REDS VUNIBY BILLY AND CO Saracens charge into cup final
CHAMPIONS CUP SEMI-FINALS SARACENS 32
The English club produced a powerful second-half surge to reach their third Champions Cup final in four seasons.
Munster were making their third consecutive semi-final appearance and a record 14th in all. Yet they have now lost their last seven.
“We came here to win and got beaten by a better side,” conceded van Graan (inset). “Fair play to Saracens, they have blown everybody out of this competition so far.
“Sometimes you have just got to say well done to the opposition.
“They are unbeaten in this season’s tournament and have been playing some fantastic rugby, and you have got to concede that you weren’t as good as your opposition on the day.”
The English champions edged a tight first half 12-9 thanks to four Owen Farrell penalties, with Tyler Bleyendaal and Conor Murray replying for Munster.
The match burst into life after the interval when flanker Michael Rhodes crossed to extend the Saracens lead, and Farrell kicked two more penalties.
Darren Sweetnam, who came in for the injured Keith Earls, crossed for a try against the run of play with 20 minutes left, before Billy Vunipola, who was booed by Munster fans for his controversial social media comments last week, crossed for the second Saracens try.
Vunipola was named man of the match to round off a rollercoaster week in which he was warned by the Rugby Football Union for “liking” condemnatory comments about gay people by Australia fullback Israel Folau on Instagram.
On his 100th appearance for the club, Vunipola was focus of attention from the off with at least three fans turning up with Gay Pride rainbow flags.
As Vunipola began a lap of honour with team-mates in front of the 16,235 crowd at the end, a Munster fan invaded the pitch unopposed and gesticulated angrily at the No.8.
It was a sour end to a joyful day for the north Londoners who reached European rugby’s showpiece once again and will play either Leinster or Toulouse at Newcastle’s St James’ Park on May 11.
“Behind closed doors I felt a lot of love, a lot of kindness shown to me,” said the forward. “I believe what I believe in, there was no intention to hurt anyone. I am just glad to play.” Vunipola responded to the scrutiny by leading Saracens’ assault on the gain line with 22 carries. Boss Mark Mccall (inset, with Vunipola) said: “Billy was outstanding today, and so were all of his team-mates, to be honest. “As a group, we were determined
backing homophobic comments made by Aussie star Israel Folau.
Although he responded with a man-ofthe-match performance, culminating in the decisive try seven minutes from time, an irate supporter had the final word.
As Vunipola began a lap of honour with team-mates in front of the 16,235 crowd the fan, wearing a Munster shirt, invaded not to let this week pass us by because we work incredibly hard to be involved in games like this one.
“And we ended up having a brilliant week, and you can see that in the performance today. You could see how tight we were.
“The club dealt with it (Vunipola social media posts). It’s been dealt with, it was dealt with decisively, it was dealt with quickly and it was dealt with, in my opinion, fairly.
“Then we just got on with the rugby, and that’s what we are here to do, get on with the rugby.
“I thought we played really well.
the pitch unopposed and gesticulated angrily at the No.8.
A spokesman for the tournament organisers said: “EPCR does not condone the entry of a spectator to the field of play. Following the regrettable incident, the spectator in question is currently being detained by stadium authorities.”
Saracens rugby director Mark Mccall said he did not see the post-match Although the scoreboard said 12-9 at half-time, it didn’t feel like that.
“The thing that pleased me most was that the players understood that the scoreboard did not necessarily reflect how well we had played and what we were building towards.
“I was just really pleased with our intensity, which was relentless the whole game, and the control we had emotionally as well.”
Tries: Rhodes, B Vunipola; Pens: Farrell 6; Cons: Farrell 2 Try: Sweetnam; Pens: Bleyendaal 2, Murray; Con: Hanrahan
incident, while a question on the matter to Munster boss Johann Van Graan at his press conference was blocked by one of Munster’s media team.
As for the game itself, Munster boss van Graan conceded his team were just beaten by the better side on the day.
“Fair play to Saracens, they have blown everybody out of this competition so far,” he said.