RUGBY Live

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London Irish

Toulouse

  • Live Commentary

    Time:80'
    • London Irish
    • Toulouse
    • FT So a brave effort from Irish but Toulouse are still on for their fourth Heineken Cup. Thanks for joining us - hope you do the same from tomorrow's second semi-final between Saracens and Munster.
    • 80' Interception knock-on from Toulouse but it was not deliberate so the referee calls time. TOULOUSE INTO THE FINAL.
    • 80 PENALTY FOR IRISH - but do they have time to kick into the corner? The referee says no so they have to tap it. They are near the 22 now.
    • 79 Irish have possesion near halfway but we are into the final minute.
    • 78 Ireland have a put in about 35m out after substitute Leguizamon storms into the Toulouse half to set up an attack.
    • 77 Heymans counters well from inside the 22 to near halfway but then Toulouse run out of touch just before halfway - chance again for Irish as the clock ticks away.
    • 75' Toulouse are looking to "stick it up the jumper now" - they are using their pack at midfield to eat up some time.
    • 73' Irish throw the kitchen sink at Toulouse but the French defend well and then Irish give away a penalty - Toulouse survive a massive scare.
    • 73' And here is the break - as Geraghty finds a big gap and storms into the 22 - can Irish find a gap from here?
    • 70' The clock is really creeping up on both teams now. Irish still struggling to get anything going but they have shown they can create something from nothing already today. Toulouse could be punished for not killing this game off.
    • 68' Captain Fabien Pelous is forced to make way for Toulouse with Romain Millo-Chluski coming on.
    • 65' Irish with a penalty just inside the Toulouse half. It is central but it is into the wind. 49m is the distance....decent effortÂ…but wide and short.
    • 63' Irish enjoy a little spell deep in the Toulouse 22 but the French escape and with chances having been few and far between for the English side today that could be costly.
    • 62' London Irish show their explosive edge again - as Ojo skips past Jauzion to storm into the 22 he plays it off to Tagicakibau but a great tackle from Kelleher puts him into touch.
    • 58' Irish are really finding it hard to get out of their own half - just as Richards looked like he was going to go into Toulouse territory he is bullied out of touch.
    • 57' Leguizamon comes on for Irish as Phil Murphy makes way/
    • 54 Great dummy from Pelous sees him clear but he can't find anyone to dump the ball off to and Irish survive.
    • 51' The ball pops loose from the re-start but Mapusua can't pick up the hot potato.
    • 50' Another penalty given away from Irish as Ojo runs into a red wall and hangs on. Tough kick to the left and from distance but Elissalde kick over again. That leg doesn't seem to be causing too many problems. 15-21.
    • 48' Toulouse can re-take the lead here as Irish give away a penalty in a central position and Elissalde makes no mistake. 15-18.
    • 44' TRY FOR IRISH !! - Tagicakibau has got it but again AWFUL tackling from Toulouse has cost them dear. Irish move a line-out down the right to the opposite wing and then Tagicakibau storms down the line for the try. Heymans and Medard both let him slip through though. Heymans at fault AGAIN. No conversion but sides are level.
    • 42' Elissalde bnearly steals the ball at halfway and breaks away for a try but he knocks on.
    • 41' We are back underway and London Irish have made a change - Tonga Lea'aetoa is on in the front row ahead of Dan Murphy.
    • HT And there is the half-time whistle. Irish have a lot of things to sort out. Toulouse well on top by the end of the half.
    • 38' But bigger problems for Irish as they have conceded another try - worked off a line-out inside the 22. The French side win it on their own throw and then just use their pack to power over the line with Servat being the man who gets over. Elissalde converts. 10-15 now and Toulouse have all the momentum.
    • 37' Problem for Toulouse here as Elissalde needs a leg strapped up - the French side have just one back on the bench - Maxime Mermoz.
    • 37' Irish just can't hang onto possession - they lose a line-out and Toulouse can attack again. Irish will get tired quickly if they keep having to defend like this.
    • 34' TOULOUSE FINALLY GET OVER - Simple try as they work it out wide. Kelleher plays it to Elissalde in a central position. The fly-half then moves it to Medard who then finds Ahotaeiloa and the Tonga man just avoids touch to score in the corner. No conversion though.
    • 33' Jauzion finds a whole and Toulouse are away again - but once more a pass goes astray and Hewat nicks back possession.
    • 30' TOULOUSE THROW AWAY A GREAT CHANCE - Toulouse have men over and Pelous breaks and just needs to covert the pass but he lands it onto the shin of Donguy and the ball goes past the end-line. He maybe could have past it to a nearer men. Irish living on the edge a bit but still leading.
    • 27' Another penalty for Toulouse and they kick to the 22. They win the line-out and are now looking to drive foreward...but a cheap knock on sees Irish escape scot free again. Error-ridden performance from Toulouse so far.
    • 24 Penalty for Toulouse off the line-out as Irish are charged with a high tackle. Poor attempt from Elissalde though means Irish escape.
    • 22' Toulouse look to hit back - breaks from Bouilhou and Kelleher see them move into the 22 but Irish then turn the ball over and clear the danger. Irish might have been tempeted to counter attack from their own 22 but David Paice elects to kick to touch.
    • 20 TRY FOR IRISH - Topsy Ojo does it all himself, there seemed little danger but the winger cuts inside and is away on a break - Cedric Heymans misses a tackle then - very poor, but Ojo doesn't mind as he storms under the posts. Hewat converts - Irish lead 10-3.
    • 19' Irish awarded a free-kick inside their own half - Hewat kicks to touch just at the 22. Chance for an Irish attack now.
    • 17 Loose pass by Jauzion ends a Toulouse attack and the French side were actually lucky to gather the loose ball - it could have led to a counter-attack.
    • 14' Irish looking to up the pace of the game quickly by taking a free kick. It works as Toulouse then go in at the side. Pretty straight penalty for Hewat and he kicks it over.
    • 11 Toulouse take the early lead. London Irish were caught offside down the left wing and Elissalde puts over a classy kick.
    • 10 Topsy Ojo has to be very alert to defend an Elissalde kick through..but Toulouse are starting to get on top here.
    • 8' Nice kick into touch inside the 22 from Kelleher provides an early test for the London Irish line-out but they manage to clear.
    • 5' A bit of a kicking exchange brings stalemate...but Toulouse almost get a chance to break as hooker William Servat chases down his own kick but David Paice just gets there first.
    • 2 Great early break from London Irish - Geraghty is found on the wing, and then Hewat tries a kick over the top - great defence by Donguy though sees him claim the ball under pressure from Ojo past the try line.
    • 1' And away we go - and already London Irish have good line-out position as Sowerby steps into touch after claiming the kick-off.
    • - Question marks have to be asked about the choice of venue. The top two tiers at Twickenham are closed and the bottom tier is not full either. At least those who have made the trip are getting to enjoy a lovely day. Glorious sunshine in south-west London.
    • - Among those out for Toulouse are Vincent Clerc and Thierry Dusautoir, but Dusautoir has rather surprisingly been named on the bench. His father died during the week and he is also carrying a knock.
    • - An eight semi-final for Toulouse - the first one for London Irish. The French side are big favourites here but they do have lots of injuries, especially in the backs.
    • - Welcome to the first of two Heineken Cup semi-finals. Can London Irish cope with the loss of Mike Catt and cause an upset?

  • Summary

    London Irish versus Toulouse
    Ojo 20’, Tagicakibau 44’ Tries Ahotaeiloa 34’, Servat 38’
    Hewat 22’ Conversions Elissalde 39’
    Hewat 15’ Penalties Elissalde 11’, 49’, 51’
      Drops  

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Alan Lewis

  • London Irish

    Manager: Brian Smith

    On the Field

    • Murphy Substitution Out (54′)
    • Paice
    • Rautenbach
    • Kennedy
    • Casey
    • Danagher
    • Armitage
    • Murphy Substitution Out (41′)
    • Hodgson
    • Geraghty
    • Tagicakibau Try
    • Mapusua
    • Richards
    • Ojo Try
    • Hewat

    Subs

    • Leguizamon Substitution In (54′)
    • Hudson
    • Lea'aetoa Substitution In (41′)
    • Mordt
    • Thorpe
    • Mackie
    • Hickey

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None

  • Toulouse

    Manager: Guy Novès

    On the Field

    • Human
    • Servat Try
    • Perugini Substitution Out (69′)
    • Pelous Substitution Out (69′)
    • Albacete
    • Bouilhou Substitution Out (74′)
    • Nyanga
    • Sowerby
    • Kelleher
    • Elissalde
    • Donguy
    • Jauzion
    • Ahotaeiloa Try
    • Médard
    • Heymans

    Subs

    • Hasan Jalil Substitution In (69′)
    • Maka
    • Millo-Chluski Substitution In (69′)
    • Lamboley Substitution In (74′)
    • Vernet Basualdo
    • Dusautoir
    • Mermoz

    Injured

    None

    Suspended

    None