It was 20 years ago today-15th DEC 2001-Leinster's first trophy of the Pro Era

[blockhead]

This day week, the 15th of December, is the 20th anniversary of Leinster beating Munster in the Celtic League Final and thus winning our first trophy of the professional era. 30,000 turned up to the old Lansdowne Road to witness a late rally by the boys in blue with great tries from Shaggy and Darce.
Eric Miller was sent off in the 25th minute which made it an even more impressive victory.
As far as I know Leo is the only hero still here.
I was at the game but don't remember that much tbh, just the tries.

[Barry]

Thanks for the reminder, have just watched the highlights on YouTube and read the epilogue from Reggie's biography where he tells the story about how they lost the cup that night - memories...

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[Theleinsterlad]

Great victory was all the more sweeter as I was down with my then GF who later become my wife on a weekend away in cork and was the only Leinster fan watching it in a pub packed with Munster fans.

[mildlyinterested]

the team are meeting up on saturday for a reunion and will be presented at half time in the aviva.

[RoboProp]

YouTube has extended highlights, can't find the full game.
Oh to be able to fit into that jersey again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnsx0PkY5pU

[offshorerules]

Thanks for the reminder, have just watched the highlights on YouTube and read the epilogue from Reggie's biography where he tells the story about how they lost the cup that night - memories...

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Was also in a pub in Cork, the Briar Rose to be precise. Took a dig at full time, great day out though.

[Laighin Break]

YouTube has extended highlights, can't find the full game.
Oh to be able to fit into that jersey again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnsx0PkY5pU

Interesting that Hickie wore 14 and D'Arce 11
My jersey is still too big for me . I must have been absolutely swimming in it as a teenager

[TMC]

We were in the old terrace on the East Stand, like a few years later the Dublin based Munster fans out in force. My abiding memory was the smug factor going into overdrive when Miller was sent off. Ah whatever chance you might have had you’re goosed now lads, we almost feel sorry for you. After the Shaggy try the writing was on the wall. Really enjoy shouting my head off. Night was bloody Baltic.
Almost as enjoyable as the 2009 semi in Croker when the best fans in the world were leaving with 10 minutes to go to beat the traffic.
Croker habits die hard.

[ronk]

YouTube has extended highlights, can't find the full game.
Oh to be able to fit into that jersey again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnsx0PkY5pU

Some great rugby there. Highlights of the era really liked showing kicks in detail.

[Oldschoolsocks]

What did Mr Foley ever do to Eric Miller to warrant a kick to the nads I wonder?

[RoboProp]

What did Mr Foley ever do to Eric Miller to warrant a kick to the nads I wonder?

No idea, but how he wasn't given the sobriquet Eric the Red afterwards, I'll never know!

[Barry]

Spooner and Gleeson were incredible players, decades ahead of their time.

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[Blue Man]

Was a great day.
Some fantastic play from the 14 men, particularly in the second half.
It was a great night out in D4 after match but the undoubted highlight from the whole event was Trevor Brennan’s singing!

[Flash Gordon]

Spooner and Gleeson were incredible players, decades ahead of their time.

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I don't think Gleeson ever got the credit for how good he really was. A world class open side who played at Lions standard in my view and had a superb attitude. He was always where the ball or ball carrier was and had the right amount of mentalness. Hard to believe he only won 27 caps.

Lots of good memories of that game, was living in Belgium, flew in for the game, pints on the East terrace. Good times!

At the same time we really thought Leinster would kick on from there and become the best team in Ireland and maybe Europe. We showed incredible mental toughness to win that game. Didn't quite work out that way!

[Oldschoolsocks]

Spooner and Gleeson were incredible players, decades ahead of their time.

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I don't think Gleeson ever got the credit for how good he really was. A world class open side who played at Lions standard in my view and had a superb attitude. He was always where the ball or ball carrier was and had the right amount of mentalness. Hard to believe he only won 27 caps.

Lots of good memories of that game, was living in Belgium, flew in for the game, pints on the East terrace. Good times!

At the same time we really thought Leinster would kick on from there and become the best team in Ireland and maybe Europe. We showed incredible mental toughness to win that game. Didn't quite work out that way!

Gleeson was probably one of the best open sides of his generation, hugely unfortunate to be around at the same time as David Wallace.

[Oldschoolsocks]

Double post

[cormac]

Gleeson was also unlucky with injuries. Breaking his arm against Italy in the 2004 6N and then recovering from that only to break his leg before the start of the 2004-05 season. Kidney rushed him back for the infamous QF against Leicester in 2005 (when he wasn't ready) as part of a very strange back-row selection.

Despite still being very good after missing that year through injury, Gleeson never quite found his pre-injury form again.

[limecat]

Gleeson was also unlucky with injuries. Breaking his arm against Italy in the 2004 6N and then recovering from that only to break his leg before the start of the 2004-05 season. Kidney rushed him back for the infamous QF against Leicester in 2005 (when he wasn't ready) as part of a very strange back-row selection.

Despite still being very good after missing that year through injury, Gleeson never quite found his pre-injury form again.

...and then Jennings promptly signed for Leicester, IIRC

[blockhead]

Happy anniversary to the boys of 2001. And thank you.

[Ruckedtobits]

Happy anniversary to the boys of 2001. And thank you.

+1, +1

Came across that game on YouTube recently when I was travelling and trying to access the Irish game against Japan (already knowing the scoreline). I sat and watched the 'Magners Cup Final' in full - almost 2 hours of broadcast - before hitting the sack without seeing Ireland's 62 points against Japan.

Two trivial points were very evident. One - jerseys were heavy and not body-fitting and Two - the surface in Lansdowne Rd has improved dramatically in the intervening years.

I remembered much of the game whilst re-watching. However, more than any of the action I remember the 'wander on air' up to Smith's for a few pints and our debate / discussion as to whether Munster would change their tune when facing us in the future. Little did we know that it would take until 2009 for that change to occur and there was to be a lot more pain before we'd feel as good as that day again.

Nevertheless, thanks for memories guys and take care of yourselves as it was evident from your appearances last Saturday in Aviva that "time and tide wait for no man".