MUNSTER HAVE THEIR first Champions Cup win of the season after two Gavin Coombes first-half tries powered the province to victory in a fiery clash against Northampton Saints.
On a bitterly cold and grey afternoon at Franklin’s Gardens, Graham Rowntree’s side laid the platform for this win by building up a 17-6 first-half lead, before summoning up one of those monumental Munster defensive efforts in a heated, scoreless second period which saw four yellow cards dished out by referee Pierre-Baptiste Nuchy.
Munster now head into Christmas with five points on the board in Pool B, this result another step in the right direction after a positive couple of weeks following the November international break.
Graham Rowntree’s team selection – which saw Jack Crowley start at centre for the first time – suggested Munster were going to attack this game, and the visitors started brightly at a bitterly cold Franklin’s Gardens.
In those opening exchanges the Saints – who were dealt a major blow in losing influential backrower Courtney Lawes to injury before kick-off – rarely troubled Munster. Their most promising moment came when Rory Hutchinson’s lovely grubber looked to send Tommy Freeman through, but Mike Haley covered well to snuff out the danger.
Instead it was Munster who played nearly all the rugby across a fast and frantic opening – playing with speed, ambition and intent, although their execution was initially letting them down in the Northampton 22.
Their first chance to open the scoring came after the returning Keith Earls clipped a kick in behind for Conor Murray to chase, the move breaking down after Gavin Coombes carried hard into Saints captain Lewis Ludham, and Munster were pinged for a player going in off feet.
They then went through 10 patient phases near the Northampton tryline only for Crowley to spill Murray’s fired pass inside.
Munster's Peter O’Mahony tackled by Northampton's Lukhan Salakaia-Loto. Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
Having spent the first 10 minutes knocking on the door, the breakthrough came when they turned to their power game. Back inside the Northampton 22, Munster carried hard into contact with a series of pick-and-goes before Coombes eventually found a way through a sluggish looking Saints defence. Carbery clipped over the extras and Munster were finally rewarded for their early dominance.
Northampton responded with their first period of sustained pressure in the Munster 22.
Coombes was pinged for hands in the ruck, allowing Saints to kick to the corner.
From the lineout the home side looked to maul forward but Munster’s defence initially held firm, before Northampton were awarded another penalty. They moved the ball inside quickly but were again held out. Another penalty call went their way, and this time out-half Fin Smith knocked over a simple three points from under the posts.
The two sides then exchanged further three pointers – Carbery sending his first penalty attempt through the posts, before Smith replied after the Munster out-half was penalised for obstructing a Northampton player on a high ball.
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Those few lapses in discipline from Munster were the Saints’ only real opportunities to put points on the board.
With half-time approaching, the visitors landed another blow. A big shove from John Ryan saw Munster win a scrum penalty, with Coombes then going over for his second following more good work at the lineout – Tadhg Beirne doing well to spin inside and release Coombes, who barged over with support from Crowley. Carbery was again on target with the conversion.
Munster’s Joey Carbery with Alex Mitchell of Northampton. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
The final act of the half saw Munster scramble well in defence before Calvin Nash put the ball into touch, sending Munster into the break with a healthy 17-6 lead.
So far, so good for Rowntree’s side, who if anything will have been frustrated not to have been further ahead. As the teams went in Munster had enjoyed 62% of the possession and 69% of territory – impressive numbers against a Saints side who have been hard to beat at home this season.
Munster made a similarly fast start to the second period, but as the rain began to trickle down their error count rose with the wet ball.
Nash did well to kill a Northampton counter-attack after Crowley was smothered and turned over in trying to slip a kick in behind. Shortly after, the centre was guilty of another error, failing to keep hold of a pass as Munster built pressure in the Northampton half.
A flat looking Saints side were struggling to find any rhythm. Then they lost the head.
The moment ignited following a bit of afters involving Jack O’Donoghue and John Ryan after play had moved on. Lewis Ludlum and David Ribbans pinned O’Donoghue to the ground. Haley was soon on the scene, and in a flash all 30 players were involved, with more than one Saints player guilty of flying in dangerously.
Northampton’s Lukhan Salakaia-Loto clashes with Peter O’Mahony and Jean Kleyn of Munster. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Somehow, Nuchy flashed yellow cards to O’Donoghue and Lewis Ludlum, but kept his red in his pocket. A handful of players will have breathed a sigh of relief.
Munster’s frustration was further compounded when Craig Casey soon followed for a tackle in the air on James Ramm, who was chasing a cross-field kick to the corner. The home crowd wanted a penalty try, but Nuchy settled on a yellow card for the replacement scrum-half.
Even with a numerical advantage, the Saints couldn’t find a way through a water-tight Munster defence, Peter O’Mahony coming up with a big steal just before O’Donoghue and Ludlum returned to the action.
The home side camped up on the Munster line again, and again they were held out, although Munster continued to struggle to keep numbers on the field. As Casey returned to the action, Carbery made way, leaving Munster down to 14 for most of the final 10 minutes.
The Saints went into double digits for visits to the Munster 22 without a try as Munster produced a series of big moments in defence – Antoine Frish nailing a brilliant tackle which led to an enthusiastically greeted Munster turnover.
When Coombes ended another Saints push at the line, any lingering hopes of a late Northampton comeback were dashed. The travelling support sounded a chorus of The Fields. Munster are up in running in Europe.
Northampton scorers:
Penalties – Smith [2/2]
Munster scorers:
Tries – Coombes (2).
Conversions – Carbery [2/2]
Penalties – Carbery [1/1]
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS: George Furbank; James Ramm, Matt Proctor (Fraser Dingwall, 67), Rory Hutchinson, Tommy Freeman; Fin Smith (Courtnall Skosan, 79), Alex Mitchell; Alex Waller (Emmanuel Iyogun, 58), Sam Matavesi ( Mikey Haywood, 72), Ehren Painter (Alfie Petch, 53); Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, David Ribbans; Angus Scott-Young (Aaron Hinkley, 76), Lewis Ludlam (captain), Juarno Augustus (Alex Moon, 67).
Yellow card: Ludlam 53
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Jack Crowley (Rory Scannell, 54), Keith Earls (Shane Daly, 76); Joey Carbery, Conor Murray (Craig Casey, 51); Jeremy Loughman (Dave Kilcoyne, 51), Niall Scannell (Diarmuid Barron, 56), John Ryan (Roman Salanoa, 76); Jean Kleyn (John Hodnett, 70), Tadhg Beirne; Jack O’Donoghue, Peter O’Mahony (captain), (Alex Kendellen, 76), Gavin Coombes.
Yellow cards: O’Donoghue 53, Casey 57, Carbery 69
Referee: Pierre-Baptiste Nuchy (FFR).
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Coombes double powers Munster to victory in fiery clash with Northampton
Northampton Saints 6
Munster 17
MUNSTER HAVE THEIR first Champions Cup win of the season after two Gavin Coombes first-half tries powered the province to victory in a fiery clash against Northampton Saints.
On a bitterly cold and grey afternoon at Franklin’s Gardens, Graham Rowntree’s side laid the platform for this win by building up a 17-6 first-half lead, before summoning up one of those monumental Munster defensive efforts in a heated, scoreless second period which saw four yellow cards dished out by referee Pierre-Baptiste Nuchy.
Munster now head into Christmas with five points on the board in Pool B, this result another step in the right direction after a positive couple of weeks following the November international break.
Graham Rowntree’s team selection – which saw Jack Crowley start at centre for the first time – suggested Munster were going to attack this game, and the visitors started brightly at a bitterly cold Franklin’s Gardens.
In those opening exchanges the Saints – who were dealt a major blow in losing influential backrower Courtney Lawes to injury before kick-off – rarely troubled Munster. Their most promising moment came when Rory Hutchinson’s lovely grubber looked to send Tommy Freeman through, but Mike Haley covered well to snuff out the danger.
Instead it was Munster who played nearly all the rugby across a fast and frantic opening – playing with speed, ambition and intent, although their execution was initially letting them down in the Northampton 22.
Their first chance to open the scoring came after the returning Keith Earls clipped a kick in behind for Conor Murray to chase, the move breaking down after Gavin Coombes carried hard into Saints captain Lewis Ludham, and Munster were pinged for a player going in off feet.
They then went through 10 patient phases near the Northampton tryline only for Crowley to spill Murray’s fired pass inside.
Having spent the first 10 minutes knocking on the door, the breakthrough came when they turned to their power game. Back inside the Northampton 22, Munster carried hard into contact with a series of pick-and-goes before Coombes eventually found a way through a sluggish looking Saints defence. Carbery clipped over the extras and Munster were finally rewarded for their early dominance.
Northampton responded with their first period of sustained pressure in the Munster 22.
Coombes was pinged for hands in the ruck, allowing Saints to kick to the corner.
From the lineout the home side looked to maul forward but Munster’s defence initially held firm, before Northampton were awarded another penalty. They moved the ball inside quickly but were again held out. Another penalty call went their way, and this time out-half Fin Smith knocked over a simple three points from under the posts.
The two sides then exchanged further three pointers – Carbery sending his first penalty attempt through the posts, before Smith replied after the Munster out-half was penalised for obstructing a Northampton player on a high ball.
Those few lapses in discipline from Munster were the Saints’ only real opportunities to put points on the board.
With half-time approaching, the visitors landed another blow. A big shove from John Ryan saw Munster win a scrum penalty, with Coombes then going over for his second following more good work at the lineout – Tadhg Beirne doing well to spin inside and release Coombes, who barged over with support from Crowley. Carbery was again on target with the conversion.
The final act of the half saw Munster scramble well in defence before Calvin Nash put the ball into touch, sending Munster into the break with a healthy 17-6 lead.
So far, so good for Rowntree’s side, who if anything will have been frustrated not to have been further ahead. As the teams went in Munster had enjoyed 62% of the possession and 69% of territory – impressive numbers against a Saints side who have been hard to beat at home this season.
Munster made a similarly fast start to the second period, but as the rain began to trickle down their error count rose with the wet ball.
Nash did well to kill a Northampton counter-attack after Crowley was smothered and turned over in trying to slip a kick in behind. Shortly after, the centre was guilty of another error, failing to keep hold of a pass as Munster built pressure in the Northampton half.
A flat looking Saints side were struggling to find any rhythm. Then they lost the head.
The moment ignited following a bit of afters involving Jack O’Donoghue and John Ryan after play had moved on. Lewis Ludlum and David Ribbans pinned O’Donoghue to the ground. Haley was soon on the scene, and in a flash all 30 players were involved, with more than one Saints player guilty of flying in dangerously.
Somehow, Nuchy flashed yellow cards to O’Donoghue and Lewis Ludlum, but kept his red in his pocket. A handful of players will have breathed a sigh of relief.
Munster’s frustration was further compounded when Craig Casey soon followed for a tackle in the air on James Ramm, who was chasing a cross-field kick to the corner. The home crowd wanted a penalty try, but Nuchy settled on a yellow card for the replacement scrum-half.
Even with a numerical advantage, the Saints couldn’t find a way through a water-tight Munster defence, Peter O’Mahony coming up with a big steal just before O’Donoghue and Ludlum returned to the action.
The home side camped up on the Munster line again, and again they were held out, although Munster continued to struggle to keep numbers on the field. As Casey returned to the action, Carbery made way, leaving Munster down to 14 for most of the final 10 minutes.
The Saints went into double digits for visits to the Munster 22 without a try as Munster produced a series of big moments in defence – Antoine Frish nailing a brilliant tackle which led to an enthusiastically greeted Munster turnover.
When Coombes ended another Saints push at the line, any lingering hopes of a late Northampton comeback were dashed. The travelling support sounded a chorus of The Fields. Munster are up in running in Europe.
Northampton scorers:
Penalties – Smith [2/2]
Munster scorers:
Tries – Coombes (2).
Conversions – Carbery [2/2]
Penalties – Carbery [1/1]
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS: George Furbank; James Ramm, Matt Proctor (Fraser Dingwall, 67), Rory Hutchinson, Tommy Freeman; Fin Smith (Courtnall Skosan, 79), Alex Mitchell; Alex Waller (Emmanuel Iyogun, 58), Sam Matavesi ( Mikey Haywood, 72), Ehren Painter (Alfie Petch, 53); Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, David Ribbans; Angus Scott-Young (Aaron Hinkley, 76), Lewis Ludlam (captain), Juarno Augustus (Alex Moon, 67).
Yellow card: Ludlam 53
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Jack Crowley (Rory Scannell, 54), Keith Earls (Shane Daly, 76); Joey Carbery, Conor Murray (Craig Casey, 51); Jeremy Loughman (Dave Kilcoyne, 51), Niall Scannell (Diarmuid Barron, 56), John Ryan (Roman Salanoa, 76); Jean Kleyn (John Hodnett, 70), Tadhg Beirne; Jack O’Donoghue, Peter O’Mahony (captain), (Alex Kendellen, 76), Gavin Coombes.
Yellow cards: O’Donoghue 53, Casey 57, Carbery 69
Referee: Pierre-Baptiste Nuchy (FFR).
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European Rugby Champions Cup Munster Up and Running