Cardiff Blues 26-26 Leicester (after extra-time; Leicester win 7-6 in penalty shoot-out)

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By Bryn Palmer

1737 BST: Right, that's it folks. After one of the most incredible games we've ever seen, Leicester are into their fifth Heineken Cup final, where they will face Leinster at Murrayfield on Saturday 23 May. Thanks for your company today. See you in Edinburgh.

"Some might say that it was poetic justice that Martyn Williams missed his kick. Anyway well done to Leicester, on the overall balance of the game I feel that they were the better team. They will have a hard time of beating a very strong Leinster team though." eirebilly on 606

1733 BST: Leicester captain Geordan Murphy admits: "I feel very sorry for the guys that missed. It is a horrible way to go out. We didn't want to win it like that, and it is not a fantastic way to win, to be honest. We will have to play a lot better in the final."

1730 BST: Tigers hero Jordan Crane says: "I always have a little go at kicking with Julien (Dupuy) after training. I think I preferred the pressure after he missed, than having to get it. It was great to see it go over."

1727 BST: Heartbreak for Martyn Williams, who's getting a consoling word from Martin Corry, the non-playing Leicester captain today.

1726 BST: BLUES 6-7 LEICESTER Martyn Williams, of all people, pulls his horribly wide for the Blues. Leicester number eight Jordan Crane steps up and nudges his over, calm as you like. LEICESTER ARE IN THE FINAL.

1724 BST: BLUES 6-6 LEICESTER Scrum-half Richie Rees scuffs his but it creeps over the bar. Grins all round on Blues faces. Leicester flanker Craig Newby steps up and lands his. Incredible stuff.

1723 BST: BLUES 5-5 LEICESTER Tom Shanklin steps up and cooly dispatches his pen. Aaron Mauger does the same. It goes on!

1722 BST: BLUES 4-4 LEICESTER Scott Hamilton, fair play to him, holds his nerve superbly to level the scores. We're into sudden death.

1721 BST: BLUES 4-3 LEICESTER Tom James, with a chance to put Cardiff into the final, pulls his effort wide.

1720 BST: BLUES 4-3 LEICESTER Sweeney makes it four out of four for the Blues, but Johne Murphy skews his wide of the left post. Agony for the poor lad.

1718 BST: BLUES 3-3 LEICESTER Jesus, my stomach's churning. Halfpenny steps up and edges the Blues back in front. Geordan Murphy pulls his slightly, but it sneaks inside the posts.

1717 BST: BLUES 2-2 LEICESTER Nicky Robinson lands his, Sam Vesty keeps his cool too.

1716 BST: BLUES 1-1 LEICESTER Blair lands the first one for Blues, Dupuy replies for Leicester.

1713 BST: Looks like the Blues kickers will be Blair, Sweeney, Halfpenny, Robinson, and Tom James, probably.

100 mins: FULL-TIME AFTER EXTRA-TIME: Cardiff Blues 26-26 Leicester History in the making here folks. Five players from each side will have a shot at goal from in front of the posts initially.

100 mins: Crane chips ahead, and Croft gathers and makes ground. Last chance for Tigers. The ball goes to ground and that's it. It's a penalty shoot-out!

98 mins: The referee questions why Dupuy is back on for the Tigers. Hipkiss has apparently got a blood injury. Hmm. The Blues bring on Ceri Sweeney, another kicker, with a penalty shoot-out looming.

98 mins: Leicester wing Johne Murphy beats his man and hares up the left wing, before getting excited and kicking straight into touch. Can either side manufacture a score in these last couple of minutes?

96 mins: Blues on the attack for the first time in this second period of extra-time.

"I wasn't banking on extra time... yet another excuse to ignore this essay... ha." StormofSilenceon 606

94 mins: Mauger takes a challenging pass from Geordan Murphy, and kicks it out on the full up the left touchline. We're five or so minutes away from rugby's first ever penalty shoot-out.

92 mins: Tom Croft is pinged for coming in the side of a ruck. Ben Kay is off, Marco Wentzel is on in his place.

91 mins: Leicester start the second period on the attack, and Aaron Mauger tries an unconvincing drop-goal attempt, which is charged down.

90 mins: HALF-TIME OF EXTRA-TIME: Cardiff Blues 26-26 Leicester Beg your pardon. It's only the second semi to go to extra-time. That Munster-Wasps epic didn't go to extra-time, it just felt like it. That's the first half of extra-time over, and no further score as yet. If it remains that way, this game will be decided by kicks at goal!

89 mins: This is the third Heineken cup semi-final to go to extra-time by the way. Toulouse-Brive was the first in 1998, Munster-Wasps the other one in 2004.

88 mins: With Gethin Jenkins receiving some treatment, the drinks bottles are sent on and the players take a well-earned breather.

86 mins: Johne Murphy kicks straight out on the full, giving Blues an attacking platform from the line-out. Andy Powell is starting to make his presence felt with some strong charges, but a Cardiff move breaks down when Nicky Robinson knocks on.

85 mins: Leicester wing Johne Murphy tries an audacious drop-goal from way out, and it's only just wide of the sticks. Worth a try.

83 mins: Leigh Halfpenny comes in off his right flank into the line as the Blues try to inject some pace into proceedings.

81 mins: Nicky Robinson kicks off. Geordan Murphy - back on after his 10 minutes' rest - takes a high ball.

"Come on Cardiff. This aint helping me for my exam tomorrow but its worth it."
EamonH on 606

1643: Blues about to get extra-time under way. Leicester are back up to a full complement of 15 by the way.

"Exciting game but can someone explain why Martyn Williams wasn't sin-binned when he twice conceded a penalty when a try was on for the Tigers. Both Murphy and Newby went."
show_time on 606

80 mins: FULL-TIME: Cardiff Blues 26-26 Leicester It's extra-time folks! Referee Alain Rolland brings a pulsating 80 minutes to a close, but we've now got another 20, 10 minutes each way. Where's your money?

79 mins: Bread of Heaven being heard around the Millennium Stadium now. Blues threatening a grandstand finish.

76 mins: TRY Cardiff Blues 26-26 Leicester Unbelievable stuff. Blues attack from their own 22, Roberts smashes his way through a couple of tackles and feeds Tom James, who thinks about passing inside, thinks again, and rounds a flailing Tiger on the outside to touch down in the left corner. A nerveless Ben Blair lands another magnificent conversion. All square with three minutes left.

74 mins: TRY Cardiff Blues 17-26 Leicester Hope for the Blues! Lovely pass from Nicky Robinson to Jamie Roberts, who just about has the legs to force his way over. Blair adds a superb conversion from the touchline. Game on.

72 mins:Ben Kay - who's had a storming game - comes through to steal a line-out. The Blues then set Shanklin and Halfpenny away, but again Leicester re-group in defence.

"Keep it up Tigers! I don't support Tigers very often... but they're holding up the English front.... So keep the discipline, keep the control, keep the skill and keep that bit of luck.."
StormofSilence on 606

70 mins:The Tigers are spoiling well, and do enough to withstand another Blues onslaught. Craig Newby is due back on any minute, to bring Leicester back up to 14.

68 mins:A deliberate knock-on from Geordan Murphy, and the Tigers are reduced to 13 men as the captain is also dispatched to the sin-bin. Can the Blues take advantage?

67 mins: Nicky Robinson opts for chip ahead with numbers outside him. Hamilton takes the ball into touch and a chance for the Blues from the line-out.

65 mins: Leicester - down to 14 men, lest we forget - have picked up the pace again, Jordan Crane surging towards the Blues line. From the resultant scrum, the Tigers power forces Andy Powell to scramble the ball away. This is impressive stuff from the two-time European champions.

63 mins: The chance comes to nothing when Tigers win a penalty, which Geordan Murphy kicks to touch.

62 mins: Blues run a quick penalty, and with Leicester back-pedalling, Craig Newby commits a cynical offence at the ruck, and is duly dispatched to the sin-bin. Opportunity perhaps for the hosts.

61 mins: Sad sightfor Tigers fans. Flood limps off injured, Mauger - who was on earlier briefly - comes back into the fray.

60 mins: Cardiff send on Andy Powell for the final quarter, but it's asking a lot of the Lion-to-be to change this game around. Leicester send on Benjamin Kayser for Chuter.

59 mins: PENALTY Cardiff Blues 12-26 Leicester The Leicester pack are really squeezing their hosts now. Craig Newby makes some ground, Blair fumbles a loose ball, and Martyn Williams concedes another penalty. Dupuy, who had a shakey start, lands the kick with ease.

55 mins: PENALTY Cardiff Blues 12-23 Leicester Dupuy knocks over an easy penalty. Worrying times for the Blues. They need to get the next score, you sense, or this game could be out of reach.

54 mins:Leicester on the attack again, the impressive Croft picking up a loose ball one-handed and making ground down the right. The Blues are eventually forced to concede a penalty, Martyn Williams the culprit.

53 mins: Leicester hooker George Chuter gets a talking-to from referee Alain Rolland for a bit of over-use of the boot at a ruck.

50 mins: Toby Flood's left hand stymies a promising Cardiff attack, and Geordan Murphy clears to touch. Tigers send on a couple of replacements - Aaron Mauger for Hipkiss at centre, Julian White for Castro at tight-head.

49 mins: Blues force a Tigers scrum round 90 degrees to earn their own put-in. The Welsh region have not given up on this by a long shot.

48 mins: Storming attack from the Blues. Rush and Molitika leading the charge, continued by Martyn Williams and Deinol Jones. But the Leicester defence holds firm.

45 mins: TRY Cardiff Blues 12-20 Leicester Dupuy starts, Flood holds the Blues defence before sending Geordan Murphy through the gap to score under the posts. Clinical. Dupuy pops over the conversion.

44 mins: Nicky Robinson has a kick charged down on his own 22 but the Blues clear the danger. But Leicester launch a counter through Johne Murphy, and are looking dangerous here.

42 mins: Another good claim of a high ball from Geordan Murphy. The Tigers skipper is having an influential game. His opposite number Ben Blair spills one to set Leicester on the attack.

1554: Toby Flood has just got the second half under way.

1552: Afternoon all. Well, what a second half we have in prospect. With the strength in depth available on both benches, it's unlikely the pace is going to slacken off.

By Mark Orlovac

1549: Cheers for your company. My esteemed colleague Bryn Palmer will be taking you through the second half. Tidy.

"Leicester have done most of the running but just can't manage to pull away at the moment."
eirebilly on 606

HALF-TIME Cardiff Blues 12-13 Leicester
Well that was some 40 minutes. If you can predict a winner then you are a braver man than I.

38 mins: PENALTY Cardiff Blues 12-13 Leicester
The Tigers now turn the screw, Cardiff are offside near their own line and Dupuy puts his side back in front again. What a ridiculous match this is.

36 mins: PENALTY Cardiff Blues 12-10 Leicester
You really can't take your eyes off this game for a minute. From the restart, Leicester are offside as Flood kicks the ball and after a bit of backchat, a penalty is given. Halfpenny steps up and the ball creeps over the bar. Great kick.

34 mins: PENALTY Cardiff Blues 9-10 Leicester
Cardiff chase the kick superbly and Tigers wing Johne Murphy is caught in possession. Blair claims the three points.

33 mins: The Tigers attack comes to an end after 21 phases when they give away a penalty. We haven't got time to find out what it was for as Martyn Williams taps and then hoofs the ball downfield.

31 mins: It's all Leicester now. Blues centre Jamie Roberts shows his strength to stop a rampaging Hamilton inside the 22 with a thumping hit.

28 mins: PENALTY Cardiff Blues 6-10 Leicester
The Blues stop the rot with a Halfpenny penalty from just inside the Leicester half. They really needed that.

26 mins: PENALTY Cardiff Blues 3-10 Leicester
What a turnaround. Blues prop Faao Filise goes high on Tom Croft, although the tackle was not malicious, and Dupuy increases Leicester's lead.

22 mins: TRY Cardiff Blues 3-7 Leicester
Flood draws in Blair and Jamie Roberts and releases Scott Hamilton for the game's first try with a sublime off-load out of the back of his hand. Dupuy kicks the conversion from in front of the posts.

22 mins: Leicester go agonisingly close to the Blues line following a wonderful break by Vesty but Maama Molitika produces a stunning try-saving tackle on Geordan Murphy.

20 mins: Blues lock Bradley Davies concedes a penalty near halfway and Dupuy's kick goes just wide. Tigers head coach Richard Cockerill is sitting in the stands and speaks into his wrist like an agent on Spooks - Toby Flood, get your kicking boots on.

15 mins: Leicester have the perfect opportunity to hit back immediately but Dupuy's second penalty hits the upright. Should the Tigers change their kicker?

13 mins: PENALTY Cardiff Blues 3-0 Leicester
A wonderful move from the Blues sees the Welsh side carve open the Leicester defence. Martyn Williams collects at the back of a line-out and feeds inside to the charging Halfpenny. The wing is brought down by a wonderful tackle from Tom Croft, but the England flanker is given a warning for hands in the ruck and Ben Blair opens the scoring.

11 mins: Mistake from Halfpenny. He does not get in the right position to collect a high ball and knocks on - handing Leicester a scrum. The Tigers gave away a penalty at the set piece however, and Cardiff attack.

10 mins: Big blow for the Blues. Inspirational skipper Paul Tito is forced off injured and is replaced by Deiniol Jones. The likes of Rush and Martyn Williams now have to show their leadership skills.

8 mins: It is now time for Leicester to apply the pressure. A Dupuy clearance forces wing Leigh Halfpenny to turn towards his own line as he tries to collect. There is no-one to support him, however, and Leicester get a penalty for holding on. Dupuy's attempt at goal is pushed right of the posts.

5 mins: Great skills from Lions flanker Martyn Williams, who collects a misfiring Cardiff line-out and chips over the top into the Leicester 22. Tigers centre Vesty does well to dive on the ball and Dupuy clears.

3 mins: What a start this is. Breathless. Dupuy's poor pass lets the Blues claim possession from the scrum and wing Tom James launches a wonderful jinking run that takes him into the Leicester half. The move breaks down when he drops the ball in the tackle.

2 mins: Cardiff Blues try to keep the ball in hand but Robinson and hooker Gareth Williams are caught in midfield and Leicester win a scrum.

1 min: Blues fly-half Nicky Robinson starts the match. Leicester collect and scrum-half Julien Dupuy boots down the field.

1459: The teams stroll onto the pitch and the players' faces are pictures of concentration. A place in the Edinburgh final is at stake - this is not a place for the faint-hearted. Here we go.

"I still think the quality on the Tigers bench will swing it their way. White, Moody, Ellis and Mauger. That is superb impact."
StormOfSilence on 606

1453: It is an absolutely gorgeous day at the Millennium Stadium. The sun is beating down and there are an expected 50,000 fans enjoying the weather. There are lots of television close ups of some very good looking women in the stands, don't know why that is. The teams are ready to come out, hold on to your hats - this could be a good one.

"Come on the Blues! All of Wales are behind you today. Hope you can do it and I am a Scarlets fan."
Polska_leeds on 606

"Come on Cardiff. Here's hoping for an all Magners League final."
EamonH on 606

1446: Here's a quick bit of team news for you. Lions number eight Andy Powell has to be satisfied with a place on the bench as coach Dai Young has gone for Xavier Rush.

For Leicester, former England skipper Martin Corry has not been selected despite being available after a ban and injury while centre Aaron Mauger is on the bench after injury.

Cardiff Blues: B Blair; Halfpenny; Shanklin, Roberts, James; Robinson, Rees; G Jenkins, G Williams, Filise, Davies, Tito (capt), Molitika, M Williams, Rush.
Replacements: Yapp, T Rhys Thomas, D Jones, Powell, Allinson, Sweeney, G Thomas.

Leicester: G Murphy (capt); Hamilton; Hipkiss, Vesty; J Murphy; Flood, Dupuy; Ayerza, Chuter, Castrogiovanni, Croft, Kay, Newby, Woods, Crane.
Replacements: Kayser, White, Wentzel, Moody, Ellis, Mauger, Smith.

"Think Blues will run the Tigers off the park."
pontyoracle on 606

1442: Cardiff Blues have already demolished one English club this season in the form of Gloucester in the EDF Energy Cup final and are favourites to win this game and reach their first Heineken Cup final since the 1995/96 season.

The number one seeds are are bidding to become the first team to win every match on their way to the final since the advent of home and away pool matches in the 1998/99 season.

Leicester, Heineken Cup champions in 2001 and 2002 and runners-up on two other occasions, have had a turbulent season with the loss of coach Heyneke Meyer but are still in the hunt for a Premiership/European double.

The Blues have never beaten Leicester in the Heineken Cup, losing to them twice in the pool stages of the 2006/07 season - including a home game at the Millennium Stadium.

1440: Afternoon troops. Welcome to the live text commentary for the second Heineken Cup semi-final between newly-crowned EDF Energy Cup champions Cardiff Blues and two-time Heineken Cup winners Leicester.

We've already had one upset with Leinster's stunning display against reigning champions Munster in Dublin on Saturday - so we surely can't have another classic can we? Can we?

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