Best HC Moments

See Telegraph doping a poll on the top 10 HC moments - see link for clips -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/club/9598943/Top-10-Heineken-Cup-moments.html

Stringer try in HC final v Biarritz

The Miracle Match - Munster 27 point 4 try win over Gloucester

Rob Howley's try Wasps v Toulouse

Trevor Leota's try v Munster

Brian O'Driscoll's try v Toulouse

Ronan O'Gara's drop-goal v Northampton

The Hand of Back

Jonny Sexton v Northampton

Cardiff v Leicester penalty shoot-out

Leon Lloyd's try v Stade Francais


Lot depends on who you support I suppose but for a Leinster fan, the 27 point second half comeback against Northampton is up there.
Anybody got any other suggestions

Agree with most of those - probably the Munster v Glouc miracle match sticks out more for me as it was the game that got me into NH rugby more than anything!

Humphreys try against Stade at Ravenhill in 1999 is probably my favourite rugby memory of any kind- on a personal level, I doubt it will ever be topped.

8 out of the Top 10 moments involved Irish teams (take note anyone thinking of organising an entertaining successor to the HCup!).

When I saw this title I instantly thought;
- Munster beating Gloucester to get out of that group.
- Denis Hickie scoring that try away to Toulouse in a series of play that went from one end of the field to the other... and back again... and involved Hickie putting on the burners passing the ball inside and then getting it back again for one last blast down the line to the corner flag for the try.
- Leinster's second half against Northampton in the final.

So 2 out of my 3 instant memories is pretty good going. I also remember a Leinster home group game against Wasps where BOD was getting sick on the field yet Leinster still put 40+ points on the board. Back then it was one of the few times Leinster properly clicked into gear and they were amazing.

If this was Facebook Notch there wouldn't be enough Like buttons for your comment. I was on that side of the ground with my dad and a good friend of mine and we went buck daft when that he scored. It was a lunatic move when you look at it, there was no space down the blind side and Ulster had no right to score from there. Awesome

Leon Lloyd's second try against stade will stay with me forever. though Tim Stimpson's conversion was just as important - putting us 4pts clear.


The one for me, not on that list was 20th January 2007.

thebandwagonsociety wrote:8 out of the Top 10 moments involved Irish teams (take note anyone thinking of organising an entertaining successor to the HCup!).

If I can count correctly only 7/10 feature Irish clubs, though 8/10 feature English

2002
Semi final
Tim Stimpson's 60-metre injury-time penalty earning Leicester a 13-12 victory against Llanelli in the semi-final of the 2002 Heineken Cup....unbelievable !!

Final
"The hand of back"
With two minutes left and six points separating the sides, Munster faced a massive attacking scrum five metres from the line the leicester openside does the cheeky during the put in and wins the ball against the head from the back row !...leicester are crowned champions

Edinburgh coming back from being 24 points down against Racing Metro last season.
A crazy game full of running rugby, 11 tries scored and finishing 48-47 to Edinburgh

Hand of back, Tigers beating Munster at Thomand Park, Leinster's miracle come back. Are the three that spring to mind immediately, though the 32 all draw vs Ospreys and that Stimpson kick also feature.

GLove39 wrote:Edinburgh coming back from being 24 points down against Racing Metro last season.
A crazy game full of running rugby, 11 tries scored and finishing 48-47 to Edinburgh

Tell it, preacher! Praise Jeezuss!!

thebandwagonsociety wrote:8 out of the Top 10 moments involved Irish teams (take note anyone thinking of organising an entertaining successor to the HCup!).

When I saw this title I instantly thought;
- Munster beating Gloucester to get out of that group.
- Denis Hickie scoring that try away to Toulouse in a series of play that went from one end of the field to the other... and back again... and involved Hickie putting on the burners passing the ball inside and then getting it back again for one last blast down the line to the corner flag for the try.
- Leinster's second half against Northampton in the final.

So 2 out of my 3 instant memories is pretty good going. I also remember a Leinster home group game against Wasps where BOD was getting sick on the field yet Leinster still put 40+ points on the board. Back then it was one of the few times Leinster properly clicked into gear and they were amazing.

You mean 7 for the irish and oh 8 for the English

Toulouse 34 Scarlets 41 - HERE has to be up there and I'm an O's fan

Any list with the 'Hand of Back' as a TOP moment in HEC cup history automatically invalidates itself. Cheating, scum sucking mollusc

Nick Evans match winning drop goal against Staid Francais, nail biting does not do it justice! What was it, something like 20+ phases in extra time leading up to that dg? I couldn't watch in the end!

Mike Brown's second half try away at Toulouse; we'd taken the lead early against them and they were slowly working their way back into the game, me and just about everyone else watching had a sinking feeling that Quins were flagging, and then Easter and Brown combine to score the most sexual try of our tournament with an offload that alluded the cameramen, the players on the pitch and every fan watching. Crazed scenes of dancing occur.

PenfroPete wrote:Toulouse 34 Scarlets 41 - HERE has to be up there and I'm an O's fan

Any list with the 'Hand of Back' as a TOP moment in HEC cup history automatically invalidates itself. Cheating, scum sucking mollusc

While I agree that including it in this list was wrong, this reaction always bemuses me. Rugby players are cheating all the time yet apparently this is the worst thing ever.

Oh and don't get me started on people who think Alan Quinlan was a lovable rogue when he did it, yet want Back to be lynched.

I'm not saying "this is the worse thing ever". I'm saying it has NO place in a list of top HEC moments and that Neil Back, for all his 'virtues' was a cheat

Yes he was. Sadly I reckon the same thing can be said about every pro player

I think one of my favorite moments was David Humphreys doing the sneaky I'm going to go for the posts, take the scrumcap off then run and score in the corner trick. Loved that lol

National Stadium, Cardiff - 1997
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff - 2006
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff - 2008
Murrayfield, Edinburgh - 2009
Stade de France, Paris - 2010
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff - 2011
Tw@tenham Stadium. London, 2012

New Lansdowne Road, Dublin - 2013 ???? You better believe it

PenfroPete wrote:National Stadium, Cardiff - 1997
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff - 2006
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff - 2008
Murrayfield, Edinburgh - 2009
Stade de France, Paris - 2010
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff - 2011

New Lansdowne Road, Dublin - 2013 ???? You better believe it

I don't know if the penalty shoot out between the Blues and Tigers is a "best" moment. Historic, but awful to watch if you were supporting either side.

MrsP wrote:

PenfroPete wrote:National Stadium, Cardiff - 1997
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff - 2006
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff - 2008
Murrayfield, Edinburgh - 2009
Stade de France, Paris - 2010
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff - 2011

New Lansdowne Road, Dublin - 2013 ???? You better believe it

Ah Bollix - late at night for me

Just Wasps winning it in 2004 when no one gave us a chance. And at Twickenham with plenty of Munster fans supporting Toulouse.



That was an awesome run to get there too. Eviscerating Perpignan in the 'bear pit' to get out of the Pool. Then really sticking it to Glaws in the qf. Plus beating Munster (5 tries to 2) in Dublin.

The whole thing was unreal.

Northampton beating Munster 9-8 in the final in 2000. O'Gara managed to miss four kicks out of four whilst Paul Grayson was hero of the day at Twickenham when he landed his third penalty in the 60th minute and they held out Munster for the rest of the match as O'Gara missed his last minute penalty.

Hound_of_Harrow wrote:Just Wasps winning it in 2004 when no one gave us a chance. And at Twickenham with plenty of Munster fans supporting Toulouse.



That was an awesome run to get there too. Eviscerating Perpignan in the 'bear pit' to get out of the Pool. Then really sticking it to Glaws in the qf. Plus beating Munster (5 tries to 2) in Dublin.

The whole thing was unreal.

+1
Had the pleasure of being in Perpignan for that ferocious game but...
The Munster match @ Lansdowne Road was legendary lead changing hands so many times & BigTrev yes 'BigTrev' going over with 3 mins to go!

Next up Twickers & glory - happy days.

Agree with whats already been mentioned and would add:

Munster v Sale 2006(?)- Chabal getting mauled by the entire Munster pack from kick off.

Leinster v Toulouse 2011 - best club game I've ever seen.

nathan wrote:

thebandwagonsociety wrote:8 out of the Top 10 moments involved Irish teams (take note anyone thinking of organising an entertaining successor to the HCup!).

When I saw this title I instantly thought;
- Munster beating Gloucester to get out of that group.
- Denis Hickie scoring that try away to Toulouse in a series of play that went from one end of the field to the other... and back again... and involved Hickie putting on the burners passing the ball inside and then getting it back again for one last blast down the line to the corner flag for the try.
- Leinster's second half against Northampton in the final.

So 2 out of my 3 instant memories is pretty good going. I also remember a Leinster home group game against Wasps where BOD was getting sick on the field yet Leinster still put 40+ points on the board. Back then it was one of the few times Leinster properly clicked into gear and they were amazing.

You mean 7 for the irish and oh 8 for the English

Ah band... You are mixing up 2 games there. Bod boked his ring up on the pitch in Lansdowne in the 06/07 season v Agen AND SCORED A HAT TRICK. I remember thinking "Jaysus how many would he have scored if he had been in the whole of his health"

The 41 points V Wasps was 2 seasons later in the RDS where the lord our Bod did this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5UGFTLJ6-Y
right in front of my seat in the GS. "It's mesmeric"

The kick over Staunton was about 10 yards in front of me. He "only" got 2 tries that day

Nick Evans, dropped goal against Stade Francais and the full 30 phases leading up to in extra time

yappysnap wrote:Nick Evans match winning drop goal against Staid Francais, nail biting does not do it justice! What was it, something like 20+ phases in extra time leading up to that dg? I couldn't watch in the end!

Mike Brown's second half try away at Toulouse; we'd taken the lead early against them and they were slowly working their way back into the game, me and just about everyone else watching had a sinking feeling that Quins were flagging, and then Easter and Brown combine to score the most sexual try of our tournament with an offload that alluded the cameramen, the players on the pitch and every fan watching. Crazed scenes of dancing occur.

30 phases mate, hope to see
Some of that control and calmness this season. Nev's 2 dummy DG and breaks were pretty sexual.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3StR2BNTGI

rodders wrote:Agree with whats already been mentioned and would add:

Munster v Sale 2006(?)- Chabal getting mauled by the entire Munster pack from kick off.

Leinster v Toulouse 2011 - best club game I've ever seen.

Munster was Jan 06. Cracker. Built up as Sale to take the group and Munster's unbeaten HC record in Thomond. I remember it as Munster took the kickoff, and ran up after it and creased Sale (& Chabal, who was in his prime) straight away. Didn't take their feet of Sale's throat until probably after they got out of the showers.

Had a seat on halfway for the Toulouse game. There were 16 of us and we were directly behind the main bulk of the Toulouse support. You could not have got a fag paper between the teams at halftime. Must have been one of the best games ever for a neutral. Great day.

O'Driscoll's intercept try against Munster in the 09 semi. Munster were champions and overwhelming favourites. Not many gave Leinster a chance. Leinster outplayed them from the start and O'Driscoll sealed a comprehensive win. And it was the moment we finally stepped out from Munsters shadow to go on to match and then surpass their achievements.

- Denis Hickie scoring that try away to Toulouse in a series of play that went from one end of the field to the other... and back again... and involved Hickie putting on the burners passing the ball inside and then getting it back again for one last blast down the line to the corner flag for the try.


That was in one of the best games I've ever watched.

Ulster hammering Leicester at ravenhill last season for me, being is the crowd was superb... What an atmosphere

ChequeredJersey wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3StR2BNTGI

That still gives me goosebumps watching it. Can not believe that second Nick Evans break I really thought he was going to go all the way.

My “favourite” memories are going to be all Leinster memories but if I never watched another game of live rugby in my life these would be the moments that will stick with me forever.

Games:
Leinster v Munster 2009 SF – nobody gave us a chance, the media wrote some shocking things about us, but we defied belief and were born that day.
Leinster v Leicester 2009 Final – Rocky Elsom had one of the best individual displays I’ve ever seen that day
Leinster v Clermont 2010 QF – Brock James missed about 5 kicks and we only won by 1 point but the atmosphere in this one was hard to top
Leinster v Toulouse 2011 SF – in terms of the quality of rugby played by both sides, it’s the best game I’ve ever seen
Leinster v Northampton 2011 – the comeback
Leinster v Clermont 2012 SF – nerves were shot to bits, great game, great finish, great result!

Moments/Tries
O’Driscolls try v Brive 2010 – Shaggy’s outrageous offload sends BOD Into the corner for the BP try, right in front of my eyes
O’Driscolls try v Cardiff 2012 – easily the best first phase try I’ve ever seen live
Nacewas try v Leicester 2011 – one of the best individual tries I’ve ever seen live
Healys charge against Toulouse – serious carry from the prop, had the entire ground on its feet
Hickie v Toulouse 2006 QF – nuff said


I could list 20 more, but I’ve got to do some work today…

I hate that god damn semi final shoot out memory, Tom James scored the try that gave us the chance to go to extra time and then cost us the shoot out! I'm still adament Shanklin should have taken his kick before James.

But still, i'm surprised his (James') try hasn't been mentioned considering the timing of it and the importance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpMNiIlTEMk

Brings back memories, great try, but also brings back the gut wrenching penalty shoot out...

Thanks GC - forgot about that try. Superb! Hard to believe that's the same guy who's been so poor recently. It would be awesome if the Blues could get back to that...

Yeah so true - but in that clip there was an inform Rush, Blair and LuaLua and I think that, and Gethin Jenkins is all thats missing from the Blues at the minute - but they are the key ingredients.

Cari wrote:Thanks GC - forgot about that try. Superb! Hard to believe that's the same guy who's been so poor recently. It would be awesome if the Blues could get back to that...

To be far to TJ, he's had a good start to the season from the games i've been to, the Edinburgh one where he made key mistakes was a bad day for him. We just need to get support runners around him because when he's has the ball he's always looking for gaps and tends to beat the first man, just we're never close enough to get a pass and he tends to force one when it's not on.

Smirnoffpriest wrote:Yeah so true - but in that clip there was an inform Rush, Blair and LuaLua and I think that, and Gethin Jenkins is all thats missing from the Blues at the minute - but they are the key ingredients.

No Casey at the blues during that year, midfield was Shanks and Roberts but i get your point. Maybe Gethin should come back to the blues seeing as he's bench warming at Toulon

gcBlues wrote:I hate that god damn semi final shoot out memory, Tom James scored the try that gave us the chance to go to extra time and then cost us the shoot out! I'm still adament Shanklin should have taken his kick before James.

But still, i'm surprised his (James') try hasn't been mentioned considering the timing of it and the importance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpMNiIlTEMk

In the end the try was in vain. Blues should still be kicking themselves that it took 70 minutes before they started playing.

Maybe so but it's still should be regarded as one of the best tries in the HEC, it's significance is there regardless of the result

What's even more surprising that there was 30 minutes extra time and no points and, from what i remember, very few penalties.

This is one of my fave tries from the HC (it's only a pool match, but still class).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_whAZDYwqJY

...and this one for its drama...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6GcpgTzX4Q&feature=related

You can probably add ROG's 2 last minute DGs in last year's group stages against Castres and Northampton. Espeically the one against Northampton after going through 40 phases.