Mon 30 Apr 2012 | 04:15
Darren Cave & Johan Muller hits plus highlights of first Heineken Cup semi final

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Springbok Ruan Pienaar put in a flawless kicking display as Ulster beat Edinburgh 22-19 in the first of the Heineken Cup semi finals on Saturday. Today we've got quick highlights from the game, as well as two of the biggest hits.

A controversial first half try from South African Pedrie Wannenburg gave the Ulstermen an early lead before the game turned into a kicking dual between Pienaar and Edinburgh's Greig Laidlaw.

Both were outstanding, but it was Pienaar who took all his opportunities, stretching Ulster's lead in the second half. He was humble in victory, choosing to pay tribute to his forwards and make the point that despite the celebrations after the game, there is still a lot that can be worked on.

"The scrum went brilliantly, and the line-outs, but it was disappointing that we didn't get a lot of opportunities in the first half as we were defending most of the time," Pienaar said.

"It wasn't our best performance, we'll have to improve, but we'll take the victory and know that we'll need to work hard over the next couple of weeks," he added.

Two of the biggest hits from this game are included here in one video. First it's Darren Cave's massive tackle on Jim Thompson, and then Johan Muller's midfield hit on Matt Scott.

We've also got quick highlights from the match, including both tries, some of Pienaar's impressive kicks, and the Stefan Terblanche yellow card for smacking Ross Ford around the ears.

The videos are presented as a playlist below, hits first, then the highlights. Use the video controls to navigate, or just push play once and watch both enjoyable videos.

12 Comments

  • pretzel
    7:06 PM 01/05/2012

    Lol, an orange card? What does that one signify? 15 minute sit down?

    I too thought that card was quite harsh, there was not much in that, just a bit of rough housing, however it was reported as a punch wasn't it? So in that sense I am glad it was JUST a yellow and not another pathetic punch=red...

  • terminan
    6:43 PM 01/05/2012

    there are so many things wrong with this post but here goes for starters:

    1. why is your allegiance to wasps (notice how I'm not taking the easy kill of referring to wasp) relevant to the fact of your being gutted that both these teams lost (is there some kind of reciprocal thing between wasps and other losing rugby teams)?

    2. Ulster have already beaten Clermont this season at home and got a bonus point away so let's not pretend that the result would have been a foregone conclusion shall we?

    3. "if wasps had qualified for the heineken" - and if my auntie had b***s she'd be my uncle

  • themull
    4:36 PM 01/05/2012

    Also should be added that Laidlaw is turning into a great player too!

  • grumbo
    11:30 AM 01/05/2012

    i agree with you mostly, i don't think i made my point very well..... my point was that leinster also had players missing whereas ulster2012 implied an under strength ulster faced a full strength leinster which was not the case, plus it was in ravenhill. Ferris is definitely Ireland best 6 but both O'Brien and Darcy had their best games for a while against Clermont i thought. Jennings does usually start, he started in the biggest game of the season only a few days ago.

  • moddeur
    8:58 AM 01/05/2012

    As a partial neutral (because of the Auld Alliance), I thought the Terrblanche yellow card was very harsh. I know you're not supposed to have your hands come into contact with another player's face, and I know that at full speed it looked far worse than it really was, but if that is a yellow then Cullen in the semi against Clermont (punched a player) should have received an orange card.
    I love Edinburgh's insistance of passing the ball around, but like Scotland's national team, they never do small chips over the defence, they never vary their attacks, so in the end they just end up tired and frustrated. It's a pity! Ulster look powerful, but I think Leinster is a tad stronger.

  • paimoe
    4:37 AM 01/05/2012

    Great game

  • reality
    1:18 AM 01/05/2012

    I'm more inclined to agree with ulster 2012 here. Afoa, Best, Henry and Ferris are absolutely vital to Ulster's cause. And Ulster without Ferris is very different to Ulster with Ferris. But Leinster's losses were a lot less important in my opinion. Nacewa and Heaslip were big losses ok, but Jennings doesn't even start usually, and Darcy is just too crap for words; they were better off without him.

    And I think O'Brien is definitely not the player he was last year. He's been fairly ineffective this year. He doesn't get over the gain-line like he used to, and he gives away far too many silly penalties. I think Ferris has that battle won, assuming he plays to his potential.

    Although even if Ferris wins that battle, Leinster will probably win all the other battles, and therefore win the match. But who knows?

  • 12:45 AM 01/05/2012

    Felt bad for Edinburgh, but they are their own worst enemies, blair was brilliant. Ulster try was bs.

  • themull
    12:22 AM 01/05/2012

    Last year Leinster were supposed to stroll through NH too and look how that turned out...

    I would be very surprised if this was anything but a very close final...Ulster's defense is immense, as is Leinsters, and the missing guys coming back into the fold for Ulster it will only get better...

    On another note, Stephen Ferris is an absolute warrior..The guy has been playing on a banjaxed knee since before the Lions tour basically and he still performs up there with the very best backrows in the world..He is the best defensive backrow in the world imo...

  • grumbo
    10:57 PM 30/04/2012

    yes but Leinster were without Nacewa, Heaslip, Darcy and Jennings. granted leinsters squad can cope better but add on top of that it is now in a neutral venue so should be close, can't wait! really looking forward to the clash of O'Brien and Ferris, collisions between those two will measure on the Richter scale.

  • 6:57 PM 30/04/2012

    As a wasp fan i am gutted that both Clermont and Edinburgh lost, especially Clermont who came so close, and like Leinster will (and would have) blow away Ulster in the final.
    If wasps had qualified for the heineken then a buyer would have been a given!

  • tullowtank
    6:35 PM 30/04/2012

    Fair play to ulster, they're a quality side and deserving of their place in the final. In another year or two I could see them winning it but this Leinster team is too experienced and much better from 1-23 that I don't see them having too much hope. Delighted for them and for Connaught who will again be in the H Cup now that there's a guaranteed Irish winner! Have to wonder again if this competition is just perfectly suited to the Irish provinces because they can't stop winning it recently! Pity the national team can't replicate it!