There is always something special about seeing a side come out on top in a penalty shootout. Some of sport's biggest occasions have been settled by the dreaded sudden-death scenario, and the pressure has got the better of more than a few greats over the years.
Of course, the thought of a shootout often provokes memories of famous football matches, but it is not the only sport to use this tense method to determine a winner at the end of a match in which two teams could not otherwise be separated. Basketball, hockey, water polo, handball and even cricket have often relied on shootouts in the past.
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Yet it was on this day in 2009 when rugby union's showpiece event, the Heineken Cup, had its first taste of the dramatic showdown. Never before in its 14-year history had place kicks been required, but, following a tight 26-26 draw between Leicester Tigers and Cardiff Blues, a packed Millennium Stadium crowd witnessed history in the making.
A period of extra time did little to determine a winner in a far less ill-fitting way than what is often perceived to be a lottery scenario when it comes to penalty kicks. Leicester's Johne Murphy missed his attempt from the 22-metre line, gifting Tom James the chance to kick his side into the final.
However, he also failed to split the sticks as the pressure began to tell, and there was still time for another dramatic twist. Martyn Williams pulled his attempt wide of the posts, before Martyn Crane stepped up to fire home the all-important place kick for the Tigers. It would be they who prevailed in the Welsh capital, while the Blues were left to rue their luck on the back of a 7-6 defeat in sudden death of sudden death.
Cardiff ultimately missed out on the chance to become the first Welsh region to reach the elite competition's final, but there was a fifth appearance at that stage of the tournament to look forward to for the two-time champions.
One of the greatest games in European rugby history proved to be the end of the road in terms of Leicester's success in the competition, with Leinster claiming a 19-16 win at Murrayfield to lift the cup for the first time.
It was still a campaign that provided many happy memories for those travelling Tigers supporters, though, having entered their name into the record books for their part in a thrilling final-four affair.
Cardiff Blues: Blair, Halfpenny, Shanklin, J. Roberts, James, N. Robinson, Rees, Jenkins, G. Williams, Filise, Davies, Tito, Molitika, M. Williams, Rush
Replacements: Sweeney for J. Roberts (99), Yapp for Filise (80), D. Jones for Tito (9), A. Powell for Molitika (60).
Leicester Tigers: G. Murphy, Hamilton, Hipkiss, Vesty, J. Murphy, Flood, Dupuy, Ayerza, Chuter, Castrogiovanni, Croft, Kay, Newby, Woods, Crane
Replacements: Smith for J. Murphy (63), Mauger for Flood (60), Ellis for Dupuy (73), Kayser for Chuter (59), Wentzel for Castrogiovanni (50), Moody for Woods (74)
Daniel Lewis
