Sport

Gerry Thornley's Team Of The Heineken Cup

15 Isa Nacewa (Leinster) Classily consistent, with try of the tournament in the quarters, two try-saving tackles in semi-final…

Tue May 24 2011 - 01:00

15 Isa Nacewa (Leinster)Classily consistent, with try of the tournament in the quarters, two try-saving tackles in semi-final and critical catch, good carries and huge recovering hit from 360-degree turn and standing start on Chris Ashton in final.

14 Shane Horgan

(Leinster)

Wonderfully athletic in air for reverse restarts and cross kicks, scarcely put a foot wrong throughout, rose another level when Heineken Cup rolled around and epitomised Leinster big-game composure.

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13 Brian O’Driscoll

(Leinster)

Match-clinching try against Toulouse in semi, immense presence and influence, even after playing through pain barrier in first half of final, to dredge up near vintage 20 or 30 minutes as a catalyst for comeback.

12 Clement Poitrenaud

(Toulouse)

Question marks about his defence and omitted from French World Cup squad by Marc Lievremont (hmmm?) but his pace and elusive running elbowed out Yannick Jauzion and gave Toulouse a different spark.

11 Alessana Tuilagi

(Leicester)

Four tries in seven games and a constant menace, was only denied by a whisker of potentially match-turning try in the quarters by Seán O’Brien after bouncing O’Driscoll.

10 Jonathan Sexton

(Leinster)

Set the tone in round two with all 25 points in win over Saracens, finished it with 28 as match-winner extraordinaire in final, accumulating 138 points in nine games, including five tries.

9 Dimitri Yachvili

(Biarritz)

Missed touchline conversion to beat Toulouse in quarters, and then saw kick charged down for decisive try, but master puppeteer had almost single-handedly brought Biarritz to within touching distance of the semis.

I Soane S Tongauiha

(Northampton)

The 22 stone Tongan was a wrecking ball in unbeaten run to final, destroying BJ Botha, Nicolas Mas and, for a half, Mike Ross as well as repeatedly bulldozing through tacklers.

2 Richardt Strauss

(Leinster)

Excellent in all nine games, and man of the match in quarter. Accurate darts and dynamic in loose, where his tackle turnovers, support play and pace make him a fourth backrower.

3 Mike Ross

(Leinster)

Recall Leinster’s two semi-finals against Toulouse and, save for Sexton’s fitness, the biggest difference was Ross in the scrums. Add the final turnaround and Leinster simply wouldn’t have won Cup without him.

4 Nathan Hines

(Leinster)

Perhaps no signing epitomises the Michael Cheika legacy than the Scot from Wagga Wagga. Fierce contributor close in, excellent counter-rucking and offloading skills as he put horror first-half behind him in final. Will be missed.

5 Courtney Lawes

(Northampton)

One of the real great hopes for English rugby and has looked the real deal for two years. Excellent lineout skills and though not yet a great carrier, his monster hits were a feature of the tournament.

6 Seán O’Brien

(Leinster)

Three man-of-the-match awards – in each of the three backrow positions – and four tries, his carries led from the front in pool stages and rose to the occasion with awesome second half in final.

7 Thierry Dusautoir

(Toulouse)

As perhaps the best tackler in the tournament, he chipped in with four tries, and Leinster were grateful that injury limited him to second-half cameo in semi-finals.

8 Jamie Heaslip

(Leinster)

An up and down season for Heaslip, who missed rounds five and six after playing brilliantly through pain barrier in both Clermont games, before man-of-the-match display in semi and profoundly influential second half in final.