in a deluge game Parks would be the king unfortunately it turned out to be a shower. Leader took a knock and had to come off but I don't think it was anything serious.

The ref had a good game generally, haven't watched it back but he seemed spot on as regards the breakdown penalties (both ways) from where we were standing. What a shame he had to ruin his performance (and the match, to a great extent) by bottling the two biggest decisions of the match, even with the assistance of replays.

Whatever about the try, when realistically only a lbp was at stake, the Heaslip decision was a disgrace. A yellow card against their captain and best player on the night (by several country miles) in a one point game could have given us victory.

The ref wasn't even going to go upstairs until the crowd howled after a replay on the big screen, and Clarke got in his ear. Taking the 4 interpros over Christmas as a whole, you can see the refs are petrified about asking the TMO about any shenanigans involving an international player. If being we have almost none (and therefore our players ARE open to sanction), this was clearly interpreted by Munster and Heaslip as licence to soften up Connacht.

More pertinently, with the spectre of concussion injuries hanging over the sport, effectively condoning a cowardly no arms shoulder charge on an opposition player boggles the mind. As to the booing, well that was nothing as compared to thousands of fans calling him "Cheat" after the Heaslip decision.

I didn't hear Heaslip get any booing; I was between the 10 metre line and halfway, and Leinster were applauded from the field, as were the Leinster coaches when they passed through us at the final whistle. Gibbes, btw, displayed great wit and grace when someone asked what he thought of the ref: "Well, WE won't be complaining."

In the aftermath of another referee-led shafting at the RDS 5 years ago (when Jennings and Fogarty should have been red carded, weren't, were cited and suspended, and then had their suspensions overturned on a technicality so they could play in the HEC), Gerry Thornley pointed out in the Times that Connacht's historical penalty count against the other provinces was 2-1 against, despite it being 1-1 against the other teams. There was a policy of non-Irish refs for interpros for a while after that, but this appears to have been shelved (on grounds of cost perhaps). Might be time to look at this again.

Some people need to get off their high horse, its not wonder rugby gets a reputation as a bunch of knobs. No ref has been booed off this season yet at the sportsground (which is a welcome development). It was all fairly harmless in so far as I saw. I don't believe in this hanging around after the game anyway but people are entitled to have their say. Ulster are probably the most committed supporters in the league imo and the treatment Clancy got was were minor compared to the abuse Rolland was getting in the first half last Friday in Ravenhill. Similarly 'the best rugby fans in the world' booed off the ref and the Connacht team last week. Are they all "soccer fans" also?

Leinster fans mocked our ground, Ref was poor as was the TMO, Heaslip should of got yellow and the ref should of called it a forward pass,

Ga1wegian wrote: Great match and the future looks bright for Connacht.

The most disappointing aspect of the night was the booing of both the referee and Heaslip as they left the field, we are NOT soccer fans.

agree that the booing was pathetic
I understand emotions running high and bita booze involved people loose run of themselves but really isn't welcome imo

Seeing Macca doing the choke tackle on us was like seeing an Ex-GF eat in your favourite restaurant (that you introduced to her) with her new richer BF

Loughney is a good ball carrier and can throw into the line out !!
I'm a fan of JHW but he is too small to carry ball and doesent make enough ground. A big bruiser of a hooker and 6 would be great. Don't think Browne is cutting at 6 would much prefer Muldoon there but I know we are short.

clanman wrote: I watched the game again this morning and have to say the better team won on the day even if there were 1 o 2 poor decisions by clancy. At a crucial point in the game mckeon knocked on and that bgifted leinster field advantage, apart from that mistake he's been playing wellsince his return from injury. Remember both teams were short of anout and no.7 but since the start of the season we have been second best at the breakdown in nearly all of the games. Our setpiece continues to be our strongest aspect of the game, but our biggest problem continues to be at no.10, Ronaldson is our best option when fit as he's able to make line breaks, his kicking is poor but then again neither parks or carty have shown they can kick well from hand, hopefully heenan and faloon will be back soon so we can have them supoorting Ronaldson.

On the 7 thing yes we desperately missed a specialist but Leinster really didn't as much, afaik Murphy has played mainly as a seven coming up except for the senior team. Likewise heaslip has long done the donkey work on the ground for Ireland and Leinster that Muldoon or Mckeon are incapable of.

I was thinking something similar to the outlaw last night, re the backrow, we don't have players that are both big and effective carriers, you can get the ball to jhw all day and he'll try his best to break the line but it's not happening. Same goes for Muldoon and brown and even Buckley and Rodney to a large extent. Whereas our biggest players - white, wilkinson, to a lesser extent Kearney and Clarke, either aren't capable of it or aren't asked to carry. George showed the value of his heft when he came on as did heaslip all game. I'd like to see Muldownney given another chance soon, Clarke could do with a rest soon anyways.

Borders no.2 wrote: First of all we didn't do enough to win. Zero points for the 7th or 8th occasion this season in the 2nd half tells its own story. We didn't compete strongly enough at the breakdown (again) in particular and until we do its going to be the same old hard luck story most weeks. Parks miss at 8-9 was a killer blow to our hopes but in fairness he had got a fair lash to the head from Heaslip so wouldn't be overly critical on this occasion. Leader going for the 2nd penalty at 5-0 was disappointing. The first one showed he has a good range but not that good a range. Despite that he did very well and is worth more games in the 2nd half of the season. Carty wasn't bad. I'd give him some more game time. I still would have Ronaldson ahead of him at present.

Some other observations. Kicking the ball down the throat of Rob Kearney is madness. Props shouldn't kick the ball. When you have possession in you own half with 5 seconds to go, go through a phase and then kick it out, don't kick it back to a team like Leinster. Rodney did quite well but Nathan White was on top of his man and looked puzzled to come off so early.

I think everyone saw the Heaslip call bar the 3 officials on the pitch. I don't know what went on between Clancy and the TMO but they manufactured it well to keep Heaslip from getting a card. In fairness on this board there hasn't been much criticism of officials this year but tonight I think its justified. The pass for the try looked forward at the game and from everyone I've talked to or angle I've seen it was forward but Leinster probably had the game in their grasp at that stage.

Its infuriating but all we can do is pick ourselves up learn the lessons from our own mistakes and move on.

I think realistically facing a team packed with internationals with a team full of kids- winning was beyond us.

All other provinces have built their teams using indigenous players - we're now starting to do that. It will take another 12 months in my view.

We need to find a bigger backrow however. We don't have a big bruiser in the backrow who can truck up slow ball and make yards. As a result we end up having to kick more then we should and thats happened in the second half last night.

Scrum was very good last night against an international front row. Full marks to the props and second row for me as the setpiece was excellent.

I thought all of Marmion, Henshaw, Carty and Leader were excellent last night.

Henshaw finally looked like a 13 simply because he had an outhalf who played on the gain-line instead of five yards behind it.

Marmion is clearly the second best scrumhalf in the country by a mile and it will be a travesty if Schimdt doesn't reward him.

Carty and Leader for largely debut performances in a big game they did really well and I hope Lam keeps the faith in them.

You can see the difference in the NZ approach for me- they aren't afraid to play young players IF they are good enough.

I watched the game again this morning and have to say the better team won on the day even if there were 1 o 2 poor decisions by clancy. At a crucial point in the game mckeon knocked on and that bgifted leinster field advantage, apart from that mistake he's been playing wellsince his return from injury. Remember both teams were short of anout and no.7 but since the start of the season we have been second best at the breakdown in nearly all of the games. Our setpiece continues to be our strongest aspect of the game, but our biggest problem continues to be at no.10, Ronaldson is our best option when fit as he's able to make line breaks, his kicking is poor but then again neither parks or carty have shown they can kick well from hand, hopefully heenan and faloon will be back soon so we can have them supoorting Ronaldson.