'The Hand of Back' - Munsters 2002 Heineken Cup Heartbreak

It may have been a loss for Munster but it was still a great 'moral victory' for the whole of Ireland.  Many years before Thierry Henrys 'Hand of God' act there was Neil Back for Leicester at The Millenium Stadium in Cardiff in The 2002 Heineken Cup Final.  Trailing 15 points to 9 with an attacking scrum under the Leicester posts Neil Back knocked the ball from Peter Stringers hands robbing Munster of posession in the dying seconds and denying them of a chance to win the Cup.  It was the second time in three years that Munster, with support from the whole of Ireland no doubt, had lost a European Cup final.  The loss in 2000 against Northampton was by a single point after Ronan O'Gara had missed a kick at goal in the dying seconds.  

Yet another heartbreaking 'moral victory'

However all of these moral victories endured by Munster and the rest of Ireland were soon put to bed when in the 2006 final  at the same venue they beat Biarritz of France in a tightly fought contest by a score of 23 points to 19.