The stories in football are not often translated into articles about rugby, but it seemed pertinent to consider Chelsea's achievement in winning the Europa League title last night as Leinster secured the Amlin Challenge Cup with a impressive victory over Stade Francais at the RDS Arena.
The result eased the disappointment felt in the Irish province as the prepare to lose their status of European champions, a feeling which will be familiar for Chelsea, a club that won the Champions League last season.
Leinster will only hold both titles until Toulon clash with Clermont Auvergne in the Heineken Cup final at Dublin's Aviva Stadium this afternoon. But they certainly made the most of the occasion last night – Ian Madigan, Sean Cronin and Rob Kearney all scoring tries to establish a commanding 21-6 lead at the break.
Cian Healy came off the bench to score the fourth and Jonathan Sexton kicked 14 points as Leinster claimed the first half of a potential trophy double, with the RaboDirect PRO12 final to come against Ulster next week.
Unlike Chelsea, though, Leinster's injured talisman Brian O'Driscoll did not follow the example set by John Terry by pulling on his blue kit for the trophy presentation. That was only a small mercy for Stade Francais, though.
Leinster took just three minutes to hit their stride with a break from Ica Nacewa and Madigan went over for the opening try. The Irish side twice repelled Stade Francais, with Andrew Conway then sending Cronin over for the try. Jerome Porical kicked Stade Francais on to the scoreboard but Leinster responded almost immediately; Kearney diving over.
Porical scored again with a long-distance penalty just before the interval but when Sexton struck two of his own in the second half to extend Leinster's lead. Jeremy Sinzelle scored a consolation try for Stade – with Fergus McFadden injured in the build up – but Leinster were irrepressible and Healy drove over from close range. Sexton's conversion, his sixth successful kick from as many attempts, then rounded off an emphatic victory.
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