The Kearney brothers, Rob and Dave, became the fifth set of brothers to win Heineken Cup winners' medal when they helped Leinster Rugby to a record 42-14 victory over Ulster Rugby at the Twickenham Stadium.

It was the second time Ireland and British & Irish Lions full back Rob had tasted European glory, having come on as a replacement in the 2009 victory over Leicester Tigers, but it was a first for younger brother Dave.

He came on as a blood replacement for Brian O'Driscoll in the 67th minute and then stayed on the field when the great man returned, taking over from brother Rob in the 72nd minute. It meant the two brothers only spent six minutes on the field together, but that was enough to write the family into the history books

Before the 17th final only four sets of brothers had won Heineken Cup winners' medals. Ulster duo Jan and Bryn Cunningham were the only other Irish pair previously in the record books from 1999, while four-times winners Toulouse provide two sets of brothers from their first success in 1996 and the third in 2005.

Heineken Cup Winning Brothers
Philippe and Olivier Carbonneau (Toulouse, 1996)
Jan and Bryn Cunningham (Ulster Rugby, 1999)
Martin and Will Johnson (Leicester Tigers, 2001, 2002)
Isitolo and Finau Maka (Toulouse, 2005)
Rob and Dave Kearney (Leinster Rugby, 2012)

First to win RWC, Super, Europe titles

Getty Images

THE SPOILS: Brad Thorn celebrates after Leinster's Heineken Cup victory over Ulster at Twickenham.

Brad Thorn has always been a "big dreamer" but even he was struggling to grasp the enormity of his sporting career following Leinster's European Cup triumph.

The big man added the latest honour to his remarkable resume in Leinster's 42-14 thrashing overnight (NZ time) of Irish rivals Ulster in front of almost 82,000 spectators at Twickenham.

The 37-year-old became the first player to win a World Cup, Super Rugby title and a European Cup.

He also became the oldest player to win the European Cup.

But then again, he has been the first to do a lot of things.

"It was a real privilege to be part of that," Thorn said.

"To be a European champion as well as winning the (2011) World Cup is incredible.

"I would have just been happy with all my NRL stuff and do some cool stuff over there.

"But I have always been a big dreamer.

"Years ago I never dreamed that what happened in my NRL career would happen.

"Now I just don't believe it again in union. To do and win all I have is amazing."

Thorn was only signed up on a short-term contract by Leinster in March because of an injury crisis.

Like most of his career, he came out a winner as Leinster collected the cup for a third time in four seasons.

Not that the former Brisbane Broncos and Crusaders star was ready to start discussing his retirement plans.

"Most of all I love the camaraderie," he said.

"As a six-year-old I used to get nervous before a game playing with my mates. Now, as a 37-year-old I still get nervous before a game with my mates. It's so special.

"It's not so much about what's going to happen next. It's just about enjoying today and only the Lord knows what will happen in the future. We shall see how it works out.

"Physically I have always been lucky. I feel pretty good. Mentally, that is the last thing I am thinking about!"

He has the chance to add another title next weekend.

Leinster will meet Ospreys in the final of the PRO12 competition in Dublin in a week.

"So I have to keep a little bit of an edge," Thorn said.

- AAP

via stuff.co.nz

Man-of-the-match Sean O'Brien highlighted Leinster's desire to add to their trophy haul when speaking after their 42-14 Heineken Cup final win over Ulster at Twickenham...

Sean O'Brien turned in a storming all-action display, setting Leinster on their way with a 13th minute try and he was also prominent at the breakdown and in the loose.

Reflecting on the province's third European title in four years, the Tullow man said: "It's absolutely brilliant. We've worked hard in the last 10 months and today was they day where we had to go for it and thankfully we got the win.

"We have a strong squad and we really want to kick on. Every time we put on a blue shirt there's an energy around us.

"We trusted the team and we trusted the system. At times today there were lots of mistakes but winning is important and we held onto the trophy which is the main thing."

O'Brien benefited from a tremendous one-handed offload from Brian O'Driscoll in the lead up to Cian Healy's 32nd-minute try, which helped the defending champions take a 14-6 lead into the break.

O'Driscoll showed his renowned powers of recovery as just eight days after keyhole surgery on his knee, he led by example in both defence and attack.

Indeed, after a short spell off the Twickenham pitch for a blood injury, he returned for the final minutes to spearhead some sparkling attacks that netted two more tries for Leinster.

And while the province may have etched their names in the record books as 2009, 2011 and 2012 champions, the 33-year-old centre clearly has his sights set on further team honours.

"When we won our first Heineken Cup in 2009 we talked about laying down a legacy and doing something for us to be remembered by," explained O'Driscoll after the historic all-Irish final.

"We are going some way to doing that and moving in the right direction, but I know this team is hungry for more success.

"That's why it's enjoyable. You're going in day in, day out going into work because you know you are going to be pushed by the guy next to you. We play for each other and that showed out there."

He praised the efforts of the extended squad as Leinster became the first side to go unbeaten through a nine-match Heineken Cup campaign - their record shows eight wins and a draw.

"The energy from all 23 players in the squad was phenomenal. There were two try scorers (Heinke van der Merwe and Sean Cronin) among the guys who came on and that speaks volumes for where we are at as a squad.

"I only came in for the knock-out stages, for the important parts, but the hard graft was done in the pool stages by people like Eoin O'Malley who is sitting at home having had a cruciate operation yesterday.

"This medal will be part his and all the other guys, like Luke Fitzgerald, who have played this season."

THERE is a fact regarding Leinster's rise to the summit of European rugby which has largely gone unnoticed, and it is this: the province's only significant Heineken Cup defeat over the last four seasons occurred when Jonathan Sexton was not playing.

That was the semi-final in the Stade Municipal in Toulouse when Leinster produced one of their bravest performances of the professional era, but, with the set-piece under extreme pressure and Australian centre Shaun Berne filling in as makeshift out-half, they were unable to match the power of the hosts.

Since Felipe Contepomi's injury in the 2009 semi-final against Munster allowed Sexton to show what he can do at elite European level, he has been a central figure in Leinster's rise to prominence, playing crucial roles in the 2009 and 2011 triumphs and again in the progression to tomorrow's final against Ulster in Twickenham.

Ronan O'Gara's sustained excellence has complicated matters at international level and saw the Munster man win back the No 10 jersey during the World Cup, but Sexton used that experience to emerge stronger and the confidence that deserted him off the tee in New Zealand is now coursing through the 26-year-old.

The statistics back it up. At the World Cup, Sexton's place-kicking return was a disappointing 47pc, but in the Six Nations he slotted 22 from 25 kicks while his return for Leinster is hovering around the 90pc mark and scooped him the Pro12 Golden Boot Award last week.

Sexton turns 27 in July and is nearing the peak of his professional career, says legendary Leinster, Ireland and Lions out-half Ollie Campbell, who believes his own best rugby was played between 1979 and 1983 when he entered his late 20s.

"It is remarkable to think how far Jonathan has come since he came on for Felipe Contepomi in that semi-final against Munster and kicked that penalty," says Campbell.

"That was in 2009 and people might forget, but in January of that year, Jonathan played for St Mary's against Old Belvedere (Campbell's club) in an All-Ireland League match because he wasn't getting enough game time with Leinster.

"To go from that point to kicking that penalty, and then dropping that audacious goal in the final against Leicester, to where he is today, he has possibly developed more quickly than any other player in the country."

Campbell can relate to Sexton's international tussle for the No 10 jersey with a Munster rival from his own rivalry with Tony Ward in the late 1970s and early '80s.

He remains a huge admirer of O'Gara's and agrees with national coach Declan Kidney that Ireland are "blessed" to have two world-class out-halves at their disposal.

However, as a Leinster supporter, Campbell's is delighted with Sexton's development in a position where the province struggled through the late 1990s and into the 2000s.

"He is just a class act, with hardly any weaknesses, even by the highest standards," says Campbell.

"He really has all the skills, he can play the kicking game, he is a beautiful passer off either hand and also a fully paid-up member of the out-half tackling union. I know he struggled with his kicking at he World Cup, but that is in the past, he has a good style and I do not see it as a long-term issue at all.

"Another factor is that I think he has absolutely blossomed under (Leinster coach) Joe Schmidt. Jonathan is very fortunate to have Joe Schmidt as a coach and Schmidt is equally fortunate in having Jonathan as his out-half -- the timing of Joe coming in, in terms of the development of Jonathan's game was perfect.

"Since he's come back from the World Cup, he has played some magnificent rugby," adds Campbell. "I'm thinking about that dummy in the lead-up to Isa Nacewa's try (reminiscent of Campbell's dummies for Moss Finn's try against Wales in 1982) in the quarter-final against Cardiff and then the blind pass in the same game -- that was hell of a play.

"Who knows how much better he can get for Leinster and Ireland with the confidence he has got this season, particularly if Leinster win tomorrow and he has three Heineken Cup winners medals in his pocket."

If Sexton has developed rapidly in recent years, it has mirrored the giant strides taken by Leinster in a relatively short period of time and Campbell clearly recalls a time, not so long ago, when there was still a ramshackle element to the operation.

"It is remarkable how far Leinster have come. When Michael Cheika arrived first, Leinster were still togging out in portakabins in Old Belvedere, that is only six years ago.

"Now, they are at the forefront of Irish and European rugby and I think these are the glory days for Ireland in the Heineken Cup, with Ulster taking massive steps forward also. It is wonderful to think that after tomorrow, Ireland will have its sixth Heineken Cup trophy, the same as England and one more than the French."

However, for all Campbell's admiration of Leinster under Schmidt, he see's tomorrow's final as a incredibly tight affair and says Ulster are more than capable of spoiling Leinster's back-to-back aspirations.

"It will be a lot closer than most people think, I wouldn't underestimate Ulster for a second. Any team that can go to Thomond Park and beat Munster deserves the utmost respect.

"They have a match-winner in Ruan Pienaar as well. He is a remarkable player and has almost re-defined the role of the scrum-half. I would expect a tight game tomorrow. Out of 16 finals, only two have ended beyond one score."

As for Sexton, regardless of tomorrow's result, Campbell is convinced he will go on to become one of the great out-halves (a group that contains players of the calibre of Campbell, Ward, O'Gara and Jackie Kyle).

"I wouldn't put any limits on what Jonathan Sexton can achieve," is Campbell's simple summation.

- HUGH FARRELLY

New Zealander Brad Thorn could create rugby history in tomorrow's Heineken Cup final between Leinster and Ulster at Twickenham.

Thorn, provided he is selected and holders Leinster retain the trophy, would become the first player to win a World Cup, Heineken Cup and Super Rugby title.

The 37-year-old former All Blacks lock has been a key part of Leinster's charge towards their third Heineken final in four seasons.

"I just love my footie," he said. "I like being here, the challenge of it and being part of a Heineken Cup.

"Leinster are a great side with a great coaching team in Joe Schmidt, Greg Feek and Jono Gibbes - it's the whole package.

"Being in the Heineken Cup final is juicy, but basically there is a brick wall between us and the cup in Ulster.

"If we allow them to get a good start and build a lead, then it will be a pretty tough job for us to get back into the game."

While Leinster have enjoyed an unbeaten march to the final, winning seven and drawing one of their eight games, Ulster progressed from a tougher pool - one that included European heavyweights Leicester and Clermont Auvergne.

They also knocked out twice-Heineken Cup winners and quarter-final opponents Munster, and the size of their threat is not lost on Schmidt.

"In last year's final, Northampton played superbly in the first-half against us and we didn't take our opportunities," he said.

"We made three clean line-breaks and gave the ball straight back to them. They dominated us in the first 40 minutes.

"We can't afford to do that with Ulster, especially when you look at their quarter-final victory over Munster.

"Ulster are a team that can keep you under pressure because of their kicking game and they can also exert pressure on your platforms.

"John Afoa, Tom Court and Rory Best have done a great job for them in the front-row; Johann Muller calls the lineouts and Stephen Ferris and Pedrie Wannenburg both add a lot."

England international Steffon Armitage, meanwhile, has hailed the influence of former France coach Bernard Laporte on Amlin Challenge Cup finalists Toulon.

Armitage, Jonny Wilkinson and company will aim to end Toulon's 20-year wait for a major trophy when they tackle Biarritz at the Twickenham Stoop tonight.

"Bernard has brought his own distinctive game plan with him," former London Irish flanker Armitage said.

"And although Toulon are regarded as big spenders, he also makes sure that everyone keeps their feet on the ground and everyone is equal.

"He has given players the opportunity to come out of their shells and play their own kind of rugby.

"We are not scared of anyone. On our day we have got the players to win games, so the only important thing to Toulon was that we were there for the final and not who we are playing.

Ulster wing Andrew Trimble has warned Leinster they will face a side "motivated by jealousy" in the first all-Irish Heineken Cup final at Twickenham on Saturday.

Ulster were the first Irish side to win Europe's premier club competition when they beat Colomiers at Lansdowne Road back in 1999. But that success, achieved during a year when English clubs boycotted the tournament, has since been overshadowed by the triumphs of provincial rivals Munster and Leinster, who have won two titles apiece.

But Ireland wing Trimble says the chance to prove that Ulster are no longer the "third-choice province" is a hugely potent form of motivation for the Twickenham showdown. "This game mean a massive amount for Ulster rugby and for Irish rugby, there is such a rivalry between the provinces," he said.

"We have become genuine contenders for the trophy and Saturday is an opportunity we don't want to let slip. Playing Leinster adds intensity and passion and we want to come out on top and we also want to deny Leinster that trophy."

He added: "We were getting fed up of being seen as the third-choice province. I have played for Ulster for seven or eight years and we have always been seen as third-choice behind Leinster and Munster.

"Going into this final we are motivated by jealousy. We want to leapfrog them and become the number one province. We have done a lot of hard work to get to this point and a Heineken Cup final gives us a great chance to do it."

The pair have been perennial European challengers over the course of the last decade, a time during which Ulster occasionally struggled to keep up.

But under the guidance of coach Brian McLaughlin, and with a squad mixing the experienced South Africa contingent of Ruan Pienaar, Pedrie Wannenburg and Johann Muller with homegrown talents like Trimble and Craig Gilroy, Ulster are back at the European game's top table.

Victory would stop 2011 winners Leinster becoming the first side to retain the trophy, and give Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin European club rugby's biggest prize in his final game in charge.

Leinster sealed a 22-18 victory over the Newport Gwent Dragons in Saturday night's RaboDirect PRO12 clash at Rodney Parade and will face the Glasgow Warriors in next weekend's play offs by virtue of the Scottish side's victory over Connacht...

Some early pressure helped Leinster gain some early territory and a penalty gave Ian Madigan the chance to give the visitors the lead which he did after three minutes to make it 3-0.

Lewis Robling replied for the Dragons two minutes later to level the scores 3-3 before Madigan punished another home side indiscretion to help regain the three-point advantage after nine minutes and the former Blackrock College out-half added his third successful strike on 11 minutes to make it 9-3.

From the re-start Leinster pounced on some indecision and prop Nathan White chased a kick down the touchline though Wales international Toby Faletau defended the Dragons try-line.

The hosts then reduced the deficit with Robling's second penalty, but Leinster roared back once more to continue the see-saw nature of the game before prop Jack McGrath started and finished a move involving good work Brendan Macken and Dominic Ryan inside the Dragons 22.

Madigan's conversion made it 16-6 after 22 minutes and moments later Leinster, wearing their white away strip, almost scored their second try when Andrew Conway made a scything break but that attack was quelled.

Separate bursts from Devin Toner and then Brendan Macken punched holes in the Welsh side's rearguard before a wonderful Damian Browne offload found Conway who was denied once more metres from the try-line.

An ambitious Madigan penalty attempt from the halfway line fell yards shy of the posts, but Leinster still took a ten-point advantage into the interval.
Dragons back Pat Leach almost snuck into the corner as the Newport based side rallied but some brave defending helped barge the replacement centre into touch.

Some bright outside back play created several opportunities and Madigan added to his individual points tally with a 64th minute penalty to extend Leinster's lead to 13 points. Ireland Under-20 scrum-half Luke McGrath entered the fray to make his first senior appearance and moments later Madigan kicked his 17th point of the night to make it 22-6.

In the 77th minute, after a spell of pressure, Dan Lydiate crashed over from close in to reduce the deficit, with Adam Hughes adding the extras.

Right winger Will Harries snuck in to score in injury time, though Hughes' conversion attempt fell wide of the posts, to bring the score to within four points but the referee blew the whistle and Leinster sealed a narrow but deserved win.

DRAGONS SCORERS: D. Lydiate, W. Harries (1 try each), L. Robling (2 penalties), A. Hughes (1 conversion)

LEINSTER SCORERS: J. McGrath (1 try), I. Madigan (5 penalties, 1 conversion)

NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS:

15: Hallam Amos
14: Will Harries
13: Adam Hughes
12: Ashley Smith
11: Aled Brew
10: Lewis Robling
9: Wayne Evans

1: Nathan Williams
2: Sam Parry
3: Nathan Buck
4: Luke Charteris CAPTAIN
5: Rob Sidoli
6: Danny Lydiate
7: Lewis Evans
8: Toby Faletau

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Steve Jones
17: Phil Price
18: Dan Way
19: Jevon Groves
20: Tom Brown
21: Jonathan Evans
22: Pat Leach
23: Jack Dixon

LEINSTER:

15: David Kearney (Darren Hudson, 64)
14: Andrew Conway
13: Brendan Macken
12: Noel Reid
11: Fionn Carr
10: Ian Madigan
9: Eoin Reddan (Luke McGrath, 69)

1: Jack McGrath (Heinke van der Merwe, ht)
2: Sean Cronin (Aaron Dundon, 64)
3: Nathan White (Jamie Hagan, 72)
4: Devin Toner (Mark Flanagan, 73)
5: Damian Browne
6: Kevin McLaughlin CAPTAIN (Jordi Murphy, 77)
7: Dominic Ryan
8: Leo Auva'a

REPLACEMENT NOT USED: Isa Nacewa

REFEREE: Marius Mitrea (FIR), ASSISTANT REFEREES: James Jones, David Jones (both WRU)

HE'S nearing the end of another long, gruelling season, but Gordon D'Arcy is radiating enthusiasm, energy and anticipation as he heads into the last couple of months of a near year-long slog.

Indeed, the 32-year-old is the picture of contentment and has every reason to be, a few days after helping Leinster into their third Heineken Cup final in four seasons and securing a deal to keep him at the province for another two years.

D'Arcy's was the marquee announcement among Leinster's spate of contract confirmations this week and his delight stems from the straightforward nature of the process -- the Wexford man's assertion is that his primary desire is to represent his native province for as long as possible.

Leinster, if they can overcome Ulster in the May 19 final, are on the cusp of being affirmed as the most powerful European force in Heineken Cup history and D'Arcy's appreciation stems from a 14-year involvement and excitement at what this group can go on to achieve.

Given the challenging circumstances in Bordeaux, Sunday's epic semi-final win over Clermont has been classified as Leinster's greatest, but D'Arcy is not about to forget what went before.

He remembers back to the early days of professionalism in the mid-to-late 1990s, when the Irish provinces struggled to find their feet, and believes the two Heineken Cup titles since 2009 and prospect of a third in three weeks' time reflect a gradual and steady rate of progression.

"There have been different groups of players with whom we probably achieved more with not quite as developed a squad," said D'Arcy. "Some of those wins we had years and years ago were up there with any of the Leinster achievements and have helped build the foundation for the current squad. This team is building on that again and setting the standard for the future.

"I was talking to (1990s captain) Chris Pim about when he was playing and about the standards they had and the transitional period that Leinster went through. We're really starting to put those high standards back in place and put them into really important games."

It was D'Arcy who made the tackle on Wesley Fofana which proved to be the difference between victory and defeat on Sunday, doing just enough to unsettle the Clermont centre into spilling the ball when a try seemed certain and he modestly puts it down to luck as well as intent.

"I just took a step forward and literally hit him as hard as I could. I drove into the tackle with my shoulder and he sort of wriggled out of it," he recalled.

luck

"I kind of saw the ball go loose, so I was thinking: 'Okay, we need a bit of good luck here.' I did 90pc right of what I could have done on the line, bar stopping him dead, which would have been some feat. I would have happily done it, but the odds were stacked against me there. I did everything I could -- and then I got 10pc luck."

Job done, D'Arcy and his team-mates are now gearing up to take on an Ulster side they will be heavily fancied to beat but will never take for granted with players of the quality of Ruan Pienaar, John Afoa and Stephen Ferris in their side.

A refusal to rest on achievement is an attitude D'Arcy says permeates the squad and he is encouraged to note that the younger players, a clutch of whom are expected to feature in this weekend's Pro12 trip to the Dragons, are imbued with the same philosophy.

"I just look at the guys in the academy and the quality and the standard that they have and look at the standards that the young guys in the senior squad have embraced," he said.

"Shane Horgan was talking about almost a Leinster DNA and the way that affects the younger guys. They actually relish the thought of playing for Leinster. I think it is a privilege for them and they know they won't just get it (handed to them). There is no sense of entitlement, they have to earn it. I think all these things are hugely positive for Leinster."

A good news week for Leinster and, for D'Arcy, confirmation that Luke Fitzgerald is also staying with the province would round it off perfectly.

- Hugh Farrelly

Irish Independent