Leinster kings of Europe

Leinster were crowned Heineken Cup champions at the first time of asking with a nail-biting 19-16 victory over Leicester at Murrayfield.

The Irish side hit back from 16-9 down just after half-time, a try from Jamie Heaslip and a crucial penalty from Jonathan Sexton 10 minutes from time handing Tigers a second final defeat in three years to deny them a league and cup double.

Leinster showed little sign of nerves on their first appearance in the final of Europe's premier event and were full value for the win after dominating long periods of play, only the sin-binning of Stan Wright before half-time allowing the Tigers to edge ahead.

Julien Dupuy missed a fairly easy chance to give Leicetser a third minute lead, and it was the ever-invaluable Brian O'Driscoll who slotted the first points with a drop goal four minutes later after the first of many Rocky Elsom charges set up good position.

Leinster dominant

But Tigers were back on terms moments later when Heaslip infringed at the ruck, Dupuy making no mistake this time from in front of the posts.

Leinster were starting to dominate possession though and while Leicester appeared to have momentarily cleared their lines Sexton lofted a huge drop goal from the 10-metre line.

Tigers continued to come under the cosh and weren't helped by being overwhelmed at the lineout, George Chuter losing four of six as the Irish forwards took control.

Craig Newby and Ben Woods did remarkably well to pull back Gordon D'Arcy inches from the line after he was put in superbly by Sexton, and Tigers breathed a sigh of relief when Leinster were penalised for not releasing.

The Leinster fly-half extended the lead in the 24th minute, kicking a first penalty after Tigers hands killed it, but the tide started to turn after half an hour when Dan Hipkiss took a difficult ball on his own 22.

Slipping through several tackles, the speedy centre made ground before kicking ahead and forcing Leinster to scramble back.

And it gave Tigers rare impetus which saw Tom Croft held up before Sam Vesty was tackled off the ball in a possible try-scoring position, referee Nigel Owens having little option but to send Stan Wright to the sin-bin with eight minutes left of the first period before Dupuy nudged over the subsequent penalty.

It was time for the Irish to defend for their lives but the Guinness Premiership side finally made the extra man count with a minute remaining in the half, Vesty offloading to Woods who crashed through two tackles to touch down - Dupuy extending the lead to 13-9 at the break.

Heaslip crosses

And the second-half started in similar vein, Cian Healy giving away a simple penalty by coming in from the side, Dupuy adding the three points from in front of the sticks.

But Wright's return to the fray saw momentum swing back, and after Tigers lost captain Geordan Murphy to a leg injury it was Heaslip who stretched to score after O'Driscoll set up good position, Shane Jennings assisting in getting his team-mate to the try-line.

The next 20 minutes passed without further addition to the score, the physical intensity being raised a notch particularly following the introduction of former England forward Julian White to the Leicester scrum.

Neither group of eight were able to carve an opening though, and it increasingly became a case of whoever scored next would lift the trophy.

And it was Leinster who won a crucial penalty - Wright again involved as Tigers illegally handled in the ruck - and Sexton booted it over from left of the posts to give the Irish the lead with 10 minutes left.

Tired legs meant errors started to creep in, Vesty putting the re-start out on the full before Shane Horgan knocked on inside his own half under little pressure.

The onus was on the Premiership side to take it to the opposition, but Leinster were intent on keeping hold of possession and although Vesty was able to find touch, the Irish won the lineout before kicking ahead and bundling Scott Hamilton into touch inside his own 22.

Tigers just couldn't get their hands on the ball until the inevitable final push, but replacement Louis Deacon found himself isolated on the ground and when Owens called play for not releasing it was the blue of Leinster who celebrated a breathtaking win.