WE’RE NOT EVEN halfway through the season but Thomond Park might not see a better try than the one scored by Shane Daly in today’s Champions Cup defeat of Stade Francais.
The fullback’s excellent score, which arrived 29 minutes into this 33-7 round one win, was the highlight of a highly satisfying evening for the home side.
Latching onto a sharp Craig Casey pass, Daly chipped the ball over one Stade defender before producing another brilliant flick of his right boot to beat fullback Joe Jones and score Munster’s second try. Not a bad way to mark to your 100th cap. Even at that early juncture it felt like a decisive moment.
Thaakir Abrahams, Alex Kendellen, Tom Farrell and Gavin Coombes also crossed at Thomond Park while Stade lost two players to red cards in the second half.
Against a limited Stade side, Munster started brightly, with winger Abrahams heavily involved. The South African used his pace to make a smart break in the opening minutes, ignoring Daly on his shoulder to carry Munster deep into the Stade half, before the French side recovered to earn a scrum.
Munster continued to snipe. Calvin Nash knocked the ball on in the in-goal area after good work by Casey as the province bossed the early territory.
Jack Crowley momentarily shifted to fullback when Nash was forced off for a HIA – with Billy Burns slotting into 10 and Daly moving to the wing. It was a productive switch for Crowley, his 50:22 setting the wheels in motion for the opening score. At the second attempt from the lineout, Casey peeled off and slipped a pass to Abrahams on the blindside. Crowley added an excellent conversion from the sideline to take full advantage.
Thaakir Abrahams scored Munster's opening try. Nick Elliott / INPHO
Nick Elliott / INPHO / INPHO
Stade’s ventures into the Munster half were seldom and short-lived. Winger Charles Laloi carried into traffic on halfway and was gobbled up and forced into touch. Another attack lasted 20 phases before Munster ripped the ball back thanks to an impressive defensive effort from Abrahams.
A promising start threatened to lose momentum when Alex Nankivell was yellow-carded for a high shot on hooker Lucas Peyresblanques. Instead Munster kicked on, with Peter O’Mahony pinching the Stade lineout from the subsequent penalty. It was the start of a dominant evening in the air for the 35-year-old.
Minutes later Munster were celebrating Daly’s try – a wonderful solo effort which started with Abrahams claiming a high ball under pressure. Crowley again made no mistake from the tee.
The home crowd were really starting to enjoy themselves. More Munster pressure in the Stade 22 ended with Dian Bleuler and Joe Marchant tangling over the goal area. Bodies piled in, and Luke Pearce called a Munster scrum before switching to a Stade penalty – warning Munster captain Diarmuid Barron about Bleuler’s actions and some unnecessary language from Crowley towards the Stade players.
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Munster's Dian Bleuler is pushed by Stade Francais' Joe Marchant. Nick Elliott / INPHO
Nick Elliott / INPHO / INPHO
It allowed Stade briefly kill the Munster momentum but the province still finished the half on the front-foot, an O’Mahony kick to deep leading to a 5-metre scrum. Munster’s series of pick-and-goes ended with Blueler being held up over the line. Munster went again but were knocked back before O’Mahony spilled the ball forward to close the opening 40.
Two tries to the good, Munster were well-placed to build on their advantage after the break.
O’Mahony led the charge with an increasingly influential display. The flanker produced a wonderful one-hand steal to snatch another Stade throw, triggering a break that carried Munster deep into the Stade half. Along the way O’Mahony got hands on ball again, but as he flicked a pass inside to Abrahams his jaw was rattled by a late shot from second row Pierre-Henri Azagoh. A straightforward red card.
Munster went to the corner, O’Mahony claimed possession and Alex Kendellen dived over for try number three. Crowley measured the strong breeze and split the posts.
Stade’s discipline was gone, and four minutes after losing one lock to a red card they were down another – Baptiste Pesenti lifting Casey and dangerously dumping the scrum-half to the ground. O’Mahony was rightly incensed as another scuffle broke out, this one leaving him with a bloodied face.
Craig Casey is tackled by Baptiste Pesenti resulting in a red card. Nick Elliott / INPHO
Nick Elliott / INPHO / INPHO
Munster went down the other end and bagged the bonus-point try, Niall Scannell slipping away from a messy lineout before the ball was spun wide for Tom Farrell to score. Crowley’s conversion put the hosts 28-0 up with 25 to play but Munster’s intensity and accuracy slipped across the closing quarter.
Playing with 13 men, the Parisians finally summoned a response as the wind picked up again – Clément Castets crossing against the run of play with Zack Henry converting.
That was as good as it got for the visitors. In the closing minutes Ryan Chapuis was lucky to avoid a yellow card for a cheap body-shot on Daly.
Munster iced the cake with try number five, Coombes applying the finish after a smart team move which involved nice hands from Farrell, Crowley and Nash.
The province wanted to make their home games count in Europe and this bonus-point win is an encouraging start to their Champions Cup campaign.
MUNSTER: Shane Daly (Craig Casey, 78 HIA); Calvin Nash (Billy Burns, 13-24 HIA), Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams (Billy Burns, 70); Jack Crowley, Craig Casey (Paddy Patterson, 60); Dian Bleuler (Kieran Ryan, 70), Diarmuid Barron (capt) (Niall Scannell, 52), John Ryan (Stephen Archer, 56); Evan O’Connell (Tadhg Beirne), Fineen Wycherley; Peter O’Mahony (Jack O’Donoghue, 60), Alex Kendellen (John Hodnett, 56), Gavin Coombes.
Yellow card: Nankivell 26
STADE FRANCAIS: Joe Jonas (Juan Martin Scelzo, 52); Charles Laloi, Joe Marchant, Pierre Boudehent, Samuel Ezeala; Zack Henry, Thibaut Motassi (Louis Foursans-Bourdette,, 74); Clément Castets, Lucas Peyresblanques (Luka Petriashvili, 26-36 HIA, 60), Francisco Gomez Kodela; Pierre-Henri Azagoh, Baptiste Pesenti; Pierre Huguet, Ryan Chapuis (capt), Yoan Tanga (Setareki Turagacoke, 52).
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Daly's moment of magic the highlight as Munster put 13-man Stade Francais to the sword
Munster 33
Stade Francais 7
WE’RE NOT EVEN halfway through the season but Thomond Park might not see a better try than the one scored by Shane Daly in today’s Champions Cup defeat of Stade Francais.
The fullback’s excellent score, which arrived 29 minutes into this 33-7 round one win, was the highlight of a highly satisfying evening for the home side.
Latching onto a sharp Craig Casey pass, Daly chipped the ball over one Stade defender before producing another brilliant flick of his right boot to beat fullback Joe Jones and score Munster’s second try. Not a bad way to mark to your 100th cap. Even at that early juncture it felt like a decisive moment.
Thaakir Abrahams, Alex Kendellen, Tom Farrell and Gavin Coombes also crossed at Thomond Park while Stade lost two players to red cards in the second half.
Against a limited Stade side, Munster started brightly, with winger Abrahams heavily involved. The South African used his pace to make a smart break in the opening minutes, ignoring Daly on his shoulder to carry Munster deep into the Stade half, before the French side recovered to earn a scrum.
Munster continued to snipe. Calvin Nash knocked the ball on in the in-goal area after good work by Casey as the province bossed the early territory.
Jack Crowley momentarily shifted to fullback when Nash was forced off for a HIA – with Billy Burns slotting into 10 and Daly moving to the wing. It was a productive switch for Crowley, his 50:22 setting the wheels in motion for the opening score. At the second attempt from the lineout, Casey peeled off and slipped a pass to Abrahams on the blindside. Crowley added an excellent conversion from the sideline to take full advantage.
Stade’s ventures into the Munster half were seldom and short-lived. Winger Charles Laloi carried into traffic on halfway and was gobbled up and forced into touch. Another attack lasted 20 phases before Munster ripped the ball back thanks to an impressive defensive effort from Abrahams.
A promising start threatened to lose momentum when Alex Nankivell was yellow-carded for a high shot on hooker Lucas Peyresblanques. Instead Munster kicked on, with Peter O’Mahony pinching the Stade lineout from the subsequent penalty. It was the start of a dominant evening in the air for the 35-year-old.
Minutes later Munster were celebrating Daly’s try – a wonderful solo effort which started with Abrahams claiming a high ball under pressure. Crowley again made no mistake from the tee.
The home crowd were really starting to enjoy themselves. More Munster pressure in the Stade 22 ended with Dian Bleuler and Joe Marchant tangling over the goal area. Bodies piled in, and Luke Pearce called a Munster scrum before switching to a Stade penalty – warning Munster captain Diarmuid Barron about Bleuler’s actions and some unnecessary language from Crowley towards the Stade players.
It allowed Stade briefly kill the Munster momentum but the province still finished the half on the front-foot, an O’Mahony kick to deep leading to a 5-metre scrum. Munster’s series of pick-and-goes ended with Blueler being held up over the line. Munster went again but were knocked back before O’Mahony spilled the ball forward to close the opening 40.
Two tries to the good, Munster were well-placed to build on their advantage after the break.
O’Mahony led the charge with an increasingly influential display. The flanker produced a wonderful one-hand steal to snatch another Stade throw, triggering a break that carried Munster deep into the Stade half. Along the way O’Mahony got hands on ball again, but as he flicked a pass inside to Abrahams his jaw was rattled by a late shot from second row Pierre-Henri Azagoh. A straightforward red card.
Munster went to the corner, O’Mahony claimed possession and Alex Kendellen dived over for try number three. Crowley measured the strong breeze and split the posts.
Stade’s discipline was gone, and four minutes after losing one lock to a red card they were down another – Baptiste Pesenti lifting Casey and dangerously dumping the scrum-half to the ground. O’Mahony was rightly incensed as another scuffle broke out, this one leaving him with a bloodied face.
Munster went down the other end and bagged the bonus-point try, Niall Scannell slipping away from a messy lineout before the ball was spun wide for Tom Farrell to score. Crowley’s conversion put the hosts 28-0 up with 25 to play but Munster’s intensity and accuracy slipped across the closing quarter.
Playing with 13 men, the Parisians finally summoned a response as the wind picked up again – Clément Castets crossing against the run of play with Zack Henry converting.
That was as good as it got for the visitors. In the closing minutes Ryan Chapuis was lucky to avoid a yellow card for a cheap body-shot on Daly.
Munster iced the cake with try number five, Coombes applying the finish after a smart team move which involved nice hands from Farrell, Crowley and Nash.
The province wanted to make their home games count in Europe and this bonus-point win is an encouraging start to their Champions Cup campaign.
Munster scorers –
Tries: Abrahams, Daly, Kendellen, Farrell, Coombes.
Conversions: Crowley [4/5]
Stade Francais scorers –
Try: Castets.
Conversion: Henry [1/1]
MUNSTER: Shane Daly (Craig Casey, 78 HIA); Calvin Nash (Billy Burns, 13-24 HIA), Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams (Billy Burns, 70); Jack Crowley, Craig Casey (Paddy Patterson, 60); Dian Bleuler (Kieran Ryan, 70), Diarmuid Barron (capt) (Niall Scannell, 52), John Ryan (Stephen Archer, 56); Evan O’Connell (Tadhg Beirne), Fineen Wycherley; Peter O’Mahony (Jack O’Donoghue, 60), Alex Kendellen (John Hodnett, 56), Gavin Coombes.
Yellow card: Nankivell 26
STADE FRANCAIS: Joe Jonas (Juan Martin Scelzo, 52); Charles Laloi, Joe Marchant, Pierre Boudehent, Samuel Ezeala; Zack Henry, Thibaut Motassi (Louis Foursans-Bourdette,, 74); Clément Castets, Lucas Peyresblanques (Luka Petriashvili, 26-36 HIA, 60), Francisco Gomez Kodela; Pierre-Henri Azagoh, Baptiste Pesenti; Pierre Huguet, Ryan Chapuis (capt), Yoan Tanga (Setareki Turagacoke, 52).
Red cards: Azagoh 48, Pesenti 52.
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU).
Attendance: 17,241.
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Champions Cup Munster Rugby Stade Français Up and Running