Clermont v Leinster 2002

[suisse]

Attendance was recorded as 7,500 which I'm assuming was the official capacity of the ground at the time. I'm guessing the actual attendance was a good bit higher.

14-16,000 I'd say

[[Jackass]]

I have zero recolection of that away game in Clermont. Weren't they called Montferran back then? I seem to recall they were only the level of what perhaps Castres would be today. Didn't know we ever won in their stadium, which is great. The Fortress can be broken!! I remember the Semi all too well though.

Should have been our first cup. That one stung for a while. I seem to remember Munster were in the other semi too, possilby at home also?

[cormac]

Munster lost 13-12 away to Toulouse

[nopeare]

I remember the Semi all too well though.

I still remember that semi I was only 13 or 14 and can still see O'Meara missing the kicks....how many did he miss that day? 5 or 6 wasn't it?

[TrapperChamonix]

The home game in Donnybrook was where I got hooked on Leinster. One moment sticks out clearly in my mind, the Monferrant 2nd row (Brouzet I think) had the ball and was charging the line from 5 mtrs out with only a small outside center in his way. But that outside center not only stopped him in his tracks but drove him back another 5 mtrs. It was then you really got a sense of a) that this was a serious team in a serious competition and b) how great a warrior BOD was. Plus I was sitting beside Hugo in the stand.

Be Warned: I have a vision of that happening in my minds eye. If for any reason, I got that wrong or have been economical with my memory, I don't want to know. I'm happy with my memory as it is

[johng]

Plus I was sitting beside Hugo in the stand.

MacNeill or Naut?

[ronk]

I'd love to watch those games again. Donnybrook was great, absolutely jammed and a cracking atmosphere.

[TrapperChamonix]

Plus I was sitting beside Hugo in the stand.

MacNeill or Naut?

MacNeill

[Darce]

David Quinlan.....what a smashing player he was.

In another era and maybe a bit luckier with injuries, could have been a big name in the european game at any rate

[nelly the elephant]

David Quinlan.....what a smashing player he was.

In another era and maybe a bit luckier with injuries, could have been a big name in the european game at any rate

Ahem.....just don't mention THAT Edinburgh game at the 'brook!

[limecat]

David Quinlan.....what a smashing player he was.

In another era and maybe a bit luckier with injuries, could have been a big name in the european game at any rate

Ahem.....just don't mention THAT Edinburgh game at the 'brook!

That was immediately what I thought of.

For those of you who don't remember, click here for the match report, for those of you that do remember, you probably won't click on it for obvious reasons.

[artaneboy]

Gas reading that Edinburgh match report, only seems like a year or two ago, but all those names that once seemed to be our future- long gone; Dillon, Leek, O'Riordan and 'bold boy' Quinlan himself. But Gordan's still doing it. There was a time he seemed doomed to be the great unfulfilled talent. He's done a bit alright since- and at full-back that night too! I wonder?...... Nah!! Could he?

[ceemec]

Nightmarish stuff. Aidan Kearney, God the man mountain. Saw him last week. He's only same age as BOD. I wouldn't let him play J2.

[crisco10]

What a nite. Remember the abuse Bory got vividly. Merceron was a great kicking out half, remember being in awe of him.

[cormac]

David Quinlan.....what a smashing player he was.

In another era and maybe a bit luckier with injuries, could have been a big name in the european game at any rate

Ahem.....just don't mention THAT Edinburgh game at the 'brook!

That was immediately what I thought of.

For those of you who don't remember, click here for the match report, for those of you that do remember, you probably won't click on it for obvious reasons.

Was in the 22 where we conceded those late points. The last try come off a blatant forward pass and it was the touch judge that Quinlan called a "blind c***".

[Donny B.]

Nightmarish stuff. Aidan Kearney, God the man mountain. Saw him last week. He's only same age as BOD. I wouldn't let him play J2.

He was in the Ho Sho tonight actually.

[BlueBlue]

Anyone know what the official crowd was that night? I was still in school at the time but remember Leinster had that policy that schoolkids could go in for free with their parents. We had no tickets so stood outside DBrook asking men could we be their sons for the turnstyle. Probably a group of 8 and most people obliged. But there was nowhere to see the game. Stood on the Wesley end gates.

Great times

Seems like I'm a lot older than most posters on here as I was well into my professional career after leaving college when this games was on. The official attendance was 7.5 or 8k, but it was probably closer to 10k. Which is an awful lot of people in Donnybrook which I think had an official fire marshal approved capacity of 7.5k

While on the subject of attendances back then, full house attendances were often reported at 3 or 3.5k, when the ground was full. I dont know the resaon for this but attendances were always higher than official numbers. I remember games against Munster, Ulster, Leicester. Toulouse and Stade that were all packed to the rafters. Sometimes I smile when Fans, media and even players talk about 300 spectators at a game. At one Guinness inter-pro I can remember that, although I paid into the stand I got no seat, having to sit on the steps with other punters who, like me were a little late. All the aisles were full, it was well beyond safe. The only inter-pro I remember not being full was the connacht games, but you were still talking 2 or 3k. I know others on here are going to call that BS, but THATS HOW i REMEMBER IT. oH YEAH, THE SUMMERS WERE ALWAYS HOTTER TOO...

[BlueBlue]

The home game in Donnybrook was where I got hooked on Leinster. One moment sticks out clearly in my mind, the Monferrant 2nd row (Brouzet I think) had the ball and was charging the line from 5 mtrs out with only a small outside center in his way. But that outside center not only stopped him in his tracks but drove him back another 5 mtrs. It was then you really got a sense of a) that this was a serious team in a serious competition and b) how great a warrior BOD was. Plus I was sitting beside Hugo in the stand.

Be Warned: I have a vision of that happening in my minds eye. If for any reason, I got that wrong or have been economical with my memory, I don't want to know. I'm happy with my memory as it is

[BlueBlue]

David Quinlan.....what a smashing player he was.

In another era and maybe a bit luckier with injuries, could have been a big name in the european game at any rate

Ahem.....just don't mention THAT Edinburgh game at the 'brook!

That was immediately what I thought of.

For those of you who don't remember, click here for the match report, for those of you that do remember, you probably won't click on it for obvious reasons.

WHAT THE FECK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE ? You're all Irish aren’t you, an Irish person says something about a good thing that happened and you look around all the other Irish faces in the group and you can see the mind turning over, who'll be the first to bring it down again, who'll be the first to remember something shite ! Just take a deep breath and remember something good for a second or two.

[ceemec]

Nightmarish stuff. Aidan Kearney, God the man mountain. Saw him last week. He's only same age as BOD. I wouldn't let him play J2.

He was in the Ho Sho tonight actually.

I'd say you couldn't miss him!