Noves plays down after-match incident

Guy Noves and the local authorities last night sought to play down a post-match incident involving the fiery and passionate Toulouse coach when he was led away from the side of the pitch by police.

Although it was a proverbial storm in a teacup, it was an unedifying spectacle to see an irate Noves being led away after an apparent row between him and a Toulouse sponsor he was escorting on to the pitch and a security guard. Noves apologised profusely and ERC chief executive Derek McGrath stressed the police and stewards would not be taking the matter further. "They would like to stress it had been an incident in the heat of the moment and out of keeping with a joyous day."

The Toulouse coach appeared to be a victim of mistaken identity and was himself due an apology from an excessive strong arm of the law. Some 10 or 15 minutes after the whistle, as crowds converged on the pitch and made a sorry spectacle of the post-match trophy presentation, Noves had gone to the crowd to embrace his wife and son. He then appeared to have shoving match with a steward who was preventing him from going to the presentation stand in the middle of the pitch, as then did a security guard.

After Noves pushed the security guard away, he was grabbed by two policemen. Reacting furiously to this, he was submerged by more police officers and forcibly taken down one of the stadium tunnels. This looked ridiculous given two streakers had earlier invaded and vacated the pitch without much police interest.

Noves later commented: "It was just a big misunderstanding. I just wanted to give a kiss to my wife and son, and one of the sponsors asked to join the presentation on the pitch. I asked the steward but he wouldn't allow it. It was just a big misunderstanding. I am deeply sorry for the incident and it is not the style of Stade Toulousain."

All of this happened to the oblivious joy of the Toulouse squad and supporters. Among them was a flag bearing "Trevor Brennan - The Legend." Brennan took one Tricolour towards supporters and was engulfed by bands of family and friends. "I'm sort of speechless, really. I can't put what I feel into words," he said afterwards, following his third final in three years - Toulouse beat Perpignan in Dublin two years ago before falling victim to a last-minute mugging by Robert Howley's Wasps 12 months ago.

"To be honest this is even better. I had known what it was like to win one and I had known what it was like to lose one, and that's what makes this even sweeter. I think our defence and our mental strength pulled us through. It was a huge effort and losing Fabien (Pelous) was a big blow. It was a great day and obviously I'm very honoured to be the only Irishman in the final today."

Pelous and man-of-the-match Yannick Jauzion were wearing two shirts with the French proverb Jamais deuz sans trios (never two without three) inscribed. Noves (the only European Cup coach still at the helm of the same club in its 10-year history) said: "We have won with three different teams and different generations of players but today showed it is always with the same soul. We made a lot of mistakes, but the players never gave up."

A crestfallen Fabien Galthie denied Stade had refused to come out and play. "I don't think we chose not to play. We were leading after 75 minutes and perhaps didn't manage those moments very well but credit to Toulouse, they did not steal this match. They put us under pressure and managed key moments of the game better, especially in extra-time."