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Tue 21 May 2013 | 07:56
Toulon victorious over Clermont in 2013 Heineken Cup Final

18
Comments

Following Toulon's victory over Clermont in the Heineken Cup Final, scorer of the decisive try, Delon Armitage, has admitted that his show-boating was uncalled for. Today we look at the highlights, and have the full match replay for those who missed it.

Clermont scored two tries and looked to be in control before fullback Armitage gratefully snatched a chance down the left wing after a turnover steal by Juan Martin Fernandez-Lobbe.

Jonny Wilkinson kicked three penalties and the conversion as Toulon came back from 15-6 down to take the win. Wilkinson didn't miss a kick in the final, semi final, and quarter finals, totalling 56 points in the three matches. He has since been named European Player of the Year 2013.

"To receive an award of this importance towards the end of my career is really special. I feel privileged to have been nominated," said Wilkinson upon receiving the award.

The other contenders were Julien Bonnaire, Wesley Fofana, Jamie Heaslip, and Sitiveni Sivivatu.

Backs coach Alex King has said that Lions coach Warren Gatland should 'take him tomorrow'. "He is a match-winner. You've seen that today. You've seen it through his whole career. If the Lions want to win the series you've got to have players like that in the squad," said King of Wilkinson.

Tryscorer Armitage, who waved cheekily to Brock James, admitted it wasn't a smart thing to do. "It was stupid celebrating before, but I was just so happy to score in a Heineken Cup final.

"It was a dream come true. I knew straight away that I was going to score. There was no one in front," he said, before reflecting on the achievement and his move to France.

"Coming to Toulon, you do have doubts in your mind, wondering if you have done the right thing, leaving London Irish, not being able to play for England, but to win the Heineken Cup in my first season has got to rank right at the top in terms of achievements," said the 29-year-old.

Below are quick highlights from the match. You can view the full match replay here

Posted By: Grant Constable

18 Comments

  • balvincriffa
    9:04 AM 11/06/2013

    Hey RugbyDump moderators. Could you upload the video sky did before this game with Jonny Wilkinson, where he gave a small insight on what it would be like in the dressing room, and what last words he would give. Thanks

  • iamaroman
    12:20 AM 28/05/2013

    Thought I'd share this interesting Bakkies Botha quote from lerugbynistere.fr...

    "...Cudmore approaches Nick Kennedy a told him 'It's your first final? You don't look calm. But you've got reason not to, as I'm going to show you what French Rugby is'. Me and Andy Sheridan exploded of laughter and Parra turned around and looked at us. It was crazy. The guy was staring at us. He was wondering what was going on in our heads. Cudmore thinks the whole world is scarred of him, but who is scarred of him? Every time we met in a ruck he would lie on me, forced his elbow on my neck and said 'you like that Bakkies?' and I would reply 'I love you Jamie but I also love the score. Look up and see, you're losing man'."

    This was translated from French back to English, if anyone can find the original quote or any footage please share.

  • 4lc4tr4z
    8:56 AM 26/05/2013

    Same as for Wilkinson fate in England... That's why the white shirt won't never win anything again.

  • drg
    11:28 AM 23/05/2013

    Same reason everyone hates on every other cheap shotting player in the game.. He's a cock...

  • drg
    11:58 AM 22/05/2013

    Tuilagi = TuilaNgi ..

  • stroudos
    12:17 AM 22/05/2013

    I'm not going to condone bad sportsmanship but from the way Armitage's indiscretion was written up in the press you'd think he'd flipped Brock James the finger and then pissed on his mum's shoes. I was almost disappointed when I saw this. Not pleasant, but a storm in a teacup. Nice to see he's actually shown some humility after the event too.

    He's basically a footballer with a gumshield, that's all it is.

  • reality
    10:41 PM 21/05/2013

    It's a shame that everyone is talking about Armitage's unsporting behaviour and not the match itself. I thought being a bad sportsman was the reserve of children and teenagers, not grown men.

  • eddie-g
    9:55 PM 21/05/2013

    That was a heck of a game, fair play to both sides, either of which would have been deserving winners.

    The showboating is tedious though, every time I see it I hope the idiot concerned fumbles the ball or gets tackled before he scores. There's always a couple every season.

  • merja
    8:51 PM 21/05/2013

    Why do the commentators always say NalaNga ? It is written Nalaga, I don't get where that second "n" comes from

  • connachtman
    4:18 PM 21/05/2013

    As a Connacht fan I agree that the HCup system is flawed ( yes Connacht get into the H Cup on the coat tails of Leinster etc) , would hate to see no more 1st rate rugby @ the Sportsground ( which I hope is renamed Elwood Park!)

  • 4:08 PM 21/05/2013

    Great game, lobbe was the mom in my opinion, all over the park, created toulon's try.

  • darabman
    4:07 PM 21/05/2013

    It was a very psychological game of rugby.

    Obviously Toulon are the underdogs, but they've got such experience that all they needed to do was stay focussed and not flap. They held on in the first half and they kept strivign on in the second.
    Clermont have got flair, but they can be shaken pretty easily. They nearly bought it when Munster staged a fightback in the semis, and when they realised they weren't screaming ahead despite the work rate, it started to fall apart.

    Amazing game, it's a testament to the sport.

  • 3:55 PM 21/05/2013

    You have to go back to 06-07 season when an Premiership team last won the Heineken Cup.

  • woodenman
    2:29 PM 21/05/2013

    Couldn't agree more with you about the standard of the final (and of the knockout stages as a whole) though hate to say it but is is teams like Connacht and, to more of an extent, the Italian teams that are the reason the French and English clubs might scupper it. Too many one sided pool games and too many non-competitive sides in the competition from the Rabo-Pro Direct 12 (5 of the 6 bottom placed clubs in the pool were from the Pro 12).

  • colombes
    2:16 PM 21/05/2013

    Was an epic game, isn't it?
    Full highlights, espiacially the last 40 minutes gives more an idea of the intensity

    I'm not necessarly a big fan of Toulon but it would be unfair to say they are undeserved winners.
    Ok they didn't show a lot of rugby, ok their try was quite lucky, but their defence was something else... Guys like Wilko, Fernandez-Lobbe and Bastareaud were just immense.
    Their solidarity and their celebrations just prove they were and are much more than the bunch of mercenaries described by some medias. Whatever u dislike Boudjellal excentricity, he achieved to revive the Toulon madness of the 80-90's.
    No mention on Armitage, the guy doesn't even deserve to be mentionned.

    On Clermont, much can be said. Really sad for them, but they achieved to lose despite to lead and dominate the game. They were maybe a bit too optismistic after their 2nd try, and should have played more cynically, rather to take some risks with Sivivatu and Fofana... Their ambition killed them in a certain way.
    I'm sure they'll be back next year. They lost 10 finals before to win the Top14, let's hope they will less wait for the Heineken Cup.

  • connachtman
    1:36 PM 21/05/2013

    As a neutral I must admit was the best game of rugby I have seen all year, had me on the edge of my pub seat! The Heineken Cup is such as epic tournament, to get to the final from the pools is so hard, well done to Clermont & Toulon for showing how rugby should be played, Dublin did the tourney proud ( and the Amlin Final) I hope the Heineken Cup sontinues and the French /English clubs dont scupper it!!!!

  • upthelowend
    12:55 PM 21/05/2013

    Armitage deserves a slap for that! Such an un-endearing player.

  • guy
    12:44 PM 21/05/2013

    I'm happy for Jonny; his price cabinet has been way too empty for way too long for a player and human being of his calibre.

    Real class shown by Armitage: taunting an opponent before scoring a try, that being a try for which he has had to do absolutely nothing, just run it in.

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