Ulster v Leinster, Heineken Cup final: live

Email Giles Mole with the answer to this question: Can Leinster lay claim to being the greatest side in Heineken Cup history if they win today?

Latest

Leinster are only the second side to win back-to-back Heineken Cups and they've now won three in four years. Sean O'Brien has deservedly been awarded the man of the match award but, to a man, Leinster were absolutely unbelievable. And they can rightly call themselves the greatest team in Heineken Cup history. They have dominated this competition in recent years like no other team has. Yes, Toulouse have won four Cups, but they haven't owned this tournament in quite the same way Leinster have.

Result: Ulster 14 Leinster 42

LEINSTER WIN THE HEINEKEN CUP!!!

LEINSTER TRY!

A lovely way to finish off this game as Cronin crosses in the corner, finishing a superb wide passing move. Try converted.

78 min Leinster aren't finished yet and a patched-up O'Driscoll charges up field, passes to Kearney, to D'Arcy... the try is there for the taking.... but it's knocked on.

LEINSTER TRY!

Heinke van der Merwe

show Healy he's not the only loose-head prop who can score at Twickenham. Conversion missed. But as things stand this is the biggest winning margin in a Heineken Cup final.

74 min Leinster's forwards decide to take control of the ball and rumble on up field against 14-man Ulster. Dave Kearney then says he's had enough of the slow-ball tactics and bursts through a couple of tackles. The overlap is there... and Heinke van der Merwe bulldozes over in the corner.

LEINSTER PENALTY!

Sexton punches the air as the ball sails through the posts. It is going to be Leinster's cup.

72 min Ulster fans who came to Twickenham full of dreams have their heads in the hands as Terblanche is sin-binned for dump tackling Sean Cronin. Penalty to Leinster and this should close the door for good on Ulster...

70 min There are just 10 minutes to go now and it's Leinster with ball in hand. Phase after phase after phase... but a shocking pass by Sexton gifts the ball back to Ulster. The men in white need to keep the ball alive, kicking possession away is simply not an option.

LEINSTER PENALTY!

Sexton makes no mistake from close range. Two converted tries needed now for Ulster to win this game.

66 min Leinster run the ball back... and it's a penalty as Rory Best fails to get to his feet. O'Driscoll hobbles off to a huge standing ovation from the Leinster supporters, with Dave Kearney coming on, as the men in blue ring the changes. Sexton, meanwhile, tees up his kick at goal...

63 min Lovely, jinking feet by Nacewa opens up a bit of space and it's Leinster's turn to pile on the pressure. This really is end to end stuff. Thorn makes hard yards up the middle. There are a lot of hands in the ruck. And Ulster turn it over before Ian Humphreys boots the ball clear.

ULSTER TRY!

The ball is spread wide and Wallace lofts a magnificent pass to

Dan Tuohy

who is able to cross unopposed and touch down in the corner. Pienaar misses the conversion.

59 min Leinster manager to turn the ball over and Kearney clears, but it's deflected off Terblanche's fingers and Trimble is able to run the ball back. It's much more around the 22 than the try line, though.

57 min Ulster's brave ambition to go for touch and seek a much-needed try comes to nothing. There are still over 20 minutes to go, surely getting points on the board was a wiser decision?! Still, Ulster have managed to get the ball back and Terblanche makes valuable metres towards the try line.

55 min Terrific grunt shown by Afoa as he ploughs into Leinster's defenders. He shows great strength to stay on his feet with three players hanging off him. And that's a penalty to Ulster. Referee Owens has a word with Leinster captain Cullen that any more infringements will result in a yellow card. Pienaar has the ball in hand, will it be a pop at goal? No, they're going for touch...

LEINSTER PENALTY!

Sexton bangs the ball between the sticks from a tricky angle. The Ulster baloon of belief has been pricked again.

50 min Leinster have the chance to strike back immediately as a penalty is awarded against Afoa for flopping off his feet. Flopping being the operative word.

ULSTER PENALTY!

Pienaar gives Ulster fans a slither of belief that an incredible comeback might still be possible with a 40m penalty, after O'Brien is pinge for a high tackle.

45 min Poor old Jackson has been substituted and it's a long way back now for Ulster. Leinster are in the mood, and Kearney bursts through the Ulster defence, offloads to O'Driscoll and Wannenburg has to make a fine last-ditch tackle. Ulster are hanging on by their fingertips at the moment.

PENALTY TRY TO LEINSTER!

Sexton converts.

43 min Some horrible, elimentary errors from Jackson are putting Ulster under pressure and he's booted the ball out on the full again to gift the ball back to Leinster. Leinster stuff the ball up their jumpers as the fowards form a maul and rumble on, they're just metres from the try line.... and it's a penalty try as Tom Court scrags Reddan!!

41 min Sexton kicks off and, after a poor return by Ulster, it's Leinster on the attack already. Reddan tries one smart offload too many, though, and Ulster have the chance to put Nacewa under pressure with an up-and-under.... well taken! Nacewa really has developed into a world-class winger. His timing is brutally efficient.

1805 No changes made by either side as we prepare for the start of the second half...

First-half round-up...

Leinster have taken a grip on this all-Ireland Heineken Cup final with first-half tries from Sean O'Brien and Cian Healy.

The defending champions slipped behind to a Ruan Pienaar penalty but then upped the intensity and O'Brien crashed over the line after a strong run from Rob Kearney.

Leinster then won a scrum against the head, a touch of genius from Brian O'Driscoll opened the Ulster defence and Healy scored from close range.

Pienaar kept Ulster's hopes alive with a second penalty on the stroke of half-time.

HALF-TIME: ULSTER 6 LEINSTER 14

ULSTER PENALTY!

Pienaar gives it a mighty hoof from 55m and it scrapes over the bar. Boy, oh boy, did Ulster need that.

39 min Ulster have to be the side who score next as we enter dead time in the first half. Penalty to Ulster and surely Pienaar, even though it's just inside his own half, will have to go for it...

34 min Ulster are a team used to getting their noses in front and defending a lead so they're going to have to reassess here or risk suffering a spanking. Pienaar takes it upon himself to take the ball forward, then Ferris makes valuable yards up the middle of the park. Jackson tries a drop-goal but it's a terrible strike and, from 10m out, it goes a metre wide. That was bang in front and Ulster needed to come away with points.

LEINSTER TRY!

From an Ulster scrum, Leinster steal the ball, O'Driscoll runs it forward and then produces a glorious back-of-the-hand offload to O'Brien who takes it on. Reddan then spreads the ball wide, after O'Brien is hauled down by Rory Best, and

Cian Healy

barrels over. Give them a sniff and they will fill their nostrils. Sexton converts.

28 min Paddy Jackson's first kick out of hand is horribly over-hit, going out on the full, and the ball is turned over to Leinster. The 20 year-old will have to rein in the nerves.

It's like a giant game of seven-a-side. Everyone's out on their feet. It's been a fantastic start, tremendous quality of rugby -

Denis Hickie

26 min O'Driscoll spots a gap and turns on the afterburners, but Trimble gambles correctly and takes his man down before he can get the pass away. Fine, fine margins.

22 min Now there's breathtaking attacking play from Leinster. Brilliant kick by Eoin Reddan sees Leinster sprinting forward, with the ball passing through the hands of Nacewa, O'Driscoll and Kearney. It's offloading at its best and a try is so nearly scored but Ulster's defence manages to get back and cover. The pace of this game is incredible.

20 min Powerul forward play by Ulster as they run the ball from their own 25m line up into the Leinster half. Some lovely touches in attack. Paddy Wallace tries a deft offload, Pedrie Wannenburg spreads the ball wide to John Afoa to Rory Best to Chris Henry to Stephen Ferris, who takes the ball on before slipping a neat pass to Terblanche, but a last-ditch tackle from Kearney drags the South African into touch.

18 min O'Brien puts boot to ball and suddenly finds himself in open space.... it's a foot race with Andrew Trimble, but Terblanche runs around to cover and kick clear. Great work by the Leinster flanker.

14 min Ulster may have taken a deserved lead but Leinster, as they do, have come crashing back into this final. It's great work by O'Driscoll in the middle of the park that is drawing defenders to him and opening up space for the likes of Kearney. Penalty for Leinster... but Sexton misses. That was a stinker and missed by a mile.

LEINSTER TRY! Sean O'Brien

, after endless replays by the TMO, is awarded the try. But it's a big call... and Sexton converts.

11 min D'Arcy makes good gains up the middle of the park and now Leinster are within 5m of the try line. Kearney makes further inroads and then Sean O'Brien dives forward... he thinks he's got it but the referee goes upstairs. Is there any reason not to give it? It's all about the grounding. Downward pressure looks to be there, but is the Leinster flanker a milimetre short?

8 min Leinster need to re-group. Isa Nacewa makes good yards down the left flank and at last we are starting to see some slick passing from the likes of O'Driscoll and D'Arcy. Turn over ball, however, and Stefan Terblanche boots the ball upfield. He took the ball back inside his own 22, though, so the ball goes back up field and is in Leinster's possession. Bad mistake from the former Springbok.

ULSTER PENALTY!

Pienaar opens Ulster's account after a strong start and now they have points to show for it

6 min It's Leinster being asked the questions as they are forced to repel wave after wave of Ulster attack. Penalty to Ulster and it's well inside Pienaar's range, 25m out...

4 min Great run down the middle from Darren Cave. Expolding through a gap left by a flat-footed Leo Cullen and he's hauled down just 15 metres from the Leinster line. Cave has been talked about as the next BOD and he's shown why there. Great start for Ulster.

3 min Ulster show their intentions to run the ball and it's a penalty to the Northern Irishmen. Probably just out of Ruan Pienaar's range so he goes for the corner.

1 min First high ball of the match is put up by Ulster and Rob Kearney show nerves of steal to claim. However, a knock-on in contact means the opening scrum is an Ulster feed.

1659 Here come the players.. and Twickenham erupts. A sea of blue flags on one side and white on the other. Conditions are absolutely perfect.

1654 A giant Heineken Cup in the middle of the Twickenham pitch has just opened up to dramatic music revealing... da-da-daaah.... the actual Heineken Cup. Hurray! A quick teaser for the players, telling them "This is what you could win".

1652 A late change for Leinster. John Cooney replaces the injured Isaac Boss on the subs bench.

1650 It looks like the powers that be at Twickers have strewn some old school red telephone boxes and branded London cabs along the touchlines to remind anyone in any doubt where exactly this match is taking place. One thing is a certainty from today, however - a fifth Irish winner in seven years.

We’ve learnt a lot along the way, from when the scrum fell apart against Toulouse two years ago and Cian went away with the rest of the forwards determined that it wouldn’t happen again. The boys got slaughtered for that and you can see how they’ve improved. Leinster is not just about the backs, you know? -

Jonathan Sexton

Team details:

Leinster XV: Rob Kearney; Fergus McFadden, Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Isa Nacewa; Johnny Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Jamie Heaslip, Sean O'Brien, Kevin McLaughlin; Brad Thorn, Leo Cullen (capt); Mike Ross, Richardt Strauss, Cian Healy
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Heinke Van der Merwe, Nathan White, Devin Toner, Shane Jennings, Isaac Boss, Ian Madigan, Dave Kearney

Ulster XV: Stefan Terblanche; Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Paddy Wallace, Craig Gilroy; Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar; Pedrie Wannenburg, Chris Henry, Stephen Ferris; Dan Tuohy, Johann Muller (capt); John Afoa, Rory Best, Tom Court
Replacements: Nigel Brady, Paddy McAllister, Declan Fitzpatrick, Lewis Stevenson, Willie Faloon, Paul Marshall, Ian Humphreys, Adam D'Arcy

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

Will Greenwood's prediction:

This sort of match will always go down to the wire. What you may expect to see happen, what you think will unfold because of what is down on the team sheet or strategy paper, rarely comes to bear. With their Heineken Cup winning pedigree and familiarity with everything that today entails, you might expect Leinster by 10. Don’t bet your mortgage on it. By the finest of Irish margins, I come down on Leinster’s side -

Leinster by 4

1635 Leinster have been installed as favourites for today's final, and for good reason - they retain possession better than any other side in the competition. Not withstanding the fact they have the likes of O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, Kearney and Nacewa in the back line; O'Brien, Heaslip, Healy, Cullen, Thorn and Ross can deny the greatest scavengers even a sniff of the ball. Just like this...

1634 Even players who aren't involved in today's game are flocking to Twickenham to take in the action. Better get your skates on Mouritz...

1632 Telegraph Sport columnist Will Greenwood has tested himself against the clock ahead of today's clash with our Heineken Cup quiz. See how he got on

1630 Hello and welcome to what promises to be a Clash of the Irish Titans. Let us set the scene... O'Driscoll v Trimble, Sexton v Pienaar, O'Brien v Ferris. These are confrontations that would grace any international game, let alone a club match. This, though, is the Heineken Cup. This is proper, full-blooded, tribal rugby and, in true Highlander tradition... there can be only one!

To whet the appetite, some required reading, so dig your chops into these....

Mick Cleary - A battle in the grandest Irish tradition

Brendan Gallagher's Heineken Cup A-Z

Will Greenwood - Sexton and Pienaar will decide outcome