Felipe collects his Heineken Cup medal, Uploaded by M+MD.
Felipe Contepomi played his final game for Leinster against Munster in Croke Park. He was injured after 20 minutes and although he was there to get his Heineken Cup medal he didn't get the play in the final. He spent over 5 years with the club with his first game against the Ospreys back in November 2003. It's true to say that he has made a huge contribution to Leinster and indeed to Irish rugby.
The fact that he also plays for that other old enemy Argentina is ignored by the fans most of the time. The enemity beteen Ireland and Argentina in rugby terms goes back to Lens in 1999 when they dumped is out of the World cup. Of course they managed to play a role in our second failure 2 years ago. Though on that occasion its fair to say that we did it to ourselves! In 6 rugby World Cups we have failed to reach the quarter finals twice. We have been drawn in the same group as Argentina in the last 3 World Cups. The run was broken last December when we were placed in a pool with Australia and Italy and Argentina ended up with England and Scotland. The remaining two memebers of each pool is the subject of the qualifiers going on over the next 12 months.
All of this background makes the status achieved by Felipe with the Irish public even more impressive. I suppose it all comes down to the strengh of his performances, the ferocity of his competitiveness and of course the accuracy of his boot.
As a Munster supporter his animosity towards the team in Red is the only time that the old Argentinien rivals come to the fore. But he is a wonderful rugby player and he deserves the acolades he received from the Leinster fans.
His move to Toulon will be interesting. They are another French team where money is no object. They havn't yet played in the Heineken and their performance in the French Top 14 this year where they finished ninth, means that they will not be there next year.
Felipe will have some competition from Johnny Wilkinson who has also signed for Toulon. If money buys league positions in the Top 14 then perhaps he will make to the Heineken Cup with Toulon in 2010-11.
Farewell Felipe and thank you and while we wish you well in France.
But we also hope that whenever we see you again, playing against Leinster, Munster or Ireland, that we send you home defeated!
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