DRIVEN ON BY PRIDE
Emotional story rolls on as Munster slay French aristocrats
THERE’S no stopping this rejuvenated Munster juggernaut just yet. Ever since head coach Anthony Foley passed away 24 weeks ago on the eve of a game in Paris, they have been unstoppable, an irresistible force of nature that is now back in the semifinals after a pair of reputation-damaging pool eliminations.
It wasn’t until the closing five minutes that this deserved triumph was confirmed, Munster profiting from Toulouse’s desperation to score 17 unanswered points and make the 25point rout a generous one.
No way were they surrendering what had been only an eight-point cushion coming down the finishing straight having lost Conor Murray before the start and the talisman trio Peter O’Mahony, Keith Earls and CJ Stander to second-half injuries.
This was Munster’s time to shine no matter the odds and they will feel immense pride at a job well done.
It was an evening when Limerick looked picture perfect as it basked in its eighth European quarter-final.
All Foley had ever wanted to do was to return the stadium to its status as an atmospheric bearpit, something that has happened in his absence. The revival now has a day out in Dublin or Edinburgh to look forward against the winners of today’s tussle between champions Saracens and Glasgow.
Twenty-four points was the margin when these two last clashed at the same stage three years ago and following ceremonial fireworks before the kick-off, rugby fireworks sparked as soon as proceedings began. After just 64 seconds Francois Cros illegally bowled over the box-kicking Duncan Williams, Murray’s replacement, after the ball had gone.
With Toulouse poorly on their travels this season, a decent start was imperative, but the visitors produced anything but with Munster scoring 10 points during Cros’s sin-binning.
Referee JP Doyle had missed the impact and only reacted to the derision of the crowd that had watched a replay on the stadium’s big screen. The belated decision offered Munster initiative, two penalties kicked to the corner in quick succession and mounting pressure eventually told.
Carries by Jaco Taute and Dave Kilcoyne made inroads and John Ryan, the tighthead whose general play was as immense as his loosehead’s, barrelled over for the fifth-minute try converted by Tyler Bleyendaal. The out-half landed a penalty five minutes later after Toulouse infringed at the maul.
Against a tricky wind, though, Munster couldn’t push on. Florian Fritz was wide with a long-range penalty, but the French weren’t too disheartened, a Yoann Huget line burst past Ryan forcing O’Mahony into conceding a breakdown penalty which JeanMarc Doussain kicked.
That concession was soon cancelled out, Joe Tekori catching Kilcoyne high and Bleyendaal landed the 27th minute penalty for 13-3. However, what happened in the rest of the half was worrying. Gael Fickou may have had his claims for a try scrubbed out for his knock-on contesting a kick with Simon Zebo, but Taute’s meddling at a ruck gave Doussain further penalty points.
Munster were then aggrieved on the treble. Tommy O’Donnell was judged by the TMO to have knocked on, chalking off a Bleyendaal try, a nearmiss exacerbated by the referee failing to come back to the 10-metre line after forgetting the home side were playing penalty advantage. Then Williams agonisingly came within inches of touching down after blocking the clearance kick from the scrum.
The half ended with a third successful kick by Doussain, Munster straying offside after a Rory Scannell kick was deflected. It meant the penalty count was six-four against Munster but retribution was quickly gained at the start of the second-half, Bleyendaal using wind to perfection off the breakdown penalty.
Tails back up, another penalty was soon sent to the corner and from the throw, Bleyendaal, Stander and Kilcoyne all threatened before Stander got over. The try went unconverted but Bleyendaal quickly added the penalty awarded for Thierry Dusautoir dumping Stander in the tackle.
Fifteen ahead, there was a Toulouse riposte, Paul Perez given a 55th minute converted try from a halfway break down the sideline despite the suspicion of a forward pass from Yoann Maestri. Earls now followed O’Mahony off in pain. A scrum penalty was conceded not long after Kilcoyne departed, followed by Stander hobbling away.
With so much experience missing there were nervous moments but Munster’s defence stood very firm as Toulouse threw everything at them for 10-minutes.
Pressure absorbed, the win was confirmed by Bleyendaal putting over a penalty five minutes from time, Darren Sweetnam adding a try two minutes later and Andrew Conway another in the dying seconds as Toulouse tried to run the ball from deep.
Munster march on.