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³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ BLOGS - Bryn Palmer

Leinster redefine Euro boundaries after third Heineken Cup triumph

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Bryn Palmer | 21:42 UK time, Saturday, 19 May 2012

So are Leinster now the greatest Heineken Cup team of all time?

It may have a been a hot topic among the blue hordes trooping deliriously out of Twickenham, after seeing their heroes win an unprecedented third European title in four years.

But it wasn't a question occupying the minds of the players who had just delivered a record-breaking margin of victory in the final of rugby's most passionately charged club competition.

No doubt when they reflect on their season's work a week on Monday, and start to contemplate what next year might hold, they might be persuaded to indulge in a little fantasy.

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Twickenham poised for all-Irish final

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Bryn Palmer | 19:39 UK time, Thursday, 17 May 2012

Saturday's Heineken Cup final at Twickenham will be a celebration of Irish rugby, the first denouement between two sides from the country in 17 years of the tournament.

Leinster, aiming for a third title in four years to join Toulouse as the only other team to have won it more than twice, start favourites against Ulster, who triumphed back in 1999.

³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Sport has taken the opinions of two former Ireland captains - Phillip Matthews (38 caps from 1984 to 1991 and an ex-Ulster flanker) and Keith Wood (58 caps from 1994 to 2003 and a Heineken Cup finalist with Munster in 2000) - for some insight into Saturday's proceedings.

Two former winners from the two provinces - Ulster's 1999-winning full-back Bryn Cunningham and Leinster lock Malcolm O'Kelly, who played in their 2009 triumph, also weigh in with their thoughts.

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The best of the 2012 Six Nations and team of the tournament

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Bryn Palmer | 07:02 UK time, Tuesday, 20 March 2012

So, another Six Nations is done and dusted, one of the best since Five became Six in 2000.

A third Grand Slam in eight years for Wales. Plaudits for runners-up England. Misgivings over Ireland and France, a win for Italy and a third Wooden Spoon in nine years for Scotland.

Time for a few awards, and a team of the tournament.

I canvassed the views of the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳’s main television analysts – former Wales fly-half Jonathan Davies (JD), ex-England centre Jeremy Guscott (JG), former Scotland scrum-half Andy Nicol (AN) and ex-Ireland hooker Keith Wood (KW) – for their highlights, and asked them for a mark out of 10 for their respective home nations, as well as their composite teams.

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