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Munster through despite loss to 14-man Northampton

Updated / Saturday, 20 Jan 2024 20:58
Munster's Alex Nankivell is tackled by Alex Mitchell and Rory Hutchinson of Northampton Saints
Munster's Alex Nankivell is tackled by Alex Mitchell and Rory Hutchinson of Northampton Saints

Munster are through to the last 16 of the Investec Champions Cup, but it will be nothing to celebrate.

The URC champions progress to the knockout stages of the tournament courtesy of a losing bonus-point after a 26-23 defeat to the Northampton Saints, but major questions will have to be asked at how they let a promising lead slip for the third time in their four pool games.

FULL MATCH DETAILS

Everything looked like it was going according to plan for Graham Rowntree's side when Gavin Coombes bundled over for their third try of the game on 48 minutes, sending them 20-10 up against a Northampton team who were down to 14 players after the first-half red card of Curtis Langdon.

The hooker was given a straight red for a knee to the head of Tom Ahern, which had briefly reduced the Saints to 13 players due to George Furbank’s earlier sin-binning.

That unsaintly behaviour allowed Munster to hit two tries just before half-time, as they moved 15-7 ahead by the break courtesy of tries from Antoine Frisch and Peter O’Mahony.

Northampton, whose win sees them book a home Round of 16 tie, deserve huge credit for their second-half comeback, with the boot of Fin Smith keeping the scoreboard ticking over, before Sam Graham’s try with 10 minutes remaining saw them claim a famous Thomond Park win, and land a major blow to Munster, who will find out on Sunday evening where they will be travelling for the last-16 in April.

Depending on results elsewhere, it may see them away to Leinster.

The early stages were played largely in Munster's half, as the visitors enjoyed plenty of possession without ever really threatening.

In part it was down to an aggressive Munster defence. O’Mahony and Coombes combined for a big turnover on the edge of their own 22, while Oli Jager marked his return to the side with a couple of powerful tackles.

Coombes was looking in determined form after missing out on the Ireland Six Nations squad on Wednesday, and when he floored Northampton centre Fraser Dingwall with a crunching tackle just after 15 minutes, it gave Munster their first real opportunity to attack, but the Saints hit back with a scrum penalty.

It proved to be a costly penalty. Northampton kicked and advanced into Munster territory, before Alex Mitchell spotted a gap at the fringe of a ruck where Jager had been slow to cover.

Sniping into the 22, a dummy to his outside fooled both Niall Scannell and Calvin Nash, and the scrum-half had enough gas to make it to the tryline and log the game’s first score, which Fin Smith converted to make it 7-0 after 18 minutes.

The visitors were doing a brilliant job unsettling Munster, playing with a fast tempo which wasn’t allowing the hosts to get back into their defensive shape. That pace, however, was high-risk, as they found out either side of 30-minute mark.

First, they turned down a shot at goal which could have extended the lead, trying to catch Munster with a quick-tap, only for Tadhg Beirne to reply win a jackal penalty of his own. Not long after, a quick lineout backfired and allowed Jeremy Loughman win another penalty, which Crowley struck between the posts to trim the scoreboard back to 7-3.

The Munster out-half missed the chance to tag on another three-pointer on 35 minutes when a long-range effort fell short, but he made up for it instantly with a beautiful inside pass to Nash which saw the winger break towards the 22. His path was blocked off by the Saints defence, but illegally so as their full-back George Furbank was sent to the sin-bin for a tip-tackle.

Munster made them pay instantly, a five-metre tap-and-go was initially defended well by the Saints, but at the cost of leaving space outside, as Crowley called for the ball and popped a pass to Frisch who ran in to put his side in front. Crowley converted, to nudge Munster 10-7 ahead on 38 minutes.

Things would go from bad to worse for Northampton from the restart, with Langdon’s red card seeing them go down to 13 players for the final stages of the half.

The momentum was all Munster’s by now, and as they marched downfield the numerical advantage was clear, and a looping pass from Shane Daly to Nash sent the wing sprinting into the 22, before he drew in the last defender and put O’Mahony over in the corner.

It had been a ruthless 10 minute period from the hosts, but they couldn’t take maximum advantage as Crowley’s conversion was pushed wide, leaving them 15-7 in front at the break.

Northampton put up the first points of the second half when Smith knocked over a penalty to make it 15-10 on 41 minutes, but it wasn't long before Munster were back on the scoreboard.

Crowley’s crossfield kick to Frisch put them on the front foot, and after several minutes of pressure Coombes shoved his way over from close range to get a well-deserved try, while Niall Scannell can claim an assist for a powerful latch to drive his teammate over the line.

It wasn’t noticeable in general play, but the wind was howling at Thomond Park, and the full force of it could be seen as Crowley’s latest conversion attempt whipped dramatically to the left and wide, leaving Munster 20-10 in front on 50 minutes.

Those missed kicks were adding up, with Crowley having left seven points behind on the tee, while Smith’s boot was keeping the Saints in touch, as he landed his second penalty on 55 minutes, before a clever dropgoal from long range just before the hour mark to make it 20-16.

The 24,620 crowd at Thomond Park were now on edge, as the 14-man Northampton looked within reach of causing a shock, but a dominant scrum drive and a Craig Casey jackal penalty briefly settled them down, which Crowley slotted between the posts to put a converted try between the sides at 23-16.

With 15 minutes left to play the scrum swung back in Northampton’s favour as they marched Munster back to win a penalty, and Smith continued his impressive display off the tee to make it 23-19, with 14 of those points coming from his boot.

Phil Dowson’s side were handling the numerical disadvantage brilliantly, as they chipped away at Munster’s lead, and it got even better for them with 10 minutes to play as they won a penalty in the Munster 22.

Kicking to the corner, they went for the maul, and when Munster’s defence went to sleep around the fringe, replacement Graham burst through a gap to run in and score, while Smith was once again perfect with the conversion to give them the lead, 26-23.

It could have got even better in the closing stages, Smith seeing a late penalty attempt drop short, although the time it killed of the clock was a fine consolation prize, as Northampton held on pick up an unlikely win.

Munster: Simon Zebo; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Oli Jager; Tom Ahern, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Peter O'Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Eoghan Clarke, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Brian Gleeson, Alex Kendellen, Paddy Patterson, Joey Carbery, Seán O'Brien.

Northampton Saints: George Furbank (capt); Tommy Freeman, Fraser Dingwall, Rory Hutchinson, Ollie Sleightholme; Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell; Alex Waller, Curtis Langdon, Trevor Davison; Temo Mayanavanua, Alex Coles; Courtney Lawes, Tom Pearson, Juarno Augustus

Replacements: Robbie Smith, Emmanuel Iyogun, Elliot Millar-Mills, Alex Moon, Sam Graham, Tom James, Burger Odendaal, Charlie Savala

Referee: Tual Trainini (FRA)

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