Munster take advantage of below-strength Saracens
Saracens, the European Champions Cup holders, lacked their usual bite shorn of the majority of their England players as they nicked a losing bonus point, with Storm Atiyah playing almost as big a part as the absent superstars and Munster’s dogged Ireland international returnees – including Peter O’Mahony, the captain and scorer of the decisive try.
O’Mahony lamented the treacherous conditions in the second half after his side had made a bright start. “They are almost the nights you don’t want to have the ball,” he said. “It is almost a liability, it is that bad. No scores in the second half said it all. It was a game of defences. It was probably one of our best defensive displays in the first half, but there is plenty to work on.”
Mark McCall, the Saracens director of rugby, confirmed that his big-name England players – including national captain Owen Farrell, Jamie George, George Kruis, and brothers Billy and Mako Vunipola – could be in line to feature next week in the return fixture at Allianz Park, which he described as one “we have got to win”.
McCall said: “We have a really competitive group of players and some of the experience our younger players are getting, especially in a great place like Thomond Park... for young Manu Vunipola to play at fly-half in a game like this will be worth its weight in gold.”
In the wake of the Saracens salary cap scandal, there was much debate surrounding how seriously the London club took rugby’s lofty values. These values were alive and well in Limerick. Despite being knocked out of this competition by Saracens in the quarter-finals last year, there seemed to be little ill will from the Munster supporters, with locals going out of their way to greet the small number of travelling fans.
There was no mention of cheating. The sense in the stands was that McCall’s side’s recent travails had robbed this most partisan, but also knowledgeable crowd, of the chance to see their side test themselves against not only the reigning champions, but many of their World Cup finalists. It was apparent from the opening minutes that in McCall’s decision “to rotate”, Munster were given a much easier task in the first half.
Saracens looked to get off to an attacking start, carefully building phases to reach the hosts’ 22, but Munster’s Ireland contingent – no doubt all the more determined after their World Cup quarter-final exit – dismissed these early attempts, with man of the match No8 CJ Stander bullying Saracens’ attackers, causing them to lose possession.
Conor Murray, looking as composed as ever, regained his side territory with one of his signature box kicks. Maro Itoje’s presence was not enough to lift Saracens. However, Keith Earls, who had scored in Munster’s Pool Four opener against Ospreys and in the draw against Racing 92, looked dangerous throughout the opening half.
The wing, looking sprightly for his 32 years, was instrumental in the decisive try. It was through the experience and grit of their Test players that the hosts finally got the only try of the match, as Earls set up Murray for the try-making pass for O’Mahony to burrow over in the corner. JJ Hanrahan duly converted in the deathly silence – and the same quiet greeted Ben Spencer minutes later as Saracens aimed to get back into the game.
The scrum-half ’s kick fell short and went immediately back into play, although the visitors held their nerve to secure another penalty. This time, despite worsening conditions, Spencer held his nerve to slot the kick, leaving the score at 10-3 at the interval.
Much of the first half had been spared the wrath of Storm Atiyah, which had taken its grip on Ireland, but sheets of rain began to batter the venue as the second half kicked off. Saracens