Eurosport - Mon, 25 May 14:26:00 2009
Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll hailed Australian back row international forward Rocky Elsom's immense contribution as Leinster beat Leicester to win a first Heineken Cup.
"I would say the best player I have ever played with and I have played with many good players," O'Driscoll said of Elsom (pictured far left beside O'Driscoll, Felipe Contepomi and Gordon D'Arcy) after the 19-16 victory at Murrayfield.
O'Driscoll, 30, a veteran of 93 caps for his country and about to embark on his third British and Irish Lions tour, has captained and played with the best of his era.
Continuing his gushing assessment of Elsom's man-of-the-match display and performances throughout the tournament, O'Driscoll added: "Lets put it this way, we wouldn't have won the Heineken Cup without Rocky Elsom. He doesn't make many errors and his ball carrying is frightening.
"Irrespective of what happened today Rocky Elsom is the player of the Heineken Cup and you saw the display he produced in the final, he is just a remarkable player."
The 26-year-old Elsom proved, once again, Leinster's most potent attacking threat. His drive led to team mate Jamie Heaslip scoring their crucial try nine minutes into the second half with flyhalf Johnny Sexton tying the scores with the conversion.
Foolishly Leicester continued to kick to him throughout the match and he sidestepped and handed off opponents with sumptuous ease.
Leinster coach and fellow Australian Michael Cheika added: "He (Elsom) has added to our culture, I think he has improved his footie and I think he showed why the Australians want him back."
The near 18-stone Elsom smirked: "one of the better ones" when asked by reporters if he had experienced a better day in his young rugby career.
Comment 5 - 24 of 24
Elsom was the best player on the pitch just shading Hipkiss what a great game both had, if I am honest Leinster just about deserved it as much as it pains me to say it. oh and thank you to the Leinster fans who ran on the pitch after the game especially the bloke who had the Borat mankini under his kilt. while I dont normally like pitch invasions wathing the stewards trying to catch them and failing was very funny and stopped me being upset at the result. one last point The Munster fans in the South stand were cheering on Leinster but even if they wernt so what. They pay their money for a ticket and can support who they want to. As long as there isnt any trouble then thats all that matters. If it was Bath or Wasps in the final I would be cheering on the other team.
just on a different note hear, how much rugby has harry ellis had in the last few weeks, about 40 minutes maybe. For a scrum half going on a lions tour that is not good enough, i questioned why is going on that tour and that just backs me up.
Tu veux rire Dean H, ha ha ha. Tu oublies la défaite des Lodon Irish chez eux face à Bourgoin et les seules défaites des deux clubs finalistes en Hcup l'ont été face à Castres pour Leinster et Perpignan pour Leicester.
Regarde bien tous les arbitrages Britaniques entre une équipe Britannique et une équipe Française, c'est flagrant, l'arbitre sanctionnera trois fois plus l'équipe Française alors que la plupart des fautes Anglaises sont oubliées, curiouys, isn't it ? Repasse-toi le match de Cardif contre Toulouse, l'essai de Toulouse est complètement valable et dans une action en second mi-temps, un troisième ligne de Cardif sur une attaque flamboyante de Toulouse bloque délibérément une sortie de balle à deux mêtres de son en-but et n'écope pas d'un carton jaune. Si ce n'était qu'un ou deux match, on pourrait parler d'accident mais depuis trois bonnes années, c'est pour tous les matchs entre nos deux pays quand l'arbitre est Britanique, ce n'est pas normal ! Te souhaitant une bonne réflexion Dean. Je joue ce week-end contre une équipe Anglaise, crois-moi, ils vont souffrir avant la bière :-) In your judgment and god save the Rugby between our twoo nations. First measure,
I pray so that all the arbitrator Britaniques speaks about their historic language, the Frenchman since Hasting !
Est-ce que les Français se transformer en mauvaise sports, vos équipes ne sont pas à la hauteur. Je ne vois pas où vous mouning deux équipes françaises se rendre à la finale
Une finale ne devrait pas être jouée dans le pays d'une des deux équipes et l'arbitre devrait être neutre !
On peut dire ce que l'on veut mais un arbitre Britanique reste Anglais fort naturellement (pardon aux Irlandais, Gallois et Ecossais) et les matchs entre la France et L'Angleterre idem pour leurs clubs, devraient être arbitrés par des Argentins, Italiens, Néozélandais ou Japonais. J'ai encore le souvenir de l'arbitrage calamiteux du dernier France & Irlande à Croke Park, s'en était ridicule. Le avants Irlandais n'arretaient pas de gratter les ballons à la main dans les ruck sans que l'arbitre ne dise quoi que ce soit, alors que les Français étaient systématiquement siflés, s'en était honteux !
nobody said that ALL munster fans were supporting Leicester, but having been at the game AND watched the highlights again, there were a lot of guys in munster fans with Leicester flags. Any munster fans supporting Leinster are proper rugby fans and are not who these complaints are aimed at
But to draw a line, Leinster deserved the win and their success will bolster the Lions effort
This nonsense of Munster fans supporting Leicester is ridicolous.
I was present with eight other Munster fans at the match and we were in full support of Leinster as all Irish should be.Cheering and clapping just as loud as anyone.
Leinster fans should just enjoy the moment and not worry about minor negatives
I'm a munster fan and was at the game on saturday. Really well done to leinster they deserved every bit of credit. Just on the people giving out about munster fans who were supporting leicester, there wasn't that many compared to munster fans supporting leinster.
There is a huge rivalry there because leinster fans still when after winning the heineken cup still came up to me giving out about munster fans who were there supporting leinster. I was not wearing my munster jersey, thought it wouldn't be right to do it on leinsters day. Just think maybe leinster should just celebrate the win with the munster fan like munster celebrated their win with leinster fans in 06 / 08
can anyone tell me who was the guy that slated rocky elsom saying he wasnt good enuf?m i think it was around the last world cup
Je consens qu'il y a beaucoup de vraiment mauvais arbitres mais c'est arbitres pas juste des britanniques. L'Australien et les arbitres de Nouvelle Zélande sont aussi très mauvais. Je pense que le meilleur arbitre est Alan Lewis.
well gilles in the words of del boy monsgue et tu petti fulea
9.Trop c'est trop, l'arbitrage Britannique pénalise beaucoup trop les équipes Françaises, c'est inadmissible !
Que ce soit dans le tournois des six nations ou dans les coupes d'Europe. Pourquoi ne voit-on pas des arbitres Français, Artgentins, Italiens ? Ils ne sont pas plus mauvais que les autres au regard des divers arbitrages réalisés depuis ce début d'année, ils ont largement leur place !
Peut-être aussi que ces arbitres Britanniques ont peur pour leurs équipes...C'est un peu comme une mère qui protégerait ses enfants...Les Clubs Français devront quitter les championnats Européens voir le six nations si cela ne change pas, cela en devient ridicule et flagrant. Pour exemple, l'arbitrage de la finale entre Norphampton et Bourgoin a été catastrophique, l'arbitre n'a pas pénalisé les faits les plus graves et les joueurs se sont fait justice...je passe les nombreuses pénalités non siflées contre Norphampton sur des ballons gardés au sol alors qu'elles étaient quasiment toutes siflées contre Bourgoin...Je n'insisterai pas sur le match volé entre Toulous et Cardif et les matchs de poule notemment avec le stade Français ou Montauban etc. Cela doit cesser pour que le Rugby entre nos quatre nations vivent.
God save Rugby, please !
If you're a London Irish fan, should you support Leinster or Leicester in this final? I chose Leinster because the Harp on their shirts reminds me of Guinness....lovely!
Munster!!!bad sports...Cork footballers and hurlers...Roy Keane...Leinster by birth
.D.V.
are you the geek in the picture with the cup on his head oh dear
wahee ads bet ya have a smile wider than a brassers crack thank god peace at last
Great day. Great game. O driscoll is as hard as nails. I hope to god Elsom gives it another year.
Well done leinster what a result. I am an Ulster fan ( we beat Munster twice this year ) and you can be sure I was supporting Leinster in the final as we are all Irish and the Munster fans can be shamed by their childish behaviour, lets hope we dont see them at Croke park next year wearing the flag of St. George.
It was a fantastic game and it was a pity there had to be a loser both teams played their heart out and at 16 all it was anyone's game. The atmosphere was bloody fantastic the Leinster fans are by far the most passionate, loyal and friendliest I have met during my trips to the finals which is much less I have to say about Munster fans.
I would like to thank Stuart Barnes who stopped, spoke and shook my sons hand and allowed him to take his photo also the players that took time to speak to the kids waiting by the tunnel, just another fantastic day well worth the drive from Bristol.
great point there moggie and i noticed that too. Very curtious and extremely sportsman like for the Leicester team to watch them get presented with thre trophy, thats what makes rugby the greatest team sport. Would never see that in a football
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