Back-handers, bilious attacks, bum notes, blubbering gurus

2008/09 EUROPEAN CUP: John O'Sullivanlooks back at a few of the funny, engrossing and momentous incidents in the European Cup that have involved Irish teams

Sick man of Europe

Leinster v Agen Lansdowne Road, 2006

Brian O'Driscoll scored a hat-trick of tries, but for some the match will be remembered for the Lions, Ireland and Leinster captain getting sick in the middle of the pitch after racing 80 metres for a try.

What people weren't aware of at the time was that O'Driscoll had been bed-ridden before the match with flu and a stomach bug.

Intercepting the ball inside his own 22, he then indulged in a kind of cat-and-mouse race with Agen's mercurial Fijian winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca.

Having slowly made it back to the halfway line, O'Driscoll emptied the contents on the pitch.

He went on to score two further tries, including an injury-time effort that secured the bonus point - remarkable commitment given the circumstances.

The news in brief

Cardiff v Munster Arms Park, 2006

Donncha O'Callaghan's red briefs were the main talking point from this match. Having endured a wardrobe malfunction at a ruck during this Heineken Cup match, a game played in torrential rain, the Munster secondrow threw away his shorts. Being the true professional he headed for a lineout, minus his shorts, and took his place at number two.

French referee Christophe Berdos couldn't hide his smile, but sent O'Callaghan back toward the sideline to get a fresh pair of togs in the interest of decency.

An addendum to this little story is the suggestion that the red briefs (washed) will find their way to the rugby museum at the newly refurbished Thomond Park.

First past the post

Northampton v Munster Twickenham, 2000

This was Munster's first Heineken Cup final and one that would ultimately end in heartbreak. The Irish side lost 9-8 in the cruellest of circumstances despite scoring the only try of the match through David Wallace.

Ronan O'Gara had an opportunity to win the match with a late penalty, but saw it creep the wrong side of an upright. One of the most striking post-match images was the Munster team and replacements standing in a circle in the middle of the pitch listening to the words of Declan Kidney before going to acknowledge their supporters.

Happier days would follow.

A very trying day

Stade Français v Munster Lille, 2001

The Irish province had a genuine grievance in the wake of losing this Heineken Cup semi-final by a single point, 16-15. Munster wing John O'Neill scored a perfectly legitimate try 11 minutes into the second half when his team were losing 16-9.

Chasing a chip from Peter Stringer he held off Christophe Dominici before grounding the ball athletically without touching the corner flag.

English touch judge Steve Lander thought otherwise and in conference with referee Chris White ruled O'Neill had failed to ground the ball in the in-goal area.

White also said there was doubt O'Neill had applied downward pressure. Those were the days when there was no TV match official, a state of affairs that changed as a consequence of this decision.

If at first . . .

Stade Français v Munster Stade Jean Bouin, 2002

It was the second year in succession the two teams met in the knock-out stages, but this time Munster travelled to the Parisian side's backyard.

There are several indelible images and one of the most emotive was that of Declan Kidney searching out his assistant Niall O'Donovan after the final whistle.

The Munster management team finally found each other and embraced, before their emotional resolve disintegrated as tears cascaded down cheeks. It was a powerful image but one that encapsulates the depth of feeling that greeted Munster's amazing 16-14 victory.

Captain Mick Galwey was chaired from the pitch grasping the Munster flag as 3,000 travelling supporters rocked the Paris venue. Anthony Horgan's try was the game's highlight.

Glory of Europe

Ulster v Colomiers Lansdowne Road, 1999

Few present will forget the wonderful atmosphere of the day when Ulster became Irish rugby's first ever European champions.

It didn't matter that there wasn't a try to celebrate in the entire game as Ulster fullback Simon Mason's six penalties and a David Humphreys drop-goal was enough for the Irish province to prevail 21-6.

And it didn't diminish or tarnish the triumph that the English clubs elected not to participate in the tournament.

Ulster beat Toulouse and Stade Français en route to the final and then outclassed Colomiers before a 49,000 crowd.

The province of Ulster decamped to Dublin for an afternoon that culminated in Humphreys hoisting the trophy.

Behind ref's back

Leicester v Munster Millennium Stadium, 2002

It will always be known as the Neil Back final after the Lions and England flanker flicked the ball out of Munster scrumhalf Peter Stringer's hands.

The Tigers were leading 15-9 in the final minutes of the match, but Munster had a scrum in the shadow of the Leicester posts. It had to be reset and with the referee over the other side Back illegally swatted the ball from Stringer's hands before the put-in.

Leicester won possession and cleared the ball. While the media and supporters castigated the player, the Munster players sportingly refused to join in the criticism.

VE Day

Munster v Biarritz Millennium Stadium, 2006

Munster finally embraced the holy grail of European rugby in their third final when beating the French side 23-19. Coach Declan Kidney captured the essence of what the triumph meant: "You had to be in the dressing-room afterwards to realise how much this meant to the players.

"It was all about them and their experience of these occasions. They knew exactly what they need to do to win this game.

"Without a shadow of a doubt it was they who won this cup, but it's not just about them. It's about their parents, their uncles, their next-door neighbours; it's for everybody who follows Munster. If goodwill can ever win a cup then it was this one because there was just so much goodwill given to the team before this final."

Peter Stringer's match-clinching try was the 400th in the 11th season of the Heineken Cup.

No one's fool

Toulouse v Leinster Le Stadium Municipal, 2006

This quarter-final took place on April Fool's Day as Leinster stunned the defending champions 41-35 with a bravura display of running rugby.

Arguably the most interesting compliment paid to the Irish province was the ovation they received from the home supporters on the final whistle.

Leinster ran in four tries through Brian O'Driscoll, Cameron Jowitt, Denis Hickie and Shane Horgan while creator-in-chief Felipe Contepomi chipped in with 21 points from five penalties and three conversions.

It was to prove a hugely disappointing afternoon for Freddie Michalak, who was hounded into several errors.

Toulouse grabbed a couple of late tries that put a flattering look on the scoreboard.

One is not enough

Munster v Toulouse Millennium Stadium, 2008

Outside of England it would have been considered as the dream final between historically the two best teams since the inception of the Heineken Cup.

Munster, eventually, prevailed 16-13 in a tense, gripping encounter. A Denis Leamy try and Ronan O'Gara's conversion and penalty put Munster 10-3 up after 35 minutes, but Toulouse pulled level at 13-13 midway through the second half with an Yves Donguy try. O'Gara's third penalty would prove to be the seminal moment in terms of the outcome.

The teams had featured in seven of the past nine finals and had claimed four Heineken Cups between them heading into the game.