Kearney a colossus among giants

IRELAND’s love-affair with the Heineken Cup is about to reach into the stratosphere, with a first ever all-Ireland final at the headquarters of English rugby in three weeks.

Two years ago Munster and Leinster travelled to the south of France at the penultimate stage, but both returned empty-handed.

With Ulster already qualified after a deserved win over Edinburgh on Saturday, Leinster had it all to do in a veritable bear-pit in Bordeaux yesterday.