Pro12 Final

[Donny B.]

It was a general point deliberately designed not to personalise things. Which is why I said "They can't all have been rushing off somewhere."

I really don't want to get into every single persons reasons for leaving.

Funnily enough in the section I was in, I didn't see any Leinster fans leave. They all stayed and politely clapped the trophy presentation. And afterwards a lot of Connacht fans were saying they appreciated it.

[johng]

I was 10 rows back from the pitch.

Almost all Leinster in front of me. 25 per row is 250 people. There were less than 20 left minutes after the final whistle. Perhaps they were all on the same plane?

[Donny B.]

I was 10 rows back from the pitch.

Almost all Leinster in front of me. 25 per row is 250 people. There were less than 20 left minutes after the final whistle. Perhaps they were all on the same plane?

Might have just wanted to get away from you?
In fairness I also remember the Ulster fans back in 2012. I ran out to the bar five minutes from time to try to get a scoop for the celebrations. I got back just as the final whistle went and I was nearly knocked over by the rush of Ulster fans getting straight out of there. Now, a good few stayed but thousands just wanted to get out of there too. I would say we're no better or worse than most provincial fans.

[Hornet]

I was 10 rows back from the pitch.

Almost all Leinster in front of me. 25 per row is 250 people. There were less than 20 left minutes after the final whistle. Perhaps they were all on the same plane?

Could have been the abject performance that Leinster put up. A few of our fans around me were making their way out around 5 minutes before the end. Unfortunately Planes, Trains and Coaches wait for no one, and with the lack of accommodation in and around Edinburgh, the road closures and crowded Trams, those who may have wanted to hang on just didn't have the time to. Perhaps having a 3pm kick off for the final is an option. I've had to bail out of Cardiff before the trophy award, because of the lack of transport options on a Saturday Evening.

[olaf the fat]

I was 10 rows back from the pitch.

Almost all Leinster in front of me. 25 per row is 250 people. There were less than 20 left minutes after the final whistle. Perhaps they were all on the same plane?

Might have just wanted to get away from you?
In fairness I also remember the Ulster fans back in 2012. I ran out to the bar five minutes from time to try to get a scoop for the celebrations. I got back just as the final whistle went and I was nearly knocked over by the rush of Ulster fans getting straight out of there. Now, a good few stayed but thousands just wanted to get out of there too. I would say we're no better or worse than most provincial fans.

Jeez Donny! at least the Ulster fans stayed till the final whistle - did you miss the last 2 trys? Some thirst on you

[Donny B.]

Jeez Donny! at least the Ulster fans stayed till the final whistle - did you miss the last 2 trys? Some thirst on you

I did actually. . Ah sure the game was won. And I was remembering the previous year, when I was so dehydrated by the final whistle that I had to ask a fan for a mouthful of his Newcastle Brown Ale. Still haunted by the taste!!!

[Flash Gordon]

I was very disappointed with Leinster's performance on Saturday.

I was even more disappointed with the performance of our fans after the game. They all streamed out past me as soon as the whistle went with less than 10% of them (in my vicinity) remaining for the trophy presentation and to cheer Connacht. They can't all have been rushing off somewhere. Would they have waited for the presentation if we won?

This is a fundamental of Rugby that gets drilled into you from U11s. You stay to congratulate the winner. No matter how unfair you feel the loss was. (and by fock was it fair)

In 2012 the vast majority of Ulster fans stayed with us in Twickenham and cheered and sang songs for ages afterwards.

They appreciated the Rugby we played to completely outclass them.

Did we do the same when we got completely outclassed? Did we fock!

Personally I was thrilled for Connacht to win so well for the first time in their history. And to see what it means to them. Like us in the same stadium 7 years ago. Despite my disappointment at our loss.

People give out when the media say our fans are spoiled. We demonstrated it on Saturday just in case there was any doubt.

Well it was better than the "fans" in Kielys, they quite simply changed sides!!!

Agree though and I think it's part of the journey you go on that makes winning sweeter when it happens. I remember deliberately staying after we got dicked by Toulouse on a Sunday evening and applauding ST, which they definitely appreciated as they circled the stadium. And to be honest, you want your own players to feel embarassed and harness that.

[domhnallj]

Jeez Donny! at least the Ulster fans stayed till the final whistle - did you miss the last 2 trys? Some thirst on you

I did actually. . Ah sure the game was won. And I was remembering the previous year, when I was so dehydrated by the final whistle that I had to ask a fan for a mouthful of his Newcastle Brown Ale. Still haunted by the taste!!!

Its never been the same since they moved the brewery to Tadcaster - hygiene and not enough fermented dead dog have killed the brand.

[Flash Gordon]

Jeez Donny! at least the Ulster fans stayed till the final whistle - did you miss the last 2 trys? Some thirst on you

I did actually. . Ah sure the game was won. And I was remembering the previous year, when I was so dehydrated by the final whistle that I had to ask a fan for a mouthful of his Newcastle Brown Ale. Still haunted by the taste!!!

Its never been the same since they moved the brewery to Tadcaster - hygiene and not enough fermented dead dog have killed the brand.

You should never drink beer out of clear bottles either!!!

[Xanthippe]

It was a general point deliberately designed not to personalise things. Which is why I said "They can't all have been rushing off somewhere."

I really don't want to get into every single persons reasons for leaving.

Sorry John - there's been so much shite spouted over the past two weeks about the wonderful Connacht supporters you'd think no other team have ever had to make their way to a final at short notice - for christ's sake we even got blamed for buying up all the flights and accomodation because we had a 24 hour head start on them!

Then you have journos putting up videos of the Connacht team bus arriving to show how marvelous their support is but completely overlooking that just minutes before we welcomed out team to the ground too.

Probably shouldn't have had a go off you but at this point I'm just so sick of the Connacht good - Leinster bad narrative so to then have one of our own comment on us leaving (when all we wanted to do was stay) just set me off.

[Oldschool]

I was very disappointed with Leinster's performance on Saturday.

I was even more disappointed with the performance of our fans after the game. They all streamed out past me as soon as the whistle went with less than 10% of them (in my vicinity) remaining for the trophy presentation and to cheer Connacht. They can't all have been rushing off somewhere. Would they have waited for the presentation if we won?

This is a fundamental of Rugby that gets drilled into you from U11s. You stay to congratulate the winner. No matter how unfair you feel the loss was. (and by fock was it fair)

In 2012 the vast majority of Ulster fans stayed with us in Twickenham and cheered and sang songs for ages afterwards.

They appreciated the Rugby we played to completely outclass them.

Did we do the same when we got completely outclassed? Did we fock!

Personally I was thrilled for Connacht to win so well for the first time in their history. And to see what it means to them. Like us in the same stadium 7 years ago. Despite my disappointment at our loss.

People give out when the media say our fans are spoiled. We demonstrated it on Saturday just in case there was any doubt.

Yes John a lot of us were rushing to make a flight that we were in danger of missing due to the number of stoppages - and yes, if Leinster had won those of us on the 9pm flight would have had to miss the presentation.

That is the first time at ANY match (never mind a final) that I left the ground before the teams left the pitch and I hated doing it especially as it's now given others an opportunity to criticise.

It's a fair bet that Sky will try to hype Connacht the same way they did for Munster so cancel the Sky subscription unless you've a strong stomach.

[Golf Man]

Sorry John - there's been so much shite spouted over the past two weeks about the wonderful Connacht supporters you'd think no other team have ever had to make their way to a final at short notice - for christ's sake we even got blamed for buying up all the flights and accomodation because we had a 24 hour head start on them!

Then you have journos putting up videos of the Connacht team bus arriving to show how marvelous their support is but completely overlooking that just minutes before we welcomed out team to the ground too.

Probably shouldn't have had a go off you but at this point I'm just so sick of the Connacht good - Leinster bad narrative so to then have one of our own comment on us leaving (when all we wanted to do was stay) just set me off.

Whatever about your reasons for leaving some of the comments above are a bit classless imo

This was Connachts first final - the media have been around this circus before in the last 15 years , probably initially for Munster, then for Leinster, probably less so with Ulster - but this was Connachtsfirst ever final - they shared three interpros back in the day - never even won one of them outright (and if there had been points difference they wouldn't have shared any). The fact that there was talk in the very recent past of winding them up, and that they were exssentially unheralded guys up against the superstars (600 caps v 50 remember) meant that Connacht had to be narrative -and they are fully deserving of it - just as Leinster were in 2009 (probably started in 2006 in Toulouse) and Munster were for years before that.

Saturday meant more to Connacht both players and fans - btw I haven't seen anyone apart from here with negative comments on the Leinster fans => did you honestly think though that Leinster (or anyone else who was in the final for that matter) would be the good guy in this

FWIW I think this is the best coaching achievement at any of the provinces - Kidney and Schmidt worked wonders (as did Cheika in fairness) but to get Connacht to Pro 12 winners - in 12 seasons they had finished bottom 3 times and never in the top half of the table. The Irish players (aside from Henshaw) are generally unheralded stalwarts, younger guys who didn't make it elsewhere, older guys who haven't exactl;y been missed where they came from, and don't really feature in Irish team selection -> they have recruited fantastically but eth success rate of thos recruits has been huge - way ahead of the other provinces in that regard. They also play a style that lets face it other provincial supporters would love their team to be playing - to qualify for the Champions Cup was a huge achievement - to win the title by beating Glasgow x 2 and Leinster in their last 3 games, all the while not giving up onm their approach to the game - incredible achievement

[wexford bohs]

I stayed to watch the trophy presentation. As much for the sheer joy from the Connacht fans all around me as the presentation itself. It's one thing to lose a final after giving everything but to lose after playing badly must hurt any sports person. I can only assume that's part of the reason why Leinster players didn't acknowledge the fans after the game. I have to say I never copped it at the time, I was too disgusted at the performance. I wouldn't hold it against Leinster fans leaving early. It's no fun watching the oppisition lift a trophy and I've left game sin the past rather than watch the other team lift the cup.

In fairness to Connacht the story on saturday was always going to be about them. Pick any reason from the huge number who turned up to support them, their style of rugby, starting base a few years ago of facing dissolution or going into the game as the underdog. Any reporter/editor would be looking at the Connacht angle for the story. Be stupid not to!

[Peg Leg]

When Zane kicked the ball away in the 81st minute, I threw my first born through the TV..... Regretting that decision I crossed the lawn to my Galway spawned neighbours to catch the award ceremony, they were so smug and gleeful in their shop scented jerseys. "Will we get a gold star on our jersey now?" they asked. How did it get like this, I thought, every fibre of my body working to keep my crisp and yorkie bolus in its rightful place.

'Fans? these people are not fans. It takes years to be a fan, hardship to be a fan, you have to prove your credentials to be a fan, repeatedly to your own teams supporters mostly, you have to prove you were part of the movement from the days of the interpro's. Those people before me had no place following this sport of privately schooled class and title, they bled out before the trophy was raised, I made sure to stand and clap. Deserving victors.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

[Xanthippe]

I would have loved nothing more than to stand and clap the winners and would have stayed to the end had it not been for the fact that I made a decision last September (before the 5:30pm start for the final was actually announced) to attend the final regardless of who was playing and, trusting that the Pro12 would have the final at a sensible time, I booked a flight out of Edinburgh that left at 9pm.

I also have no problem with any Connacht supporter, whether they marched on Lansdowne Road 13 years ago or bought their jersey last week. Every single rugby supporter in the country had to buy their first jersey at some point and surely the fact that they bought the jersey is more important than the date they bought it on. I really enjoyed watching the Connacht story unfiold and actually their travel stories reminded me so much of the excitement around our first trip to a final in Edinburgh in 2009. The word 'bandwagon' should not be looked on as a 'dirty' word because without their own bandwagons the other three provinces would never have grown their supporter numbers - today's bandwagoner is tomorrow's season ticket holder.

[tate]

I would have loved nothing more than to stand and clap the winners and would have stayed to the end had it not been for the fact that I made a decision last September (before the 5:30pm start for the final was actually announced) to attend the final regardless of who was playing and, trusting that the Pro12 would have the final at a sensible time, I booked a flight out of Edinburgh that left at 9pm.

I also have no problem with any Connacht supporter, whether they marched on Lansdowne Road 13 years ago or bought their jersey last week. Every single rugby supporter in the country had to buy their first jersey at some point and surely the fact that they bought the jersey is more important than the date they bought it on. I really enjoyed watching the Connacht story unfiold and actually their travel stories reminded me so much of the excitement around our first trip to a final in Edinburgh in 2009. The word 'bandwagon' should not be looked on as a 'dirty' word because without their own bandwagons the other three provinces would never have grown their supporter numbers - today's bandwagoner is tomorrow's season ticket holder.

with a reasonable perspective like that no one will be able to get off on their own sense of smugness or laugh at the new kids. after all supporting a team, or liking a band, only has merit if you have known about them before other people, every good keyboard ninja knows that

[Oldschool]

Where's your bitterness?

[RoboProp]

Where's your bitterness?

Right here

[kermischocolate]

I would have loved nothing more than to stand and clap the winners and would have stayed to the end had it not been for the fact that I made a decision last September (before the 5:30pm start for the final was actually announced) to attend the final regardless of who was playing and, trusting that the Pro12 would have the final at a sensible time, I booked a flight out of Edinburgh that left at 9pm.

Ahem.
Trusting the pro12. Always a rookie error!


And as was mentioned earlier yes the Leinster fans gave their team a fantastic reception when they arrived. Except it was totally dwarfed by the Connacht one. (and no, I'm not having a go at anyone)