GLASGOW WARRIORS 12,
MUNSTER 14
This was classic Munster. Like a dog with a bone, Glasgow couldn’t shake them off. Four times the home side inched in front, and thrice Munster swiftly levelled, before stealthily and opportunistically taking the lead for the first and decisive time inside the last 10 minutes. Straight out of the Munster smash-and-grab away-day Euro manual.
And in the overall scheme of things, this win could be every bit as significant as the day Munster and Thomond Park rediscovered their old mojo when beating Glasgow with a bonus point on that unforgettable and emotionally charged day last October. Even a bonus-point defeat, while leaving Munster top of the pool, would have created the real probability of an away quarter-final against one of the other pool winners, perhaps Wasps or Saracens.
Instead, by dint of this win they not alone reached the knockout stages for the first time in three seasons but also ensured that another victory against Racing 92 at Thomond Park next Saturday would secure a home quarter-final, thus making them more viable contenders in this season’s European Champions Cup.
In its own way, this win away to Glasgow, their 11th in a 12-game sequence kick-started by that bonus point win at home to the Warriors, was every bit as commendable.
Not that their attacking game remotely neared those heights. Munster’s more patient and less risky recycling game yielded little dividend, and while they at times overdid their crossfield kicking, as Rassie Erasmus admitted, at other times, notably in the third quarter, they didn’t kick enough.
Atmospheric
Glasgow were roared on by the majority of a capacity 7,351 crowd in this atmospheric little ground, which generated as much intensity as two or three times that attendance might achieve in another stadium. There was also a feverish desire for revenge in their pursuit of a first-ever European Cup quarter-final. The crowd howled for all manner of supposed injustices, while the blatant targeting of Conor Murray by the home team went both beyond the legal and even beyond the full-time whistle after the scrumhalf venomously hoofed the ball dead with the 80 minutes up.
The home side also threw all their attacking tricks at Munster. For much of the third quarter especially, with Finn Russell unveiling his full repertoire of skills, Munster were against the ropes and clinging on as Glasgow added more variation and tempo to their running game, with inside passes, tip-on passes and offloads.
Munster’s defence, which has now conceded only three tries in five games, again kept them in the game. Their workrate and sheer cussedness, especially when under siege near their own line, was indefatigable. Jack O’Donoghue led the way in an unstinting 80-metre effort with 11 tackles, as the back five of their pack made 45 tackles between them. Murray also worked tirelessly across the line and made some meaty and important hits.
Munster were also indebted to some big defensive plays by their wingers, Andrew Conway and Keith Earls. The latter made a vital interception with a superb read of Russell's dummy and attempted try-scoring skip pass. Conway tackled Tim Swinson after Russell had dummied Stander and released the rampaging lock (even if Swinson did concede a three-pointer from which Russell made it 12-9 by not rolling away). Conway then trailed infield to haul down Mark Bennett after a snipe off a lineout by Ali Price, and toward the end trailed infield again to read and gather a trademark chip-in-behind by Russell.
Man of the match
Indeed, it was perhaps telling that Stuart Barnes made Swinson man of the match, as, for once, there was no outstanding individual display in red. But had it gone to a Munster man, Conway’s defensive plays and superb aerial work would have made him the outstanding candidate.
Cometh the decisive play when, finally given some attacking ball, the Munster wingers showed their worth again. Ultimately, the game hinged on Price box-kicking out on the full from just outside the Glasgow 22. Munster scented their moment. Akin to the Leicester game, when striking for glory after not playing particularly well in a hitherto try-less affair, the pack rolled up their sleeves, and rumbled and recycled repeatedly.
When Conway stepped inside Stuart Hogg, the Scottish fullback was correctly sinbinned by Luke Pearce, who controlled a tetchy, difficult game pretty well. When Munster had a penalty advantage off the ensuing drive, Tyler Bleyendaal and Simon Zebo worked the ball wide on the left to Earls, and his line drew in Tommy Seymour for Francis Saili to loop around at speed and finish in the corner.
Unlike the Leicester game, this time Munster saw out the danger and didn’t cough up a cheap three-pointer, although they put themselves in difficulty when not providing Murray with enough protection as Simpson charged down the box-kick.
Russell, well though he played again, readily reproached himself in his post-match interview when conceding that “I definitely should have” dropped into the pocket to try a drop-goal. In the event, it still required Conway ending another gallop by Swinson wide out when tackling him into touch with a little help from Saili.
In the final analysis, a mentally stronger Munster, full of on-field leaders and decision-makers, sensed and seized their moments, both when to dig in and then when to strike for glory.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 13 mins, Russell pen, 3-0; 21 mins, Bleyendaal pen, 3-3; 32 mins, Hogg pen, 6-3; 35 mins, Bleyendaal pen, 6-6; (half-time 6-6); 48 mins, Russell pen, 9-6; 51 mins, Bleyendaal pen, 9-9; 60 mins, Russell pen, 12-9; 72 mins, Saili try, 12-14.
GLASGOW WARRIORS: Stuart Hogg; Tommy Seymour, Mark Bennett, Alex Dunbar, Lee Jones; Finn Russell, Ali Price; Gordon Reid, Fraser Brown, Zander Fagerson, Tim Swinson, Jonny Gray (capt), Robert Harley, Ryan Wilson, Josh Strauss.
Replacements: Pat MacArthur for Brown, Nick Grigg for Bennett (both 63 mins), Chris Fusaro for Strauss (68 mins), Alex Allan for Ferguson, D'Arcy Rae for Reid (both 79 mins).
Not used: Matt Fagerson, Grayson Hart, Pete Murchie.
Sinbinned: Hogg (71 mins).
MUNSTER: Simon Zebo; Andrew Conway, Jaco Taute, Rory Scannell, Keith Earls; Tyler Bleyendaal, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, John Ryan, Jean Kleyn, Donnacha Ryan, Peter O'Mahony (capt), Jack O'Donoghue, CJ Stander.
Replacements: James Cronin for Kilcoyne (49 mins), Billy Holland for Kleyn (54 mins), Francis Saili for Taute (57 mins), Thomas Du Toit for Ryan (61 mins), Duncan Williams for Murray (65-71 mins), Rhys Marshall for N Scannell (67 mins), Dave Foley for O'Mahony, Ian Keatley for Zebo (both 73 mins).
Referee: Luke Pearce (England).
