FOR A LONG time this looked like being one of those nights for Munster. Saracens came to Thomond Park sensing opportunity and with close to an hour played it was shaping up nicely for the visitors. Mark McCall’s men led 9-3 and had looked comfortable defending whatever Munster threw at them.
The 22,000-strong home crowd was tense. They had watched their team battle hard but repeatedly shoot themselves in the foot, letting their unforced errors rise while struggling to find the killer touch in the Saracens half.
A game in which Munster had never led was slipping out of reach with next weekend’s trip to face Northampton Saints looking increasingly daunting.
Then Munster came alive, with two quickfire scores from Dian Bleuler and John Hodnett in the 59th and 64th minute flipping the game and sending Munster on their way to victory.
Come full time The Fields of Athenry was ringing around the ground and it felt like one of those great European days in Limerick.
The province now sit second on 10 points in Pool 3, one off Northampton ahead of their trip to Franklin’s Gardens next weekend.
It certainly hadn’t felt like a vintage Munster night across much of the opening hour.
The first half saw Munster turn in a scrappy, error-filled 40 minutes. Within the opening quarter the home side had made seven handling errors to Saracens’ two, and were trailing 6-0 after two penalties from the boot of centre Alex Lozowski.
Things were going wrong for Munster straight from the off. Mike Haley collected the kick-off before spilling the ball in contact and knocking it forward, allowing Lozowski put his team 3-0 up with only a minute on the clock.
Five minutes later Munster were making their first venture into the Saracens’ 22, Bleuler finding some space after the province had won a penalty at the scrum. Munster managed to get within five metres of the tryline before being slowly forced back, with Tadhg Beirne knocking the ball on after they had been pushed outside the 22 again.
Saracens were finding joy in the air and through their kicking game, a grubber in the Munster half bouncing dangerously towards the tryline with Haley and Shane Daly both failing to gather it before Calvin Nash got back to clear the danger.
On the next Saracens attack Munster gave up another sloppy penalty for not releasing and Lozowski doubled the visitors’ lead from the tee.
Saracens' Maro Itoje and Tadhg Beirne of Munster. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Daly was having a difficult start and was guilty of two more poor errors as Munster struggled to settle into the contest, knocking the ball on on the ground before spilling a high ball forward.
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There was 25 minutes played before Munster finally put themselves on the scoreboard.
Having won a penalty in the middle of the field they were handed an extra 10 yards when a Saracens player gave some lip in the direction of referee Pierre Brousset. After keeping the ball off their lineout Munster were pinged for a knock-on, before Brousset correctly reversed the decision, with Saracens hooker Jamie George guilty of playing the ball on the ground first. Crowley sized up the posts and nailed his effort.
The out-half then came agonisingly close to lighting the game up with a moment of magic. Under pressure after gathering a Saracens kick in the Munster half, the Bandon man decided to go it alone.
His first low chip pushed him through some space in the Sarries’ line and his second over Elliot Daly was perfectly executed. Racing for the line in the Saracens’ 22, Crowley appeared to have initially gathered the bouncing ball but with the tryline calling he let it slip from his grasp. Crowley threw his eyes to the heavens as the home crowd threw their hands to their heads.
Jack Crowley reacts after failing to collect his chip over the top. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
The play at least served to energise the Munster support but Crowley’s next contribution killed that surge of energy, with the out-half failing to find touch with an attempted kick to the corner.
As the first edged towards the break Munster were back in the Munster 22 after winning another penalty in the Saracens half. Another Saracens penalty allowed Crowley another kick to corner as Munster edged closer, but after winning the lineout Saracens threw bodies towards the ball took the decision from Brousset, winning a scrum after a big effort from Maro Itoje, who had been a menace across the opening half.
A frustrated Munster side went in at the break with just three points to their name, but it remained razor tight as Saracens failed to build on those two early penalties.
Five minutes after the restart Saracens were pointing for the posts again after Fineen Wycherley conceded a penalty. From 45m out, Daly took on the responsibility and slotted his kick with room to spare.
Five minutes later Crowley was sizing up an effort from the same distance but pushed his kick narrowly wide.
With 30 minutes left to play Munster looked to inject some energy by sending Tom Ahern and Hodnett into the back row, while Diarmuid Barron and Stephen Archer came into the front row.
Munster’s Fineen Wycherley and Diarmuid Barron. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Instead it was Saracens who lifted their momentum, a high bomb from the boot of Fergus Burke sending Ivan van Zyl charging deep into the Munster 22. The province did well to scramble back and smother the danger before Saracens eventually went for a drop goal, with Burke slicing his kick to the left and wide.
A high tackle from Lozowski on Haley allowed Crowley kick Munster back into Saracens 22, and from the lineout they went flying at the Saracens line. A powerful carry from Gavin Coombes left them just inches short and as the Munster support arrived, Bleuler took ownership and forced his way over. Crowley’s conversion made it a one-point game.
Three minutes later they were over again. After good carries by Nash and Beirne, Crowley sent a kick wide to Rory Scannell, who quickly pushed the ball inside to Tom Farrell. With Hodnett running a good line on his inside, Farrell played in the flanker and Hodnett showed quick feet to step the first defender and score despite an ankle tap which sent him tumbling. Crowley’s conversion from the sideline bounced in off the post and Munster had turned the game on it’s head in a lethal five-minute spell.
Thomond was rocking and Brousset felt the full force of it when he awarded Saracens a penalty just short of the 70-minute mark. It looked a harsh call on Barron and Lozowski stepped up to chip three points of Munster’s lead.
Now it was about hanging on, and Munster defended superbly across a tense finish. With five left Liam Williams was darting towards the corner but Crowley did brilliantly to get a hand in and strip the ball from the Welsh winger.
The Premiership side came again but Munster dug in to force them back before a forward pass killed the attack, before another knock-on further out the field. It was Saracens last opportunity to salvage something from the game as Munster held out to take a hard-earned five-point win.
They’ll now head to Northampton with a shot at securing home advantage in the round of 16.
Munster scorers:
Tries – Bleuler, Hodnett.
Penalty – Crowley [1/2]
Conversions – Crowley [2/2]
Saracens scorers:
Penalties – Lozowski [3/3], Daly [1/1].
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly (Billy Burns, 76 HIA); Jack Crowley, Conor Murray; Dian Bleuler (John Ryan, 66), Niall Scannell (Diarmuid Barron, 51), Oli Jager (Stephen Archer, 51); Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Jack O’Donoghue (Tom Ahern, 51), Alex Kendellen (John Hodnett, 51), Gavin Coombes (Brian Gleeson, 71).
SARACENS: Elliot Daly; Liam Williams, Alex Lozowski, Nick Tompkins (Olly Hartley, 72), Lucio Cinti (Tobias Elliott, 66); Fergus Burke, Ivan van Zyl; Phil Brantingham (Alec Clarey, 61), Jamie George (Theo Dan, 61), Marco Riccioni ; Maro Itoje (capt), Harry Wilson (Nathan Michelow, 72); Juan Martin Gonzalez, Ben Earl, Tom Willis.
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Munster finish strong as tries from Bleuler and Hodnett topple Saracens at Thomond
Munster 17
Saracens 12
FOR A LONG time this looked like being one of those nights for Munster. Saracens came to Thomond Park sensing opportunity and with close to an hour played it was shaping up nicely for the visitors. Mark McCall’s men led 9-3 and had looked comfortable defending whatever Munster threw at them.
The 22,000-strong home crowd was tense. They had watched their team battle hard but repeatedly shoot themselves in the foot, letting their unforced errors rise while struggling to find the killer touch in the Saracens half.
A game in which Munster had never led was slipping out of reach with next weekend’s trip to face Northampton Saints looking increasingly daunting.
Then Munster came alive, with two quickfire scores from Dian Bleuler and John Hodnett in the 59th and 64th minute flipping the game and sending Munster on their way to victory.
Come full time The Fields of Athenry was ringing around the ground and it felt like one of those great European days in Limerick.
The province now sit second on 10 points in Pool 3, one off Northampton ahead of their trip to Franklin’s Gardens next weekend.
It certainly hadn’t felt like a vintage Munster night across much of the opening hour.
The first half saw Munster turn in a scrappy, error-filled 40 minutes. Within the opening quarter the home side had made seven handling errors to Saracens’ two, and were trailing 6-0 after two penalties from the boot of centre Alex Lozowski.
Things were going wrong for Munster straight from the off. Mike Haley collected the kick-off before spilling the ball in contact and knocking it forward, allowing Lozowski put his team 3-0 up with only a minute on the clock.
Five minutes later Munster were making their first venture into the Saracens’ 22, Bleuler finding some space after the province had won a penalty at the scrum. Munster managed to get within five metres of the tryline before being slowly forced back, with Tadhg Beirne knocking the ball on after they had been pushed outside the 22 again.
Saracens were finding joy in the air and through their kicking game, a grubber in the Munster half bouncing dangerously towards the tryline with Haley and Shane Daly both failing to gather it before Calvin Nash got back to clear the danger.
On the next Saracens attack Munster gave up another sloppy penalty for not releasing and Lozowski doubled the visitors’ lead from the tee.
Daly was having a difficult start and was guilty of two more poor errors as Munster struggled to settle into the contest, knocking the ball on on the ground before spilling a high ball forward.
There was 25 minutes played before Munster finally put themselves on the scoreboard.
Having won a penalty in the middle of the field they were handed an extra 10 yards when a Saracens player gave some lip in the direction of referee Pierre Brousset. After keeping the ball off their lineout Munster were pinged for a knock-on, before Brousset correctly reversed the decision, with Saracens hooker Jamie George guilty of playing the ball on the ground first. Crowley sized up the posts and nailed his effort.
The out-half then came agonisingly close to lighting the game up with a moment of magic. Under pressure after gathering a Saracens kick in the Munster half, the Bandon man decided to go it alone.
His first low chip pushed him through some space in the Sarries’ line and his second over Elliot Daly was perfectly executed. Racing for the line in the Saracens’ 22, Crowley appeared to have initially gathered the bouncing ball but with the tryline calling he let it slip from his grasp. Crowley threw his eyes to the heavens as the home crowd threw their hands to their heads.
The play at least served to energise the Munster support but Crowley’s next contribution killed that surge of energy, with the out-half failing to find touch with an attempted kick to the corner.
As the first edged towards the break Munster were back in the Munster 22 after winning another penalty in the Saracens half. Another Saracens penalty allowed Crowley another kick to corner as Munster edged closer, but after winning the lineout Saracens threw bodies towards the ball took the decision from Brousset, winning a scrum after a big effort from Maro Itoje, who had been a menace across the opening half.
A frustrated Munster side went in at the break with just three points to their name, but it remained razor tight as Saracens failed to build on those two early penalties.
Five minutes after the restart Saracens were pointing for the posts again after Fineen Wycherley conceded a penalty. From 45m out, Daly took on the responsibility and slotted his kick with room to spare.
Five minutes later Crowley was sizing up an effort from the same distance but pushed his kick narrowly wide.
With 30 minutes left to play Munster looked to inject some energy by sending Tom Ahern and Hodnett into the back row, while Diarmuid Barron and Stephen Archer came into the front row.
Instead it was Saracens who lifted their momentum, a high bomb from the boot of Fergus Burke sending Ivan van Zyl charging deep into the Munster 22. The province did well to scramble back and smother the danger before Saracens eventually went for a drop goal, with Burke slicing his kick to the left and wide.
A high tackle from Lozowski on Haley allowed Crowley kick Munster back into Saracens 22, and from the lineout they went flying at the Saracens line. A powerful carry from Gavin Coombes left them just inches short and as the Munster support arrived, Bleuler took ownership and forced his way over. Crowley’s conversion made it a one-point game.
Three minutes later they were over again. After good carries by Nash and Beirne, Crowley sent a kick wide to Rory Scannell, who quickly pushed the ball inside to Tom Farrell. With Hodnett running a good line on his inside, Farrell played in the flanker and Hodnett showed quick feet to step the first defender and score despite an ankle tap which sent him tumbling. Crowley’s conversion from the sideline bounced in off the post and Munster had turned the game on it’s head in a lethal five-minute spell.
Thomond was rocking and Brousset felt the full force of it when he awarded Saracens a penalty just short of the 70-minute mark. It looked a harsh call on Barron and Lozowski stepped up to chip three points of Munster’s lead.
Now it was about hanging on, and Munster defended superbly across a tense finish. With five left Liam Williams was darting towards the corner but Crowley did brilliantly to get a hand in and strip the ball from the Welsh winger.
The Premiership side came again but Munster dug in to force them back before a forward pass killed the attack, before another knock-on further out the field. It was Saracens last opportunity to salvage something from the game as Munster held out to take a hard-earned five-point win.
They’ll now head to Northampton with a shot at securing home advantage in the round of 16.
Munster scorers:
Tries – Bleuler, Hodnett.
Penalty – Crowley [1/2]
Conversions – Crowley [2/2]
Saracens scorers:
Penalties – Lozowski [3/3], Daly [1/1].
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly (Billy Burns, 76 HIA); Jack Crowley, Conor Murray; Dian Bleuler (John Ryan, 66), Niall Scannell (Diarmuid Barron, 51), Oli Jager (Stephen Archer, 51); Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Jack O’Donoghue (Tom Ahern, 51), Alex Kendellen (John Hodnett, 51), Gavin Coombes (Brian Gleeson, 71).
SARACENS: Elliot Daly; Liam Williams, Alex Lozowski, Nick Tompkins (Olly Hartley, 72), Lucio Cinti (Tobias Elliott, 66); Fergus Burke, Ivan van Zyl; Phil Brantingham (Alec Clarey, 61), Jamie George (Theo Dan, 61), Marco Riccioni ; Maro Itoje (capt), Harry Wilson (Nathan Michelow, 72); Juan Martin Gonzalez, Ben Earl, Tom Willis.
Referee: Pierre Brousset (FFR)
Attendance: 22,030
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