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Munster dig out gutsy European win against Saracens

Updated / Saturday, 11 Jan 2025 20:54
Munster celebrates John Hodnett's try
Munster celebrates John Hodnett's try

Two quickfire second-half tries saw Munster edge Saracens 17-12 to move close to qualifying for the knockout phase of the Investec Champions Cup.

The visiting English side held a 6-3 lead at the break after a first half riddled with handling errors and punctuated by numerous scrums and lineouts.

A solitary Jack Crowley penalty was all Munster had to show for their efforts, with two Alex Lozowski kicks a fair reflection of the play.

Elliot Daly's penalty extended the Sarries lead but Dian Bleuler and John Hodnett struck for converted tries on the hour mark, the cushion enough to make a further Lozowski kick a consolation.

There were some nervy moments at the end but Munster’s defence held firm and they move up to second in Pool 3 on 10 points ahead of next weekend’s meeting with leaders Northampton, who lost at Stade Francais.

There was very little in the way of running rugby in an error-strewn first half, with both sides reckoning there was more to be gained without the ball.

But, unfortunately for Munster, Saracens had a better aerial game.

A number of early up-and-unders paid off handsomely for the visitors with various Munster men failing to hold on to the ball.

Munster's chasers, meanwhile, weren't putting enough pressure on the receivers and that battle was comfortably won by the English side.

While Munster would have wanted to get the crowd up for the match early on, two avoidable defensive errors, an offside along the line and holding on to the ball-carrier, allowed Saracens to gain a foothold.

Centre Lozowski kicked two penalties by the 11th minute as Munster struggled to find any rhythm against a typically voracious Sarries defence.

But when Tom Farrell led a counter-ruck in midfield in the 26th minute, it led to Munster's first score.

Rory Scannell made some yards after the lineout and the TMO spotted Jamie George's hand at the bottom of the ruck with Crowley tapping over the penalty.

A frantic spell followed and both sides could have scored tries in the space of a minute. Crowley's kick was blocked down by Juan Martin Gonzalez but Munster scrambled well to move upfield.

Then the Ireland out-half produced a moment of magic, twice kicking ahead and collecting before taking his eye off the ball when he appeared to have a clear run-in from the 22.

Munster's lineout was solid but all the ball was going to the front and that suited the visitors who could shoot up forcing the hosts to keep it in the tight.

There were a couple of half chances for an opening try with Saracens' pack stopping a close-range maul that looked certain to yield a score, while Liam Williams knocked on after a chip through caused chaos in the Munster backfield.

An early handling error, one of 22 by Munster in total, at the start of the second half suggested that there would be little improvement in that area but Ian Costello's side won more of the big moments that proved decisive.

Saracens, through a long-range Daly penalty, had extended their lead six minutes after the break and Crowley missed a penalty effort soon after that.

But there were mistakes from both teams and after Fergus Burke missed a dropgoal attempt, Munster broke the try deadlock.

Replacement Hodnett and Rory Scannell carried hard before Gavin Coombes took three Sarries defenders with him to within inches of the line. Playing a penalty advantage, Bleuler saw the space and dived over, with Crowley's conversion putting Munster ahead on the hour mark.

That lifted the crowd and they soon had more reason to cheer when Hodnett scored a brilliant try four minutes later.

With the Premiership side on the back foot, Crowley cross-kicked for Scannell, who quickly fed Farrell on his inside. Hodnett got the ball on the 22 and evaded his man but was tap-tackled by Williams just before the line.

However, with no-one to complete the tackle, the back row was able to get back to his feet and dot down.

Again, the Ireland out-half landed the extras to give Munster some breathing space.

A Lozowski penalty with 10 minutes to go brought it back to a one-score game and Saracens almost stole it at the death.

A number of players offloaded to break the line as Saracens gained 70 metres, Williams hesitated close to the line before fumbling under pressure from Hodnett.

Man of the match Beirne led the final phases of defence as Munster claimed another famous European victory.

SCORERS:

Munster: Tries - Bleuler, Hodnett

Cons - Crowley (2)

Pen - Crowley

Saracens: Pens - Lozowski (3), Daly

Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Conor Murray;
Dian Bleuler, Niall Scannell, Oli Jager; Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Jack O'Donoghue, Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron (for N Scannell 52), John Ryan (Bleuler 66), Stephen Archer (Jager 52), Tom Ahern (O'Donoghue 52), John Hodnett (Kendellen 52), Paddy Patterson, Billy Burns (Daly 76), Brian Gleeson (Coombes 72).

Saracens: Elliot Daly; Liam Williams, Alex Lozowski, Nick Tompkins, Lucio Cinti Luna; Fergus Burke, Ivan van Zyl; Phil Brantingham, Jamie George, Marco Riccioni; Maro Itoje (capt), Harry Wilson; Juan Martin Gonzalez, Ben Earl, Tom Willis.

Replacements: Theo Dan (for George 62), Eroni Mawi (Brantingham 62), Alec Clarey (Riccioni 62), Max Eke, Nathan Michelow (Wilson 71), Gareth Simpson, Olly Hartley (Tompkins 72), Tobias Elliott (Cinti 66).

Referee: Pierre Brousset (FFR)

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