Heineken Cup final: Leinster 33-22 Northampton as it happened

Oh my, the lights are knocked off in the Millennium and it's a spectacle to behold as the Leinster team go up to collect the cup. What a day. Pity the world is due to end in five minutes! Cheerio.

Jonny Sexton: "We struggled first half to get any sory of platform. Luckily we have some good leaders in this team and we regrouped."

That was not just one of the best finals I've ever seen, but one of the best games of rugby for a long time.

Leinster have proved they have guts like no other team in Europe and are deserved champions for a second time in three years. It's finished Leinster 33-22 Northampton.

O'Driscoll with a bit of showboating with a reverse pass. And it's all over...

LEINSTER ARE HEINEKEN CUP CHAMPIONS!

The game has fizzled out but it's been an epic. One we'll always remember. Only a minute remains and it's just a matter of playing it out to the final whistle.

Heineken Cup final Man-of-the-Match 2011 is Jonathan Sexton. Couldn't really be anyone else. Stan Wright, Fergus McFadden and Devin Toner have all come on. Sexton gets a huge sheer as he's one of three taken off.

Northampton have five minutes to rekindle their form of the first half. It feels like two completely different finals at this stage. Clock is ticking though and it doesn't look too promising for the Saints. They're running into cul de sacs.

Sean O'Brien forces the Saints into an error to earn a penalty in midfield. There are a lot of heroes out there today but another score would give insurance at this stage for Leinster.

A rare attack from Northampton as Ben Foden sets off from deep. He releases Chris Ashton who is sucked up by Nacewa. He's had a fantastic game at full-back.

Sexton misses a penalty to break the all-time record for the most points scored in a Heineken Cup final. He'll get another chance I'm sure.

Four changes made by Northampton. I'm keeping my eyes on the action for now. You have to savour this.

From way back it was Nathan Hines who started the momentum and ended up booming over the line in the corner. Sexton converts and now there's virtually no hope for the Saints.

TRY LEINSTER!

Leinster sense a try again. Wondeful hold from Leo Cullen... are they there?

Heinke van der Merwe is on for Cian Healy. We have 17 minutes left to play and the Saints haven't threatened once in this half. Leinster can kill this game off now with the numerical advantage.

It's such an overused term in sport but what is unfolding is absolutely incredible. Northampton can't live with the Irish and James Downey is sinbinned. Sexton kicks an easy penalty.

The turnaround has happened so fast it's pretty hard to assess. Northampton have been hit by wave after wave of Leinster power and determination. Men have become giants in blue and now they drive for another try...

It's good from Sexton. Right down the barrel of the gun.

Penalty to Leinster! Very kickable. Only 15 minutes ago they were 16 points down. Now it's a chance to go one ahead.

That's 20 points from Jonny Sexton today after a second try and conversion, amazing. What a cup final. We couldn't have asked for more here.

TRY LEINSTER!

The decision doesn't knock Leinster off their stride, they're on the attack again and Sexton goes through again...

No try awarded. Controversial but on the video evidence it was a difficult one to give. Major talking point.

It's gone to the video referee.

Could it be a second? Again Leinster are just a couple of metres from the line. It's switched to the far side and has D'Arcy got over?

It's a different Leinster side in these first few minutes of the second half. Sexton and Reddan are bossing it out there now and that's one thing that's been missing.

Heaslip, O'Driscoll, Nacewa and Reddan all plough through until Sexton is left in space and powers into the corner. Game on now as Sexton is on target with the conversion off the post.

TRY LEINSTER!

They get within five metres of the line but the Saints turn it over and away from danger.

Shane Jennings has come on for Leinster. And the Blues look lively already. Nacewa bursts through, we're on the 10th phase of an attack here. Come on lads.

We're up and running in the second half.

Leinster had nine missed tackles in that half, their average per game in the Heineken Cup this season has been 10.4.

Half-time snapshot:

Stunned, baffled, perplexed. Take your pick from a Leinster perspective. Northampton are in complete control all over the field. In fact, Leinster's two scores came through errors from the Saints. It's not over yet but there will need to be an extraordinary upheaval. This is not the real Leinster.

39'

Dylan Hartley touches down for an astonishing third try for Northampton. Myler hits the post. And that brings us to half-time.

38'

TRY NORTHAMPTON!

Northampton push for a third try... they're just inches away. Camped on the line...

An incredible eight handling erros from Leinster so far. Tells its own story, doesn't it?

Penalty for Leinster... Sexton slams it over but Leinster really need a five-pointer before the break. No-one saw this coming.

That try was all about Stephen Myler. He'd made it to with a few metres of the Leinster line before he was held up. Ball was recycled rapidl and there was no living with Foden's darting run.

You wouldn't think the Saints are playing with 14 men out there. Ben Foden bounds over in the same corner as Dowson scored. Myler's coversion is on the money again.

TRY NORTHAMPTON!

Leo Cullen has a few words with the ref. What a softly spoken chap he is but we can hear him throw in a f***.

Tom Mercey on for Calum Clark as a blood sub.

Mike Ross is struggling big time in the Leinster pack. Tonga'uiha is ripping them to shreds in there.

Brian Mujati sinbinned for a pull of the shirt on Cian Healy off the ball.

How the heck? Superb move from Leinster and O'Driscoll looked home an hosed only for Ben Foden to make a brilliant tackle to prevent the try. It's been a whirlwind first 20 minutes or so.

Looked like he shanked it but it crept in. Is lady luck on Northampton's side today?

Shane Horgan offloads to Richardt Strauss, he could have been away in a hack had the ball not bounced off his chest. Northampton have turned it over now and forced a penalty. Chance here for Myler but long way out.

Dylan Hartley gives away a penalty on the Leinster 22. The Saints are immense apart from a few errors. If they tidy up their act they'll be difficult to beat here today.

Leinster not out of second gear yet.

Penalty to Leinster. Sexton makes no mistake.

Leinster are definitely shaken after that but they're in Northampton's 22 now and starting to play it about. Gordon D'Arcy makes an error and it's scrum time again. The Blues look loke they'll struggle in this department all day.

Phil Dowson is the man to draw first blood after Calum Clark created the opporunity. Beauty in the corner. And the try is converted by Stephen Myler.

TRY NORTHAMPTON!

Soane Tonga'uiha with four carries already for Northampton. He looks very threatening. Scrum to the Saints after Sexton kicked a  monster ball down field from well inside his own half but the ball went dead.

It's a frenetic start and the Saints are piling on the pressure. Super defence from Leinster though, not allowing the Saints inside the 22.

00'

And we're underway in the Heineken Cup final 2011 as Stephen Myler kicks off after officials eventually found a rugby ball!

Talk about knowing how to get insode our heads. Nearly all adverts on Sky are those ready-for-battle type. Katie Taylor bashing away on that bag. Who's not up for it after that?

The 16th Heineken Cup final on the way... minutes now.

Leinster and the Saints going through their paces in warm-ups on the field. The Millennium is now a cauldron and I'm well tuned up for this one as well.

Do I have to make a prediction? Hmm...

... Leinster 28-23 Northampton.

So, no-one crying off from either team. We're all set for a cracker with the teams to played as named, below.

Brian O'Drisoll will play for sure and Joe Schmidt has been just speaking about the star centre.

He’s the master of making other people feel calm.

He'll have to score a try in the first minute for that to ring true for Leinster fans today. Tension builds.

Ryan Tubridy has gone mental ahead of the big one. He tweets:

Kettle on. Biscuits chosen. Leinster to win please. #comeonleinster

The Millennium Stadium is filling up nicely now and we still have 30 minutes before kick-off.

Here's Leinster fan Eddie Dempsey. Dead cert to score tonight in that outfit.

If you fancy having a punt on the final it's best look for a novelty bet of first try scorer as Leinster are overwhelming favourites to do the business, a general price of 1/3 and Northampton chalked up at about 5/2.

Isa Nacewa at 14/1 to touch down first looks tempting to me. What do you think?

We've already given you the head to head battle between O'Driscoll and Downey. What about the all-Irish Number 8 battle between Jamie Heaslip and Roger Wilson? You can read that one here.

Don't you just love the slow-motion recap of the road to Cardiff on Sky Sports? Makes you feel all fuzzy inside. Well, a little.

Oh, and just one more from one of Leinster’s most ardent supporters, Ross O’Carroll-Kelly – gave me a chuckle earlier in the week anyway:

30,000 Northampton jerseys have been sold in Munster so far this week. Suppliers are now planning to airdrop more on the stricken province.

Okay, we're just an hour away from kick-off and Twitter is ablaze with predictions, where people are settling in for the match and some confusion in pubs. Here's a sample of tweets:

@paulgmoran Would give my right arm to be in Cardiff today. Killester with projector and cans will have to do. COME ON LEINSTER!!!

@nbrez Dear Leinster, please win handsomely to give me a guilt free evening on the piss in London city. Ps I love you

@qualitystweet Me: "Hi, are you showing the Leinster Rugby match today?" Pub: "That's the soccer, right?" Me: "No. Rugby." Pub: "No we're not showin ruggy"

Good afternoon and welcome to JOE.ie's live tracker of the biggest day in the calendar year of club rugby.

Leinster are looking to repeat their heroics of 2009 when they captured the Heineken Cup in a final with Leicester. This time around it's Northampton who stand in their way.

I'll be joining you from 4pm onwards but for now here's a few bits to chew on:

O'Driscoll v Downey - a major head to head battle and five of the best tries from the competition this season so far.

And, of course, you'll be wanting the line-ups for today:

Leinster: Isa Nacewa; Shane Horgan, Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald; Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Cian Healy, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross; Leo Cullen (capt.), Nathan Hines, Kevin McLaughlin, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Jason Harris-Wright, Heinke van der Merwe, Stan Wright, Devin Toner, Shane Jennings, Isaac Boss, Ian Madigan, Fergus McFadden.

Northampton Saints: Ben Foden; Chris Ashton, Jon Clarke, James Downey, Paul Diggin; Stephen Myler, Lee Dickson; Soane Tonga'uiha, Dylan Hartley [capt], Brian Mujati, Courtney Lawes, Christian Day, Calum Clark, Phil Dowson, Roger Wilson.

Replacements: Brett Sharman, Alex Waller, Tom Mercey, Mark Sorenson, Mark Easter, Stuart Commins, Shane Geraghty, Joe Ansbro.