LONDON (Reuters) – Leinster racked up the records by thrashing Ulster 42-14 at Twickenham on Saturday to win the Heineken Cup for the third time in four years as the first all-Irish final turned into a celebration for Europe’s most dominant side.

Their five tries was a final record and the victory was the highest score and biggest winning margin in the competition’s 17-year history, all watched by a Heineken Cup record crowd of 81,774.

First-half tries by Sean O’Brien and Cian Healy – after an inspired pass by Brian O’Driscoll – put the holders 14-6 ahead at the break and a penalty try stretched the lead.

Replacements Heinke Van der Merwe and Sean Cronin put the icing on the cake with late tries to spark wild scenes in the temporarily Irish corner of south-west London.

Leinster’s victory made them the first team to go through a Heineken Cup campaign unbeaten and with three titles they move second behind Toulouse (four) in the roll of honour of Europe’s elite club competition.

“After we won one we talked about not being content and trying to create some sort of dynasty and we are going in the direction for that,” O’Driscoll told Sky Sports. “I know this team and they will be hungry for more.

“We played for each other today and the energy was great from the whole squad. Two replacements coming on and scoring tries says it all.”

LONDON, May 19 (Reuters) – Leinster racked up the records by thrashing Ulster 42-14 at Twickenham on Saturday to win the Heineken Cup for the third time in four years as the first all-Irish final turned into a celebration for Europe’s most dominant side.

Their five tries was a final record and the victory was the highest score and biggest winning margin in the competition’s 17-year history, all watched by a Heineken Cup record crowd of 81,774.

First-half tries by Sean O’Brien and Cian Healy – after an inspired pass by Brian O’Driscoll – put the holders 14-6 ahead at the break and a penalty try stretched the lead.

Replacements Heinke Van der Merwe and Sean Cronin put the icing on the cake with late tries to spark wild scenes in the temporarily Irish corner of south-west London.

Leinster’s victory made them the first team to go through a Heineken Cup campaign unbeaten and with three titles they move second behind Toulouse (four) in the roll of honour of Europe’s elite club competition.

“After we won one we talked about not being content and trying to create some sort of dynasty and we are going in the direction for that,” O’Driscoll told Sky Sports. “I know this team and they will be hungry for more.

“We played for each other today and the energy was great from the whole squad. Two replacements coming on and scoring tries says it all.”

LONDON, May 17 (Reuters) – When long shots Ulster won the 1999 Heineken Cup it was considered something of a one-off in a boycotted year but they now face Leinster in Saturday’s Twickenham final as part of the ultimate manifestation of Irish dominance of the competition.

Holders Leinster are chasing their third title in four years while the first all-Irish final guarantees a fifth Irish success in seven years.

It is all very different from when Ulster beat Colomiers in the final of a 1999 tournament weakened by the absence of English and leading Welsh clubs.

These days the Irish regions – the Republic and Northern Ireland being considered one nation in rugby terms – have taken Europe’s premier club tournament to their hearts and have reaped the rewards in their trophy cabinets.

Munster set the bar high with two wins following two final defeats but their hopes of a third success this year were ended when Ulster stunned them in the quarter-finals with a rare success at Thomond Park.

The northerners then got past Edinburgh in the semis to reach their second final but they start as underdogs against a Leinster side who have again produced some scintillating rugby.

With Brian O’Driscoll back having missed the pool phase, Leinster crushed the Cardiff Blues in the quarter-finals before delivering a superb attacking display to beat Clermont Auvergne in Bordeaux, albeit thanks in the end to the French side having a match-winning try ruled out by the video referee.

LONDON (Reuters) – Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany said he never stopped believing his side could beat Queens Park Rangers and win the Premier League title even when they trailed 2-1 with the match into stoppage time on Sunday.

Goals from Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero in two unforgettable minutes duly secured the astonishing 3-2 home victory to earn City their first league title for 44 years as they pipped Manchester United on goal difference.

“We’ve done it before this season and I never stopped believing,” Kompany told Sky Sports.

“Never, ever, and when Edin scored that goal it just reminded me of a few moments this season when against Tottenham (Hotspur) we scored in the last minute and against Sunderland we came from two down.

“You want to say it’s the personal moment of your life but if I’m honest, please never again this way.

“We’ve been so good this season, especially at home, then all of a sudden today even though our first half was really good we just couldn’t get through.

“It’s not sunk in yet, I don’t know what happened at the end to be honest, it was such a huge mess.”

LONDON, May 13 (Reuters) – Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany said he never stopped believing his side could beat Queens Park Rangers and win the Premier League title even when they trailed 2-1 with the match into stoppage time on Sunday.

Goals from Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero in two unforgettable minutes duly secured the astonishing 3-2 home victory to earn City their first league title for 44 years as they pipped Manchester United on goal difference.

“We’ve done it before this season and I never stopped believing,” Kompany told Sky Sports.

“Never, ever, and when Edin scored that goal it just reminded me of a few moments this season when against Tottenham (Hotspur) we scored in the last minute and against Sunderland we came from two down.

“You want to say it’s the personal moment of your life but if I’m honest, please never again this way.

“We’ve been so good this season, especially at home, then all of a sudden today even though our first half was really good we just couldn’t get through.

“It’s not sunk in yet, I don’t know what happened at the end to be honest, it was such a huge mess.”

LONDON (Reuters) – Chelsea may never quite get over the perceived injustice of their 2009 Champions League semi-final loss to Barcelona but Wednesday’s victory over the Spaniards could go some way to easing the pain.

Didier Drogba put them ahead in the first half at a rain-lashed Stamford Bridge in Wednesday’s semi-final first leg, just had Michael Essien had in the three years ago.

On that occasion Chelsea looked on course for the final and totally dominated the match. They were denied four penalty claims of varying strength but still seemed to have done enough until Andres Iniesta equalised with Barcelona’s only real shot on target in stoppage time to secure a 1-1 draw and send them through on the away goals rule.

It was almost deja-vu on Wednesday as, with the clock deep into injury time and Chelsea 1-0 up and defending the same goal, substitute Pedro Rodriguez curled a precise shot beyond goalkeeper Petr Cech, only for it to rebound off a post.

Sergio Busquests lashed the rebound over the bar to leave the Chelsea fans roaring with relief and delight and the small pocket of visiting supporters, who had gone ballistic at their great escape three years ago, taking on the role of disbelieving head-shakers.

For just as Chelsea would have been worthy winners in 2009 and perfectly placed to go on and make amends for their final defeat by Manchester United on penalties the previous year, Barcelona should have been flying home with one foot in this year’s decider.

Such are the tiny margins of football at the highest level that the width of Cech’s left-hand post – and the crossbar that Alexis Sanchez hit with a first-half lob – could prove the difference.

LONDON (Reuters) – Chelsea may never quite get over the perceived injustice of their 2009 Champions League semi-final loss to Barcelona but Wednesday’s victory over the Spaniards could go some way to easing the pain.

Didier Drogba put them ahead in the first half at a rain-lashed Stamford Bridge in Wednesday’s semi-final first leg, just had Michael Essien had in the three years ago.

On that occasion Chelsea looked on course for the final and totally dominated the match. They were denied four penalty claims of varying strength but still seemed to have done enough until Andres Iniesta equalised with Barcelona’s only real shot on target in stoppage time to secure a 1-1 draw and send them through on the away goals rule.

It was almost deja-vu on Wednesday as, with the clock deep into injury time and Chelsea 1-0 up and defending the same goal, substitute Pedro Rodriguez curled a precise shot beyond goalkeeper Petr Cech, only for it to rebound off a post.

Sergio Busquests lashed the rebound over the bar to leave the Chelsea fans roaring with relief and delight and the small pocket of visiting supporters, who had gone ballistic at their great escape three years ago, taking on the role of disbelieving head-shakers.

For just as Chelsea would have been worthy winners in 2009 and perfectly placed to go on and make amends for their final defeat by Manchester United on penalties the previous year, Barcelona should have been flying home with one foot in this year’s decider.

Such are the tiny margins of football at the highest level that the width of Cech’s left-hand post – and the crossbar that Alexis Sanchez hit with a first-half lob – could prove the difference.

LONDON, April 18 (Reuters) – Chelsea may never quite get over the perceived injustice of their 2009 Champions League semi-final loss to Barcelona but Wednesday’s victory over the Spaniards could go some way to easing the pain.

Didier Drogba put them ahead in the first half at a rain-lashed Stamford Bridge in Wednesday’s semi-final first leg, just had Michael Essien had in the three years ago.

On that occasion Chelsea looked on course for the final and totally dominated the match. They were denied four penalty claims of varying strength but still seemed to have done enough until Andres Iniesta equalised with Barcelona’s only real shot on target in stoppage time to secure a 1-1 draw and send them through on the away goals rule.

It was almost deja-vu on Wednesday as, with the clock deep into injury time and Chelsea 1-0 up and defending the same goal, substitute Pedro Rodriguez curled a precise shot beyond goalkeeper Petr Cech, only for it to rebound off a post.

Sergio Busquests lashed the rebound over the bar to leave the Chelsea fans roaring with relief and delight and the small pocket of visiting supporters, who had gone ballistic at their great escape three years ago, taking on the role of disbelieving head-shakers.

For just as Chelsea would have been worthy winners in 2009 and perfectly placed to go on and make amends for their final defeat by Manchester United on penalties the previous year, Barcelona should have been flying home with one foot in this year’s decider.

Such are the tiny margins of football at the highest level that the width of Cech’s left-hand post – and the crossbar that Alexis Sanchez hit with a first-half lob – could prove the difference.

LONDON, April 14 (Reuters) – The abiding image of Andy Carroll from Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final looked like being him hiding his head in shame after a miss but instead his smiling face will adorn Sunday’s back pages celebrating his winner.

The 35 million pounds ($55.60 million) striker had seemed on course for another savaging on radio phone-in shows after failing to find the target with several opportunities as Liverpool trailed Everton 1-0 in the all-Merseyside Wembley clash.

The unflattering comparisons with Everton’s bargain-buy forward Nikica Jelavic were there for all to see after the Croat continued his terrific run with another smoothly-taken goal to put his team ahead after 24 minutes.

Jelavic cost 5.5 million pounds from Rangers in the January transfer window and has already notched six goals to almost match Carroll’s tally accumulated in 15 stuttering months since he moved to Anfield from Newcastle United for that hair-raising fee.

Carroll started strongly on Saturday, setting up decent chances for Jay Spearing and Martin Skrtel, but was ridiculed long and loud by the Everton fans a minute into the second half when he met a lovely Stewart Downing cross at the far post but powered a point-blank header wide.

Mortified by the miss, he buried his face in his shirt as he trudged back up field but to his immense credit he did not allow the setback to ruin his day and he kept plugging away.

Once Luis Suarez had tucked in Liverpool’s 62nd-minute equaliser Carroll, like all his team mates, found an extra spring in his step and he battled strongly with Everton’s centre backs in a bid to force a way through their well-drilled defence.

LONDON (Reuters) – Even when he was bursting to tell the world he had landed one of the biggest coaching jobs in rugby, Stuart Lancaster spent Wednesday evening with his sleeves rolled up coaching the under-11s at junior club West Park Leeds.

Lancaster, who was confirmed as England’s permanent coach by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) on Thursday, has talked long and loud about reconnecting with rugby’s grass roots but he also walks the walk as he gives up his now very valuable time to cajole and inspire a new generation of players.

So while the great and the good of the world’s biggest and richest union were laying out their suits and preparing their press releases, Lancaster was doing what he loves doing most of all – running round on the pitch with his tracksuit on.

“Everyone was talking about the tour but it wasn’t (England’s June trip to) South Africa it was Scarborough with the under-11s, Lancaster said after being “unveiled” as England’s permanent coach at a news conference at Twickenham.

“I had to keep it to myself but I was thinking about what I would want to see from England as an under-11s coach, as a parent, and there were three things:

“One – A pride in wearing the shirt. Two – A vision for the future and that is to win the World Cup in 2015. Three – Create an environment where this group play without fear, to express themselves on the world stage.

“In eight weeks together we have achieved a huge amount. We recognise there is a huge amount to do but the players have committed to it and we are all excited about the journey.”