Captain Claims Sexton Inspired Comeback

Leinster centre Brian O'Driscoll revealed some 'inspirational' words from Man of the Match Jonathan Sexton helped the team turn the Heineken Cup final on its head.

The Saints had looked well on their way to European glory when they secured a 22-6 interval lead. The Premiership side ran in three tries, on the back of a magnificent scrum platform, through Phil Dowson, Ben Foden and Dylan Hartley.

But Leinster produced an almost flawless second-half performance as the superb Sexton ran in two tries and kicked 12 points, with Nathan Hines grabbing a third score, to clinch a remarkable win in what must rank as the best Heineken final to date.

O'Driscoll said: 'We had some choice words at half-time. We knew if we could hold on to the ball we had them in trouble.

'There were some inspirational words from Jonathan at half-time which picked us up, he was a man possessed. He said this game would be remembered if we came back and we will remember this for a long time.

'We knew we had that (second-half display) in us. We played against a tough opposition but we knew if we held on to the ball we knew we could create chances.'

But the Ireland legend was at a loss to explain how his men had been so poor during the first stanza.

'We coughed up so much ball, but that was the difference. In the second half we held on to it and the passes stuck as well,' he said.

Matchwinner Sexton, whose personal haul of 28 points was just two short of Diego Dominguez's record for a Heineken final, refused to take too much credit for his half-time team talk, but said: 'We were shellshocked and we needed half-time. We regrouped.

Pictured below: Heineken Cup final Man of the Match Jonathan Sexton kisses the trophy his stellar performance helped to secure.

'I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to sport and I said that we see in sport that teams can come back like Liverpool [in the 2005 Champions League final] a few years ago. Stuff like this happens. We had to believe and we took our chances.'

Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder felt his side's fatigue after their bruising Premiership semi-final loss at Leicester had been a factor in their defeat, especially as Leinster had been able to withdraw some key players during their more comfortable Magners League semi win over Ulster.

'We were tired, you could tell at half-time,' he said.

'It was just a case of telling the lads to dig in for just 40 more minutes but the long season took its toll in the end.

'It was a full on game, it was very fast and credit to all the players involved.'

Mallinder withdrew the likes of Soane Tonga'uhia and captain Dylan Hartley as his side trailed in the final quarter, and he said: 'It was because they were exhausted.

'They were shot. It would have been nice not to have had a full-on game last week, and Leinster managed to take their five best players off in their game. We could not do that against Leicester.

'But we will come back stronger. We have always improved and we have said, in the huddle at the end, let's see if we can win it next time.'

Leinster Grab Heineken Cup from Saints

In a battle between two former title-holders, Northampton Saints champions in 2000 and Leinster in 2009, a scintillating second-half comeback from the Irish province proved the difference as they clinched a second European crown.

The Saints hit the ground running in Cardiff and raced into a 22-6 half-time lead thanks to tries from Phil Dowson, Ben Foden and Dylan Hartley.

Leinster looked down and out as they were steamrolled by Northampton but they came out a different side following the interval and launched a unbelievable comeback.

Jonny Sexton was the star of the show adding 28-points including two tries, three conversions and four penalties while Nathan Hines capped a sensational comeback with Leinster's third try.

Northampton's Steve Myler got the game underway at a feverish Millennium Stadium and it was the Saints that took the lead on six minutes. Callum Clark made the initial inroads before off-loading to back-row partner Phil Dowson to score. Myler slotted the touchline conversion to hand the Aviva Premiership outfit a 7-0 lead after as many minutes.

Leinster hit-back through the boot of Jonny Sexton on 13 minutes to cut the deficit to 7-3. But Myler quickly restored the seven point advantage after the Saints' juggernaut pack flexed their muscle at scrum-time.

Leinster's Mr dependable, Brian O'Driscoll, came close to scoring a sensational try on 24 minutes. Shane Horgan burst through Northampton's midfield and linked with Sean O'Brien, who appeared to have put the Ireland legend through. But he was brought down short of the line and lost possession when tackled by Ben Foden.

The Saints were dealt a blow on the 25th minute when Brian Mujati was sent to the sin-bin but remarkably they still held the upper hand in the scrum despite their numerical disadvantage.

They demonstrated their forward prowess on the half-hour mark when deep inside Leinster territory their seven-man pack won a scrum against the head. And they made Leinster pay with their second try. Myler went close to scoring with a half break and the ball was recycled and spread to Foden, who beat O'Driscoll to score. Myler added the extras to hand his side a 17-3 lead

.

Again Sexton quickly responded through the boot but Northampton ended the half the way they started with their third try thanks to a close range effort from captain Hartley.

Myler struck the post with his conversion but the try handed the Saints an emphatic 22-6 lead at the interval.

Leinster came out firing in the second-half and dragged themselves back into the game with a try from Sexton following some powerful carries from O'Driscoll and Jamie Heaslip. Sexton landed the conversion with the help of the uprights to bring the Dublin province back to within nine-points at 22-13.

Leinster appeared to have grabbed a quick-fire second on the 50th minute but Gordon D'Arcy's effort was ruled out by television match official Giulio De Santis following some sterling defensive work from Diggin and Lee Dickson.

But the boys in blue got the crucial try on 52 minutes once again thanks to Sexton. The Ireland fly-half performed a trademark loop-around Jamie Heaslip and defied the defenders to score.

Sexton converted the try and slotted two penalties in quick succession to extend his personal tally to 26-points and hand Leinster the lead for the first time. While Phil Dowson was sent to the sin-bin for a technical infringement.

Moments later Nathan Hines powered over for a third try as rampant Leinster ran riot and Sexton maintained his 100 per cent record with the boot to bring the score to 33-22.

That came to an end on 67 minutes but Leinster continued to turn the screw despite brave Northampton launching a number of counter-attacks.

The 2009 Champions continued to press Northampton and won out comfortably in the end.

Downey Hopes Saints March in Cardiff

James Downey

Northampton centre James Downey will face his native province when the Saints take on Leinster in the 16th Heineken Cup Final.

Downey hails from the heart of Ireland's capital city but he will be doing all he can to stop the rest of Dublin celebrating come Saturday night.

The 30-year-old is one of the unsung heroes of a Northampton side aiming to become the first team to go through an entire Heineken Cup campaign unbeaten.

And while tournament favourites Leinster can boast a dazzling array of Irish talent in their matchday 23, head coach Joe Schmidt is fully aware of the damage this particular Dubliner could have on his side's title aspirations.

"James doesn't seem to put a foot wrong," said Schmidt.

"He's a big strong lad who gives them a lot in midfield. Trust me, I've had a fair look at him this week.

"Specifically there is good footwork in his late changes of direction and he carries at a good height. He also showed pace to score that try in the pool stages at Edinburgh.

"He is a big man and when you pack that kind of punch and can get your shoulder in defensively, it makes a good player."

Such praise seems more than justified when you consider what an integral part Downey has played in Northampton's rise from the depths of demotion from English rugby's top flight to the pinnacle of the European game in just four seasons.

The 30-year-old has played in all eight Heineken Cup matches this term, as well as featuring in all seven when Saints were knocked out at the quarter-final stage last season.

Downey played an equally vital role when Saints marched all the way to Amlin Challenge Cup glory in 2009 and his overall appearance stats are just as impressive. Since arriving at Franklin's Gardens in the summer of 2007, Downey has made 119 appearances for the Club. With that figure set to rise to 120 this Saturday, his average will be a substantial 30 games a season.

And while Northampton's climb back towards the top of the continental tree has been startling in its speed, Downey's own rise has been just as remarkable.

Prior to joining a Saints side preparing for life in England's second tier, Downey was out of a job. Released by Calvisano after two seasons in Italy, Downey had previously been deemed surplus to requirements at both Leinster and Connacht and had also spent time with Munster as he failed to make a name for himself in his native land.

"Sometimes I have to pinch myself," added Downey.

"Especially when I went to Italy, I certainly would not have thought I would be in this position now.

"I was released and didn't have a job for a month, I was thinking about giving up on it. I have come full circle, from being unemployed to being in a Heineken Cup final.

"Things happen for a reason. Dave Quinlan got injured here and a door opened for me, and it has worked out for both of us. Hopefully I can repay Northampton tomorrow."

Few at Franklin's Gardens would argue that Downey hasn't paid them back already but to deny all of Dublin European glory would certainly make him even him even more of a fans' favourite in his adopted home.

To do so, however, Downey and midfield partner Jon Clarke face the toughest of tasks: shutting down one of the game's greatest centre combinations.

Brian O'Driscoll, who was today passed fit to start for Leinster in Cardiff, and Ireland team-mate Gordon D'Arcy have starred for club and country for over a decade. And while the whole world knows of their extensive credentials, Downey is more aware than most having trained and played with the pair early on in his career.

"There is no doubting Brian's ability, he is simply outstanding. His quality was ridiculous in training.

"He has superb skills, superb hands, he is the modern centre and has been the best centre in the world for the last few years.

"His partnership with Gordon is the best centre partnership in Europe and I look forward to going up against it.

"Gordon and Brian are the benchmark for centres at Six Nations level and Heineken Cup level."

Schmidt Plans Full Strength Leinster

Brian O'Driscoll is getting fitter and stronger as he heads towards a second Heineken Cup Final with Leinster at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

The Irish talisman limped out of last weekend's Magners League Play-Off semi-final with an ankle injury that threatened to rule him out of the continental clash against Northampton Saints.

But Leinster coach Joe Schmidt remains hopeful his star centre will pass a late fitness test before travelling with the squad to Cardiff.

"There's still some residual swelling on his knee but hopefully he will be OK. We're travelling late tomorrow late afternoon and Brian will have a run around before we leave," said Schmidt.

Prop Richardt Strauss, one of five players injured in what Schmidt described as a "demolition derby" against Ulster, has also overcome a bruised hip and will be available for the eagerly-awaited showdown between the rival front-rows.

Meanwhile captain Leo Cullen revealed he is more nervous for this game than either of his previous two appearances in finals, with Leicester in 2007 and Leinster in 2009.

"I've been wound up about this game all week," said 33-year-old Cullen.

"I might be a bit older and more experienced, but I'm certainly not more chilled out.

"It's my third final and I've won one and lost one so I've experienced both emotions. But even with that behind me, I still haven't learned to cope with the stress."

O'Driscoll Leinster Millenium Injury Doubt

The Leinster squad trained in the RDS on Monday morning as the province began on-field preparations for Saturday's Heineken Cup final against Northampton Saints in the Millennium Stadium.

There were a number of injury concerns arising from Friday night’s 18-3 interprovincial victory over Ulster in the RDS, which cemented Leinster’s place in the Magners Grand Final.

Following medicals on Sunday, it is thought that Isaac Boss (tight hamstring), Brian O’Driscoll (knee) and Richardt Strauss (bruised hip) should all be back training by Wednesday and be available for selection this weekend.

Sean O’Brien suffered a cut above his eye in the closing minutes of the game while Mike Ross (shoulder) was replaced by Stan Wright on the half hour mark as a precaution and the Ireland tight-head prop has recovered well from the ‘stinger’ injury sustained in the win.

It is also anticipated that Shane Horgan will be at full fitness to train this week. Horgan is Leinster’s most capped player in the Heineken Cup (27 tries in 86 games) and he lies three tries behind O’Driscoll who could be set to make his 75th appearance in Europe.

Jonathan Sexton’s six-point haul against Ulster helped him to reach a combined total of over 200 points in the Heineken and Magners competitions so far this season, while his 22 point haul in the Heineken Cup semi final victory over Toulouse took the out-half past the 200 point career total (209 points) in 21 European games. O’Brien has scored four tries in eight Heineken Cup encounters so far this term.