Jimmy Cliff's classic could apply to this final round of Heineken and Amlin games, as with each passing game, the picture becomes clearer as to the Quarter Final line-ups.
It all started with Thursday's Amlin Challenge Group 5 games. Agen handed a 6th brutal stuffing to Spanish champions La Vila (though is it me, or where once we saw 80-odd point defeats, are we now seeing 60-odd point defeats?) while the Top 2 played off at Edgeley Park. After an emotional minute's silence, Sale started the better, the tactic of having Brive's bus stopped on the Motorway clearly bearing fruit... I jest. Sale took a 9-3 lead, only to relinquish 3 points on the stroke of half-time. Still, the 8 point margin required was within a score. Not for long though. Brive equalised, and when the Sharks turned down an easy, preferring to go for a try, and knocked on, a trick had been missed. Ever more needy as the game went on, they tried to force the pace, with Burrell and Miller particularly shining in adversity, but Brive scored the only try of the night through the ubiquitous and excellent Claassens, and Caminati added conversion and a 4th penalty to leave Sale out to dry at 9-19. Brive qualified with 6 out of 6. Sale finished a gallant second and can concentrate on the Premiership.
Friday Evening
Gloucester vs Toulouse on the big screen, Connacht vs Harlequins on the small one. Time delay on one, but you can't have everything. Toulouse's destiny in their own hands, Harlequins requiring help from Gloucester to guarantee their qualification rather than having to wait on the result from Clermont-Ferrand.
Gloucester started promisingly, and for 61 seconds looked good, until Nick Wood, overlooked by England for their EPS, was sin-binned for reckless use of the feet. The Shed agreed whole-heartedly of course. Clearly, Matanavou disagreed and he gave Gloucester a welcome present with a dreadful piece of attempted line-clearing with 3 Gloucester backs in his face: charge-down, touched down, Toulouse 7-0 down. Harlequins clearly weren't in the mood for receiving generosity and in turn gave away a kickable penalty which O'Connor translated into 3 points.
Toulouse were irked clearly, and when a gap opened up the World Player of the Year (somehow) went under the posts and made it 7-5, the conversion tying things up. Almost simultaneously, Quins went in at the corner through Sam Smith to take the lead 5-3. The wind preventing the kick. Gloucester, meanwhile, through a clever kick and chase from Tindall, earned a penalty, and Burns hit the post.
As you can tell, a frantic opening 10 minutes, which ended with both Toulouse and Gloucester with a theoretical 20 points (which would see Toulouse qualify).
Gloucester infringed in front of their sticks on 13 allowing Beauxis to push Toulouse ahead, and a moment later O'Connor succeeded with another penalty to put Connacht ahead. With the wind behind, Connacht were playing the right sort of game. Matanavou made up for his ghastly error, running in an easy try after sweet Toulouse hands, and O'Connor slotted another 3 in Galway. The keyboard is seeing smoke come up as I try to follow everything, and after 20, Toulouse led 17-7 while Connacht edged Harlequins 9-5.
Gloucester's points had come from a sheer gift. Toulouse bossed the opening hands down. Quins were meanwhile building pressure in the Connacht 22 and eventually won a penalty which, given the wind, they were wise to put in the corner. A front throw, a rolling maul.... a knock-on. Wasted opportunity. Gloucester though finally produced quick ball, worked a simple overlap and sent Qera in in the corner. Burns converted and Gloucester were back within 3 at 17-14.
Harlequins and Connacht were involved ina "proper rugby game" in Galway. Wind, rain, errors - everything we experienced on the pitch at school. As the clock ticked round to 30 mins in Gloucester, Toulouse were up by 3 and Quins behind, though the wind would certainly help their second half cause.
Gloucester and Toulouse were both offering plenty of attacking flare. Gloucester growing more and more into the game as the first half went on. Beauxis hit the post with the last kick of the first half though, as it ended 17-14 to the visitors. A high quality and entertaining 40 minutes of rugby. Harlequins were blunted by the conditions, as were Connacht of course. The attritional nature of the game meant 4 minutes delay versus the game at Kinghsolm. With three minutes to half time, Quins were penalised and O'Connor, to put it politely, missed.
At half-time Toulouse were qualified and Harlequins were on their way out. 40 minutes is a long time though, and with the wind at their backs, Harlequins were still favourites.
Beauxis missed a long-distance penalty in the first meaningful action of the second half at Kingsholm but as Gloucester replied, another clever kick from Tindall, collected by May, who fed Sharples and Gloucester had a third try and the lead. If it fed through to Galway, Quins would feel the confidence ebb through their veins. Burns kick hit the post and looked to go over, but the two touch judges who were next to it, decided they need tv evidence, which confirmed the kick and Gloucester led 21-17.
Harlequins still needed to turn things round in Ireland, and started the second half camped in Connacht territory. A great chip through and Monye just failed to grab a ball which bounced extremely high, and Connacht escaped with a 5 metre scrum. Quins were camped deep in the 22 though, and both English sides were showing strongly in the early moments of the second half. In 8 minutes, Connacht had not spent a second in the Quins half.
Gloucester stretched the lead to 7 after Burns successfully kicked a penalty following a Toulouse offside. Burns tried again from his own half 5 minutes later, but was a good 7 or 8 yards short. Toulouse had been quiet for long periods, but Matanavou went over for his second try of the evening, which Beauxis converted to make it 24-24: enough for them to qualify. Quins nudged back into it with an Evans penalty to make it 9-8 Connacht. The tightness of the Heineken Cup never more in evidence than tonight.
As the weather took its toll, Harlequins experience started to bear fruit. Silly errors from Connacht meant they continually faced extreme pressure. From a basic knock-on in the 22, Harlequins scrum again took its toll and won another penalty. Evans lined up a kick which he missed, shortly followed by a successful kick from Burns at Kingsholm. Gloucester led, Harlequins should have led, but Toulouse still scraped through as it stood.
Were this not enough, Gloucester took the ball from deep, Simpson Daniel fed a rampaging May who went over in the corner to score a 4th try, converted by Burns, to give them a 34-24 lead. 10 minutes remained in Galway for Quins to turn things around and ensure qualification. Quins hands were just not good enough though and knock-on from Brown cost them dearly. A final scrum in Connacht territory and Harlequins needed to provoke a penalty. Gloucester and Toulouse had finished 3 minutes earlier and this was truly the last throw of the dice. Quins could not manage it though, and now need an Ulster win and a miracle draw between Biarritz and Ospreys to qualify themselves.
Toulouse win the Pool, but lose the home Quarter Final in all probability. Harlequins look like Amlin Quarter Finalists now.
Phew. Rendez-vous tomorrow? Thought so.
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