Wasps and England captain Lawrence Dallaglio was bracing himself for another titanic struggle against defending champions Toulouse in next month's Heineken Cup final after his side's dramatic 37-32 semi-final victory against Munster here at Lansdowne Road on Sunday.

"Toulouse, their pedigree speaks for itself," said No.8 Dallaglio of the French giants. "But it's almost disrespectful of me to start talking about Toulouse after such a fantastic game of rugby.

"But if you had to play someone in a Heineken Cup Final, you'd want it to be Toulouse, Leicester, and Munster, because they are the hallmark of European rugby."

In a thrilling match, played in front of a capacity 48,000 and overwhelmingly Munster supporting crowd, Wasps came from 32-22 down with 20 minutes to go to win in the closing stages when Samoa hooker Trevor Leota crossed for their fifth.

Both Dallaglio and English champions Wasps's former Wales scrum-half Rob Howley said the match was every bit as equal an occasion as any international they'd played. "We've both been in some amazing games and this is up there with them," said Dallaglio, whose team outscored Munster five tries to two to reach their first Heineken Cup final.

"It had courage, passion, skill, the game had everything. The Munster supporters made it a very special occasion. It was a bearpit, a gladiatorial environment."

And he insisted there was no panic when Wasps conceded two tries within two minutes on the hour mark to leave Munster 32-22 in front. "We weren't best pleased but there were over 20 minutes left in the game. We were dug in a hole but we knew if we played through three phases we could score especially as they were starting to tire."

Howley, whose charge down of Jason Holland's kick, led to one of Wasps' tries added: "This was a great game to play in. This is the shop-window of European rugby, the best tournament in the northern hemisphere. This was up with being selected for the Lions in 2001."

Meanwhile Dallaglio said that Wasps's win owed much to the culture of the side. "We are a humble club from a humble background. We are not heavily financed but we have a spirit and core of values which we've carried over from the amateur era.

"Not too many players come in and not many go out and that's very special."

Dallaglio also praised the contribuition of Wasps former Ireland coach Warren Gatland. The New Zealander arrived at the club two-and-a-half years ago after being axed by Ireland and No.8 Dallaglio said this win would be extra-special for the Wasps director of rugby. "When Warren arrived at the club we were bottom of the Premiership. What he's achieved since then is very impressive."

Gatland himself said: "I can't take the smile off my face. The carrot for us was knowing that the final would be played at Twickenham (on May 23rd). It is a ground we know and we have been there before."

Meanwhile Wasps defence coach Shaun Edwards the former Wigan and Great Britain international, marvelled at the quality of the semi-final. "You wouldn't want to rub that game off your video, would you? It was the best game I've ever seen in league or union."

But for Munster that was scant consolation. This was their fifth successive semi-final but defeat means they have still to win the Heineken Cup. This was not as narrow a reverse as last season's 13-12 semi loss against Toulouse or their 9-8 defeat by Northampton in the 2000 final. Coach Alan Gaffney, said: "The boys are bitterly disappointed but there's no reason why they can't come back from this although this will have to be one of the tougher ones, especially as were 10 points in front."

AFP - 2004.