2008–09 Heineken Cup

Tournament details
Countries|  England
France
Ireland
Italy
Scotland
Wales
Tournament format(s)| Round-robin and Knockout
Date| 10 October 2008 – 23 May 2009
Tournament statistics
Teams| 24
Matches played| 79
Attendance| 1,177,064 (14,900 per match)
Top point scorer(s)| Ben Blair (Cardiff)
(99 points)
Top try scorer(s)| Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster)
(5 tries)
Final
Venue| Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance| 66,523
Champions|  Leinster (1st title)
Runners-up|  Leicester Tigers

<- 2007–08 (Previous)

(Next) 2009–10 ->

The 2008–09 Heineken Cup was the fourteenth edition of the Heineken Cup, the annual rugby union European club competition for clubs from the top six nations in European rugby. It started in October 2008 and ended on 23 May 2009 at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh. Irish side Leinster became the champions, defeating Leicester Tigers 19–16 in the final.[1]

## Teams

[edit]

Seven French teams competed, as a French team, Toulouse, progressed further in the previous year's tournament than any English or Italian team.

Four Welsh teams competed, as Italy forfeited its place in the Italo-Celtic playoff[2] and a Welsh team were the highest-placed team in the previous year's Celtic league not to qualify otherwise.[3] Other nations had their usual number of participants: England six, Ireland three, Italy two and Scotland two.[4]

England  | France  | Wales  | Ireland  | Scotland  | Italy

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* Gloucester
* London Wasps
* Bath
* Leicester Tigers
* Sale Sharks
* Harlequins

* Toulouse
* Biarritz
* Stade Français
* Clermont
* Perpignan
* Castres
* Montauban

* Cardiff Blues
* Scarlets
* Ospreys
* Newport Gwent Dragons

* Leinster
* Munster
* Ulster

* Edinburgh
* Glasgow Warriors

* Calvisano
* Benetton Treviso

## Seeding

[edit]

The seeding system for participating teams changed from previous editions of the Heineken Cup. Previously, each participating nation would seed one of their teams and these six teams would be drawn in different groups at the group stage.[5] Starting with the 2008–09 edition, the 24 competing teams were ranked based on past Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup performance, with each group receiving one team from each quartile, or Tier.[6] The requirement to have only one team per country in each group however, still applied (with the exception of the inclusion of the seventh French team).[7]

The brackets show each team's European Rugby Club Ranking before the start of the 2008–09 season.

Tier 1  |  Munster (1)  |  Toulouse (2)  |  Biarritz (3)  |  Leicester Tigers (4)  |  Stade Français (5)  |  London Wasps (6)

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Tier 2  |  Leinster (7)  |  Bath (8)  |  Gloucester (9)  |  Perpignan (10)  |  Sale Sharks (12)  |  Scarlets (13)
Tier 3  |  Ospreys (15)  |  Cardiff Blues (17)  |  Clermont (18)  |  Newport Gwent Dragons (20)  |  Ulster (21)  |  Castres (22)
Tier 4  |  Glasgow Warriors (24)  |  Benetton Treviso (25)  |  Edinburgh (28)  |  Calvisano (32)  |  Harlequins (35)  |  Montauban

## Pool stage

[edit]

Further information: 2008–09 Heineken Cup pool stage

The draw for the pool stages took place on 17 June 2008 in Dublin.

Key to colours  | Winner of each pool, and two best runners-up,
advance to quarterfinals. Seed # in parentheses

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### Pool 1

[edit]

Team  | P  | W  | D  | L  | Tries for  | Tries against  | Try diff  | Points for  | Points against  | Points diff  | TB  | LB  | Pts

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Munster (2)  | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 161 | 98 | 63 | 2 | 1 | 23
Sale | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 136 | 115 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 15
Clermont | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 137 | 129 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 13
Montauban | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 21 | −16 | 81 | 173 | −92 | 0 | 2 | 6

### Pool 2

[edit]

Team  | P  | W  | D  | L  | Tries for  | Tries against  | Try diff  | Points for  | Points against  | Points diff  | TB  | LB  | Pts

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Leinster (6)  | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 3 | 12 | 140 | 70 | 70 | 2 | 2 | 20
Wasps | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 12 | −3 | 114 | 112 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 17
Edinburgh | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 91 | 103 | −12 | 1 | 0 | 9
Castres | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 15 | −9 | 73 | 133 | −60 | 0 | 1 | 9

### Pool 3

[edit]

Team  | P  | W  | D  | L  | Tries for  | Tries against  | Try diff  | Points for  | Points against  | Points diff  | TB  | LB  | Pts

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Leicester Tigers (4)  | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 6 | 17 | 191 | 90 | 101 | 3 | 2 | 21
Ospreys (7)  | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 3 | 14 | 155 | 71 | 84 | 2 | 2 | 20
Perpignan | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 154 | 120 | 34 | 1 | 1 | 18
Benetton Treviso | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 43 | −38 | 72 | 291 | −219 | 0 | 0 | 0

### Pool 4

[edit]

Team  | P  | W  | D  | L  | Tries for  | Tries against  | Try diff  | Points for  | Points against  | Points diff  | TB  | LB  | Pts

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Harlequins (3)  | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 144 | 115 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 22
Stade Français | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 131 | 109 | 22 | 1 | 2 | 15
Ulster | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 113 | 134 | −21 | 0 | 1 | 11
Scarlets | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 18 | −6 | 124 | 154 | −30 | 0 | 2 | 8

### Pool 5

[edit]

Team  | P  | W  | D  | L  | Tries for  | Tries against  | Try diff  | Points for  | Points against  | Points diff  | TB  | LB  | Pts

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Bath (5)  | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 107 | 92 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 21
Toulouse (8)  | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 121 | 88 | 33 | 1 | 1 | 20
Glasgow | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 17 | −3 | 134 | 150 | −16 | 1 | 3 | 12
Newport Gwent Dragons | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 14 | −6 | 83 | 115 | −32 | 0 | 3 | 7

### Pool 6

[edit]

Team  | P  | W  | D  | L  | Tries for  | Tries against  | Try diff  | Points for  | Points against  | Points diff  | TB  | LB  | Pts

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Cardiff Blues (1)  | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 202 | 99 | 103 | 3 | 0 | 27
Biarritz | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 121 | 88 | 33 | 1 | 2 | 15
Gloucester | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 12 | 5 | 156 | 109 | 47 | 2 | 1 | 15
Calvisano | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 37 | −29 | 87 | 270 | −183 | 0 | 0 | 0

### Seeding and runners-up

[edit]

Seed  | Pool Winners  | Pts  | TF  | +/−

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1 |  Cardiff Blues | 27 | 23 | +103
2 |  Munster | 23 | 18 | +63
3 |  Harlequins | 22 | 16 | +29
4 |  Leicester Tigers | 21 | 23 | +101
5 |  Bath | 21 | 13 | +15
6 |  Leinster | 20 | 15 | +70
Seed  | Pool Runners-up  | Pts  | TF  | +/−
7 |  Ospreys | 20 | 17 | +84
8 |  Toulouse | 20 | 12 | +33
–  |  Sale | 19 | 14 | +21
–  |  Wasps | 17 | 7 | +8
–  |  Biarritz | 15 | 14 | +33
–  |  Stade Français | 15 | 13 | +22

## Knockout stage

[edit]

The draw for the quarter-finals took place on 27 January at Murrayfield Stadium.[8]

### Quarter-finals

[edit]

11 April 2009
15:30

Cardiff Blues | 9–6|  Toulouse

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Pen: Blair (3/3) 1', 30', 57'| Report| Pen: Michalak (1/1) 5'
Skrela (1/1) 64'
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 36,728
Referee: Chris White (England)

11 April 2009
18:00

Leicester Tigers | 20–15|  Bath

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Try: Dupuy 80' m
Pen: Vesty (5/5) 20', 22', 51', 55', 67'| Report| Try: Berne 35' c
Maddock 64' m
Con: James (1/2)
Pen: James (1/2) 45'
Walkers Stadium, Leicester
Attendance: 26,100
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)

12 April 2009
13:00

Munster | 43–9|  Ospreys

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Try: Warwick 34' c
O'Connell 55' c
Earls (2) 63' c, 65' c
Con: O'Gara (4/4)
Pen: O'Gara (3/3) 14', 20', 50'
Drop: Warwick (2) 39', 58'| Report| Pen: Hook (3/6) 16', 30', 45'
Thomond Park, Limerick
Attendance: 26,000
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

12 April 2009
15:30

Harlequins | 5–6|  Leinster

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Try: Brown 65' m| Report| Pen: Contepomi (2/2) 15', 39'
Twickenham Stoop, London
Attendance: 12,638
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

* This match became notorious for the "Bloodgate" scandal. Quins coach Dean Richards was banned from rugby for three years for his role in faking an injury to wing Tom Williams so that Quins could send in a blood replacement. Williams himself was initially banned for a year, but after he revealed the full extent of the scheme, the ban was reduced to four months.[9]

### Semi-finals

[edit]

2 May 2009
17:30

Munster | 6–25|  Leinster

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Pen: O'Gara (2/2) 18', 36'| Report
Report| Try: D'Arcy 30' m
Fitzgerald 42' c
B. O'Driscoll 61' c
Con: Sexton (2/3)
Pen: Sexton (1/1) 26'
Drop: Contepomi (1/1) 15'
Croke Park, Dublin
Attendance: 82,208
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

Main article: Cardiff Blues vs Leicester Tigers (2008–09 Heineken Cup)

3 May 2009
15:00

Cardiff Blues | 26–26 (a.e.t.)|  Leicester Tigers

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Try: Roberts 73' c
James 74' c
Con: Blair (2/2)
Pen: Blair (2/2) 14', 33'
Halfpenny 27', 35'| Report| Try: Hamilton 21' c
G. Murphy 45' c
Con: Dupuy (2/2)
Pen: Dupuy (4/7) 24', 38', 54', 56'
| Penalties|
Blair Y
N. Robinson Y
Halfpenny Y
Sweeney Y
James N
Shanklin Y
Rees Y
M. Williams N| 6–7| Y Dupuy
Y Vesty
Y G. Murphy
N J. Murphy
Y Hamilton
Y Mauger
Y Newby
Y Crane
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 44,212
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

### Final

[edit]

Main article: 2009 Heineken Cup Final

23 May 2009
17:00

Leicester Tigers | 16–19|  Leinster

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Try: Woods 38' c
Con: Dupuy (1/1)
Pen: Dupuy (3/3) 8', 33', 42'| (Report)| Try: Heaslip 49' c
Con: Sexton (1/1)
Pen: Sexton (2/3) 24', 70'
Drop: O'Driscoll (1/1) 5'
Sexton (1/1) 17'
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 66,523
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

## Notes and references

[edit]

1. ^ Thornley, Gerry. "Leinster soar highest in bluest of blue days". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
2. ^ "Fourth team for Ireland or Wales in 2008/2009". European Rugby Cup. 6 May 2008. Archived from the original on 13 May 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
3. ^ "Newport Gwent Dragons Secure 4th Heineken Cup Spot for Wales". European Rugby Cup. 7 May 2008. Archived from the original on 12 May 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
4. ^ "Heineken Cup – Key Tournament Rules". European Rugby Cup. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
5. ^ "Heineken Cup Pool Draw Confirmed". European Rugby Cup. 11 June 2007. Archived from the original on 14 December 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
6. ^ "ERC European Rankings (May 2008)". European Rugby Cup. Archived from the original on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
7. ^ "ERC Draw Regulations (June 2008)". European Rugby Cup. Archived from the original on 20 June 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
8. ^ "Heineken Cup semi-final draw completed". European Rugby Cup. 27 January 2009. Archived from the original on January 31, 2009. Retrieved 27 January 2009.
9. ^ Benammar, Emily (2009-08-18). "Dean Richards ban: how 'Bloodgate' saga unfolded". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 2009-08-18.

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2024–25 teams|

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Rugby union schedule for 2008

| Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec

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H. Cup | Six Nations Championship | Heineken Cup | Mid-Year Tests |  |  |  | H. Cup | End of year Int'ls | H. Cup
Guinness Premiership |  |  |  | Guinness Premiership
Celtic League |  |  |  | Celtic League
Top 14 |  | Top 14
|  |  | Shute Shield
|  |  |  |  | Currie Cup |  |
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|  |  | Pacific Rugby Cup | Churchill Cup | Air New Zealand Cup
| Super 14 | Pacific Nations Cup | Tri Nations

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Rugby union schedule for 2009

| Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec

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Heineken Cup | Six Nations Championship | Heineken Cup | Mid-year tests |  |  |  | Heineken Cup | End-of-year int'ls | Heineken Cup
|  |  |  | British & Irish Lions tour
English Premiership |  |  |  | English Premiership
Celtic League |  |  |  | Celtic League
Top 14 |  | Top 14
Top League |  | Top League
|  |  | Shute Shield
|  |  |  |  |  | Currie Cup |  |
Sevens |  |  |  |  |  | Sevens
|  | World Cup Sevens | Pacific Rugby Cup | Churchill Cup | Air New Zealand Cup
| Super 14 | Pacific Nations Cup | Tri Nations
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