How’re we doing? It’s Gavan Casey with you here and welcome to The 42′s live coverage of Munster’s Champions Cup last-16 meeting with La Rochelle at Stade Marcel-Deflandre.
Ireland’s southern province lock horns with their fellow two-time European champions in the west of France, where Munster legend Ronan O’Gara will hope he can resuscitate La Rochelle’s ailing campaign.
It’s a reunion years in the making and it all kicks off at 5:30pm (live on Premier Sports if you’re looking).
Peter O'Mahony arrives at Stade Marcel-Deflandre. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
If you’re not in France and you can’t make it to a telly, we’ll bring you all the thrills and spills as Les Rochelais host the Red Army in their beautiful port city.
MUNSTER: Thaakir Abrahams; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Seán O’Brien, Andrew Smith; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (captain); Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Josh Wycherley, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Alex Kendellen.
Referee: Andrea Piardi [Italy].
5 Apr
5:20PM
A tribute to Kerry GAA great Mick O’Dwyer on the big screen at the Marcel-Deflandre.
O’Gara is asked by Simon Zebo on Premier Sports how his week has been. “Pretty well until I met up with my former teammates yesterday,” he says. “I got distracted for a few hours.”
Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
5 Apr
5:28PM
The teams are out. The atmosphere at the Marcel-Deflandre is thunderous. The sun is splitting the stones.
1′ LAR 0-0 MUN: Andrea Piardi sounds his whistle and Ihaia West gets the action underway!
5 Apr
5:35PM
Disallowed try for La Rochelle!
1′ – LAR 0-0 MUN Oh, so close to an incredible start for La Rochelle! It would have been a magnificent score.
Ihaia West with the wonderful pass to Uinio Atonio on halfway. He makes inroads. Teddy Thomas’ blistering pace is too hot to handle and as he’s eventually tackled by Jack Crowley, he pops inside wonderfully to Tawera Kerr-Barlow who crosses the whitewash.
But after Ihaia West misses the conversion, the TMO spots a heel in touch by Thomas! It’s pulled back.
No try. Huge let-off for Munster but ominous signs.
5 Apr
5:37PM
4′ – LAR 0-0 MUN: Munster go for a cross-field kick from a scrum on their own 22′ but it’s poor execution by Crowley, who drives it straight into touch.
Chance for La Rochelle to get that potent maul rolling, but Munster stop it in seconds. John Hodnett then makes the poach and wins the penalty. Great work by the Rosscarbery man.
Munster need to take a breath here, though.
5 Apr
5:40PM
6′ – LAR 0-0 MUN: Nice box-chip from just inside his own half by Craig Casey. Dribbles into touch inside the La Rochelle 22′.
They win the lineout and clear to touch outside their own 10-metre line.
Munster playing territory so far, just looking to settle their way into the game. It’s the right plan because La Rochelle look altogether more powerful in contact so far, as you might expect.
Fun start to the game!
5 Apr
5:43PM
Yellow card: Andrew Smith (Munster)
10′ – LAR 0-0 MUN: La Rochelle make a dangerous break and Andrew Smith tries — honestly — to win a turnover on the ground. Piardi reckons he wasn’t supporting his weight. He’s heading to the bin, and La Rochelle are heading to the corner.
11′ – TRYYYYYYYYYY FOR LA ROCHELLE! Levani Botia opens the scoring for the hosts!
Munster did well to stop the Rochelais maul at source again but Will Skelton and UJ Seuteni just blast their way through Munster thereafter.
Botia crosses on an offload from Seuteni from close range.
Easy conversion for West.
La Rochelle are on it here.
5 Apr
5:49PM
15′ – LAR 7-0 MUN: Munster’s first real attack breaks down with an awful pass by Seán O’Brien which flies into touch. It was a nice move, though, with Munster showing patience and accuracy to that point and working their way up to the La Rochelle 22′.
La Rochelle have looked by far the more dangerous side so far.
5 Apr
5:54PM
19′ – LAR 7-0 MUN: La Rochelle cut Munster to ribbons again but spill the ball towards the southern province’s five-metre line.
Munster just can’t handle the likes of Thomas and Jack Nowell. Ihaia West pulling strings. The French side have looked irresistible at times.
One-way traffic so far, but only seven points in it and Munster doing well to hang in there.
5 Apr
5:56PM
21′ – LAR 7-0 MUN: Andrew Smith back from the bin, which feels huge. La Rochelle were doing wreck in the 15-metre channels and stretching their 14-man opposition in midfield.
Munster deserve credit for their scramble ‘D’ while Smith was off the field. But they need to get something cooking here.
25′ – TRYYYYYYYY FOR MUNSTER! CRAIG CASEY DOTS DOWN BUT IT’S ALL ABOUT THAAKIR ABRAHAMS!
He collects a loose kick, spots a gap in midfield, and slaloms through the La Rochelle rearguard!
He pops it inside to Casey who takes it to the house under pressure, with Crowley converting from under the sticks.
And just like that, the sides are level!
5 Apr
6:06PM
26′ – LAR 7-7 MUN: Diarmuid Barron wins a poach penalty on halfway. Jack Crowley absolutely nails his kick to touch, drilling it to within five.
Munster make a meal of the lineout. That’s a serious chance missed in what felt like a big psychological moment.
But Munster have worked their way into this at least!
5 Apr
6:09PM
30′ – LAR 7-7 MUN: It’s Munster who have La Rochelle on the ropes now! Another excellent attack, phase after phase, eventually results in a knock-on on the La Rochelle 5′. But it took a serious defensive stand to deny the Munster men there.
Peter O’Mahony with a superb carry down the left edge in the build-up. He’s been excellent so far.
5 Apr
6:12PM
31′ – LAR 7-7 MUN: Greg Aldritt steals one from Munster off the deck as they fail to secure the ruck — but with West still in the bin, they botch their exit and Munster will have a lineout inside the La Rochelle 22′.
Brilliant spell by the visitors. Feels like they need to make it count.
5 Apr
6:13PM
32′ – LAR 7-7 MUN: La Rochelle win a rousing penalty as Gavin Coombes plays the ball on the ground after the hosts blitz Munster’s ruck.
La Rochelle doing a good job of slowing Munster ball — at times, at least.
5 Apr
6:19PM
36′ – LAR 7-7 MUN: Uini Atonio wins a scrum penalty on Josh Wycherley, La Rochelle’s first in that particular set-piece.
They spill it forward, though, inside the Munster 22′.
Ihaia West is back on, in case I haven’t mentioned it.
Both sides have scored seven points with the other team down to 14.
Both sides have had spells of dominance.
Three minutes to half-time in a game that Munster have evened up in the second quarter, to their absolute credit.
5 Apr
6:24PM
41′ – LAR 7-7 MUN: La Rochelle will get a last chance of the half due to a few Munster infringements, firstly near halfway and then while they defended their own line.
A mark of respect for Munster’s scramble defence, maybe, as La Rochelle opt to take the easy three rather than seek a try on the stroke of half-time.
42′ – LAR 10-7 MUN: West chips over the gimme three points and La Rochelle take a lead into the break after a breathless first half at the Marcel-Deflandre!
5 Apr
6:31PM
Here’s a look at the two tries: La Rochelle opened the scoring through Levani Botia before Munster replied through Craig Casey after a sumptuous break in transition by Thaakir Abrahams.
42′ – LAR 10-10 MUN: Nash’s turnover pen. Crowley’s kick from just outside the 22′, right of centre. And Munster are level again!
5 Apr
6:44PM
43′ – LAR 10-10 MUN: Wow, La Rochelle get within inches but it’s Nash who comes up big again!
Les Rochelais roll it left, with offloads splitting open Munster again, and Nash hammers Jegou in the corner to deny him! Into touch he goes! Serious collision!
5 Apr
6:45PM
44′ – LAR 10-10 MUN: Oh dear, Munster make a mess of their lineout. Beirne is adjudged to have knocked on — harshly! — and it’s a scrum La Rochelle. Massive chance on the Munster 5′.
5 Apr
6:46PM
46′ – LAR 10-10 MUN: Munster produce some of the best scramble defence you’ll ever see, deny La Rochelle on three occasions, and hold them up over the line.
That. Was. Insane.
Serious credit to Munster, who earn a goal-line drop-out after an absolute assault!
47′ – TRRYYYYYYYYYYYYY FOR MUNSTER! GAVIN COOMBES WITH THE CHARGEDOWN AND SCORE!
LE BLOCK!
Oh wow, what a turnaround! Coombes charges down West inside the La Rochelle 22′. He controls the ball wonderfully, soccer-style, and picks up to finish!
Crowley splits the posts from left of centre on the La Rochelle 22′.
51′ – LAR 10-17 MUN: OH SO CLOSE FOR MUNSTER! They carve space where it didn’t exist down the left — and there’s a definite deliberate knock-on by a white hand with Munster players spare! La Rochelle are going to lose a player here!
Yep, yellow card for Dylan Leyds, but Piardi reckons Teddy Thomas was providing defensive cover.
Munster with an attacking lineout on the La Rochelle 5′!
Munster roll the maul close! They win the penalty advantage!
They have a man spare on the left and Casey digs the ball out and finds him! It’s Andrew Smith over in the left-hand corner!
Crowley’s conversion from the touchline is off the mark, but Munster lead by 12 at the Marcel-Deflandre!
5 Apr
6:56PM
53′ – LAR 10-22 MUN: Pinpoint box-kick by Casey and Calvin Nash blasts West into touch.
Another big moment by the two Limerick men. The voices you can hear from the crowd, for the moment, are from Ireland’s southern province.
5 Apr
6:59PM
56′ – LAR 10-22 MUN: Thaakir Abrahams, who has looked so dangerous, is off injured. Hopefully it’s nothing significant.
Rory Scannell on. We’ll see how Munster shift things around, now — does Crowley go to fullback and Scannell to 10? This was the risk with the 6-2.
5 Apr
7:03PM
58′ – LAR 10-22 MUN: Munster carve an opportunity down the right edge (it looks like Seán O’Brien is gone to left wing, Nash to fullback, and Smith to right wing; Crowley stays 10 and Scannell in at 12).
But they can’t make it count and La Rochelle return the favour by winning a lineout inside the Munster 22′ with a booming exit kick.
And then Munster deny them at the maul again! Craig Casey tearing into that one!
5 Apr
7:06PM
61′ – LAR 10-22 MUN: Unreal lineout steal by Tom Ahern on the Munster 22′.
La Rochelle are clawing their way back into this, though, territorially.
Jack Crowley comes within a whisker of winning a poach penalty on the Munster 10′. Aldritt rescues the situation and La Rochelle win the scrum as the ball becomes unplayable.
Good attacking opportunity for the hosts here.
5 Apr
7:09PM
63′ – LAR 10-22 MUN: I’ll tell you what, boys and girls: Tom Ahern has been demonic since he’s come on.
Forces a knock-on by La Rochelle near halfway with a big hit.
5 Apr
7:11PM
64′ – LAR 10-22 MUN: Scrum penalty against Stephen Archer on the Munster 10′.
Ihaia West absolutely pings his kick to touch to within five metres of the Munster line. Super kick, much like Crowley’s in the first half.
Big, big chance for La Rochelle!
5 Apr
7:11PM
66′ – LAR 10-22 MUN: Munster concede a penalty from that five-metre lineout. Take 2.
5 Apr
7:14PM
66′ – LAR 10-22 MUN: La Rochelle win another penalty at the lineout and roll Munster towards the line. It stops inches short and becomes unplayable but Andrea Piardi is going to check upstairs if Munster collapsed it illegally.
Could be a penalty try, could be just a penalty for the initial infringement. Piardi consulting with the TMO.
Drop-goal by Jack Crowley! La Rochelle 17-25 Munster
69′ – LAR 17-25 MUN: JACK CROWLEY! OH, YOU BEAUTY! He drops back well outside the La Rochelle 22′ and he absolutely slots his drop-kick!
Out of nowhere, Munster lead by eight!
5 Apr
7:24PM
71′ – LAR 17-25 MUN: Andrew Smith and Calvin Nash combine for a HUGE jackal-penalty win as La Rochelle attack down the left, deep in Munster territory!
5 Apr
7:26PM
73′ – LAR 17-25 MUN: La Rochelle need to score twice here. They have a scrum on the Munster 10 at the moment.
5 Apr
7:27PM
74′ – LAR 17-25 MUN: TADHG BEIRNE WITH THE POACH PENALTY ON HIS OWN 22′! A huge moment again for the visitors!
5 Apr
7:29PM
76′ – LAR 17-25 MUN: La Rochelle win a penalty in their own half and Hastoy bangs it deep, deep into the Munster 22′.
Massive chance for the hosts. Can Munster deny them one more time?
78′ – TRYYYYYYYYYYY FOR LA ROCHELLE! La Rochelle 24-25 Munster: Hoani Bosforin collects the cross-kick! GAME ON!!!
5 Apr
7:33PM
79′ – LAR 24-25 MUN: La Rochelle win a penalty in their own 22′ as Munster are pinged for sealing off. Into the final minute. La Rochelle have the lineout inside the Munster half.
5 Apr
7:36PM
Full-time: La Rochelle 24-25 Munster
PENALTY MUNSTER! MUNSTER HAVE DONE IT!!!
5 Apr
7:42PM
Wow, I had to get the notification out to you ASAP — so just to actually describe what happened at the end:
Munster won a penalty at the breakdown with the clock red. But Piardi had to check upstairs for a potential high hit by Fineen Wycherley in extremely kickable territory.
Piardi’s on-field decision was that the carrier — might have been Jegou, I can’t remember honestly — had dipped into contact.
He stuck with that decision after watching the replay.
Crowley tapped the ball and out it went, and out went La Rochelle with it!
Munster march on with a famous victory. Incroyable!
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As it happened: La Rochelle v Munster, Champions Cup Round of 16
How’re we doing? It’s Gavan Casey with you here and welcome to The 42′s live coverage of Munster’s Champions Cup last-16 meeting with La Rochelle at Stade Marcel-Deflandre.
Ireland’s southern province lock horns with their fellow two-time European champions in the west of France, where Munster legend Ronan O’Gara will hope he can resuscitate La Rochelle’s ailing campaign.
It’s a reunion years in the making and it all kicks off at 5:30pm (live on Premier Sports if you’re looking).
If you’re not in France and you can’t make it to a telly, we’ll bring you all the thrills and spills as Les Rochelais host the Red Army in their beautiful port city.
Before we go any further, let’s get a sense of the optimism/pessimism levels ahead of this one.
Poll Results:
Apropros of nothing…
La Rochelle, who are winless in their last eight games, are without Paul Boudehent and Jonathan Danty for this one.
Alex Nankivell is suspended for Munster — a huge blow — but they’re the form side coming into this one simply by dint of having won their last game.
Both sides set to line out as named earlier in the week, with Italian referee Andrea Piardi the man in the middle.
STADE ROCHELAIS: Dillyn Leyds: Jack Nowell, Teddy Thomas, UJ Seuteni, Hoani Bosmorin; Ihaia West, Tawera Kerr-Barlow; Reda Wardi, Pierre Bourgarit, Uini Atonio; Thomas Lavault, Will Skelton; Levani Botia, Oscar Jegou, Grégory Alldritt (captain).
Replacements: Quentin Lespiaucq, Alexandre Kaddouri, Aleksandre Kuntelia, Ultan Dillane, Judicaël Cancoriet, Matthias Haddad, Antoine Hastoy, Jules Favre.
MUNSTER: Thaakir Abrahams; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Seán O’Brien, Andrew Smith; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (captain); Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Josh Wycherley, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Alex Kendellen.
Referee: Andrea Piardi [Italy].
A tribute to Kerry GAA great Mick O’Dwyer on the big screen at the Marcel-Deflandre.
Tadhg Beirne and Gregory Aldritt meet again…
La Rochelle laid out a fanzone in the city for travelling Munster supporters. They were expecting about 2,000. That was a significant underestimation.
Unlikely that ROG’s side will take their counterparts lightly where it counts in about seven minutes’ time though.
This one is set up to be a cracker.
O’Gara is asked by Simon Zebo on Premier Sports how his week has been. “Pretty well until I met up with my former teammates yesterday,” he says. “I got distracted for a few hours.”
The teams are out. The atmosphere at the Marcel-Deflandre is thunderous. The sun is splitting the stones.
Strap in, folks.
1′ LAR 0-0 MUN: Andrea Piardi sounds his whistle and Ihaia West gets the action underway!
1′ – LAR 0-0 MUN Oh, so close to an incredible start for La Rochelle! It would have been a magnificent score.
Ihaia West with the wonderful pass to Uinio Atonio on halfway. He makes inroads. Teddy Thomas’ blistering pace is too hot to handle and as he’s eventually tackled by Jack Crowley, he pops inside wonderfully to Tawera Kerr-Barlow who crosses the whitewash.
But after Ihaia West misses the conversion, the TMO spots a heel in touch by Thomas! It’s pulled back.
No try. Huge let-off for Munster but ominous signs.
4′ – LAR 0-0 MUN: Munster go for a cross-field kick from a scrum on their own 22′ but it’s poor execution by Crowley, who drives it straight into touch.
Chance for La Rochelle to get that potent maul rolling, but Munster stop it in seconds. John Hodnett then makes the poach and wins the penalty. Great work by the Rosscarbery man.
Munster need to take a breath here, though.
6′ – LAR 0-0 MUN: Nice box-chip from just inside his own half by Craig Casey. Dribbles into touch inside the La Rochelle 22′.
They win the lineout and clear to touch outside their own 10-metre line.
Munster playing territory so far, just looking to settle their way into the game. It’s the right plan because La Rochelle look altogether more powerful in contact so far, as you might expect.
Fun start to the game!
10′ – LAR 0-0 MUN: La Rochelle make a dangerous break and Andrew Smith tries — honestly — to win a turnover on the ground. Piardi reckons he wasn’t supporting his weight. He’s heading to the bin, and La Rochelle are heading to the corner.
Big chance now for the hosts.
11′ – TRYYYYYYYYYY FOR LA ROCHELLE! Levani Botia opens the scoring for the hosts!
Munster did well to stop the Rochelais maul at source again but Will Skelton and UJ Seuteni just blast their way through Munster thereafter.
Botia crosses on an offload from Seuteni from close range.
Easy conversion for West.
La Rochelle are on it here.
15′ – LAR 7-0 MUN: Munster’s first real attack breaks down with an awful pass by Seán O’Brien which flies into touch. It was a nice move, though, with Munster showing patience and accuracy to that point and working their way up to the La Rochelle 22′.
La Rochelle have looked by far the more dangerous side so far.
19′ – LAR 7-0 MUN: La Rochelle cut Munster to ribbons again but spill the ball towards the southern province’s five-metre line.
Munster just can’t handle the likes of Thomas and Jack Nowell. Ihaia West pulling strings. The French side have looked irresistible at times.
One-way traffic so far, but only seven points in it and Munster doing well to hang in there.
21′ – LAR 7-0 MUN: Andrew Smith back from the bin, which feels huge. La Rochelle were doing wreck in the 15-metre channels and stretching their 14-man opposition in midfield.
Munster deserve credit for their scramble ‘D’ while Smith was off the field. But they need to get something cooking here.
23′ – LAR 7-0 MUN: Ihaia West is binned for a high tackle on Seán O’Brien, with La Rochelle seeing a penalty reversed against them in the process.
Tahdg Beirne did well to get the officials to check that. Piardi pleads with him to trust the officials, but play had continued an age after that hit.
25′ – TRYYYYYYYY FOR MUNSTER! CRAIG CASEY DOTS DOWN BUT IT’S ALL ABOUT THAAKIR ABRAHAMS!
He collects a loose kick, spots a gap in midfield, and slaloms through the La Rochelle rearguard!
He pops it inside to Casey who takes it to the house under pressure, with Crowley converting from under the sticks.
And just like that, the sides are level!
26′ – LAR 7-7 MUN: Diarmuid Barron wins a poach penalty on halfway. Jack Crowley absolutely nails his kick to touch, drilling it to within five.
Munster make a meal of the lineout. That’s a serious chance missed in what felt like a big psychological moment.
But Munster have worked their way into this at least!
30′ – LAR 7-7 MUN: It’s Munster who have La Rochelle on the ropes now! Another excellent attack, phase after phase, eventually results in a knock-on on the La Rochelle 5′. But it took a serious defensive stand to deny the Munster men there.
Peter O’Mahony with a superb carry down the left edge in the build-up. He’s been excellent so far.
31′ – LAR 7-7 MUN: Greg Aldritt steals one from Munster off the deck as they fail to secure the ruck — but with West still in the bin, they botch their exit and Munster will have a lineout inside the La Rochelle 22′.
Brilliant spell by the visitors. Feels like they need to make it count.
32′ – LAR 7-7 MUN: La Rochelle win a rousing penalty as Gavin Coombes plays the ball on the ground after the hosts blitz Munster’s ruck.
La Rochelle doing a good job of slowing Munster ball — at times, at least.
36′ – LAR 7-7 MUN: Uini Atonio wins a scrum penalty on Josh Wycherley, La Rochelle’s first in that particular set-piece.
They spill it forward, though, inside the Munster 22′.
Ihaia West is back on, in case I haven’t mentioned it.
Both sides have scored seven points with the other team down to 14.
Both sides have had spells of dominance.
Three minutes to half-time in a game that Munster have evened up in the second quarter, to their absolute credit.
41′ – LAR 7-7 MUN: La Rochelle will get a last chance of the half due to a few Munster infringements, firstly near halfway and then while they defended their own line.
A mark of respect for Munster’s scramble defence, maybe, as La Rochelle opt to take the easy three rather than seek a try on the stroke of half-time.
42′ – LAR 10-7 MUN: West chips over the gimme three points and La Rochelle take a lead into the break after a breathless first half at the Marcel-Deflandre!
Here’s a look at the two tries: La Rochelle opened the scoring through Levani Botia before Munster replied through Craig Casey after a sumptuous break in transition by Thaakir Abrahams.
41′ – LAR 10-7 MUN: Jack Crowley restarts proceedings in the west of France.
What a half we could have in store here!
41′ – LAR 10-7 MUN: Calvin Nash immediately wins a jackal penalty on the La Rochelle 22′ after Crowley’s kick-off! Savage work by the wing.
A chance for Munster to level proceedings within seconds of the game restarting.
42′ – LAR 10-10 MUN: Nash’s turnover pen. Crowley’s kick from just outside the 22′, right of centre. And Munster are level again!
43′ – LAR 10-10 MUN: Wow, La Rochelle get within inches but it’s Nash who comes up big again!
Les Rochelais roll it left, with offloads splitting open Munster again, and Nash hammers Jegou in the corner to deny him! Into touch he goes! Serious collision!
44′ – LAR 10-10 MUN: Oh dear, Munster make a mess of their lineout. Beirne is adjudged to have knocked on — harshly! — and it’s a scrum La Rochelle. Massive chance on the Munster 5′.
46′ – LAR 10-10 MUN: Munster produce some of the best scramble defence you’ll ever see, deny La Rochelle on three occasions, and hold them up over the line.
That. Was. Insane.
Serious credit to Munster, who earn a goal-line drop-out after an absolute assault!
47′ – TRRYYYYYYYYYYYYY FOR MUNSTER! GAVIN COOMBES WITH THE CHARGEDOWN AND SCORE!
LE BLOCK!
Oh wow, what a turnaround! Coombes charges down West inside the La Rochelle 22′. He controls the ball wonderfully, soccer-style, and picks up to finish!
Crowley splits the posts from left of centre on the La Rochelle 22′.
Munster into the lead!
51′ – LAR 10-17 MUN: OH SO CLOSE FOR MUNSTER! They carve space where it didn’t exist down the left — and there’s a definite deliberate knock-on by a white hand with Munster players spare! La Rochelle are going to lose a player here!
Yep, yellow card for Dylan Leyds, but Piardi reckons Teddy Thomas was providing defensive cover.
Munster with an attacking lineout on the La Rochelle 5′!
52′ – TRRYYYYYYYYYYYYY FOR MUNSTER! ANDREW SMITH!
Munster roll the maul close! They win the penalty advantage!
They have a man spare on the left and Casey digs the ball out and finds him! It’s Andrew Smith over in the left-hand corner!
Crowley’s conversion from the touchline is off the mark, but Munster lead by 12 at the Marcel-Deflandre!
53′ – LAR 10-22 MUN: Pinpoint box-kick by Casey and Calvin Nash blasts West into touch.
Another big moment by the two Limerick men. The voices you can hear from the crowd, for the moment, are from Ireland’s southern province.
56′ – LAR 10-22 MUN: Thaakir Abrahams, who has looked so dangerous, is off injured. Hopefully it’s nothing significant.
Rory Scannell on. We’ll see how Munster shift things around, now — does Crowley go to fullback and Scannell to 10? This was the risk with the 6-2.
58′ – LAR 10-22 MUN: Munster carve an opportunity down the right edge (it looks like Seán O’Brien is gone to left wing, Nash to fullback, and Smith to right wing; Crowley stays 10 and Scannell in at 12).
But they can’t make it count and La Rochelle return the favour by winning a lineout inside the Munster 22′ with a booming exit kick.
And then Munster deny them at the maul again! Craig Casey tearing into that one!
61′ – LAR 10-22 MUN: Unreal lineout steal by Tom Ahern on the Munster 22′.
La Rochelle are clawing their way back into this, though, territorially.
Jack Crowley comes within a whisker of winning a poach penalty on the Munster 10′. Aldritt rescues the situation and La Rochelle win the scrum as the ball becomes unplayable.
Good attacking opportunity for the hosts here.
63′ – LAR 10-22 MUN: I’ll tell you what, boys and girls: Tom Ahern has been demonic since he’s come on.
Forces a knock-on by La Rochelle near halfway with a big hit.
64′ – LAR 10-22 MUN: Scrum penalty against Stephen Archer on the Munster 10′.
Ihaia West absolutely pings his kick to touch to within five metres of the Munster line. Super kick, much like Crowley’s in the first half.
Big, big chance for La Rochelle!
66′ – LAR 10-22 MUN: Munster concede a penalty from that five-metre lineout. Take 2.
66′ – LAR 10-22 MUN: La Rochelle win another penalty at the lineout and roll Munster towards the line. It stops inches short and becomes unplayable but Andrea Piardi is going to check upstairs if Munster collapsed it illegally.
Could be a penalty try, could be just a penalty for the initial infringement. Piardi consulting with the TMO.
66′ TRYYYYYYYYY FOR LA ROCHELLE! La Rochelle 17-22 Munster: Piardi awards a penalty try and Alex Kendellen is yellow-carded for collapsing the maul.
A double-whammy for Munster.
Buckle up, folks. La Rochelle are back with a bang here!
69′ – LAR 17-25 MUN: JACK CROWLEY! OH, YOU BEAUTY! He drops back well outside the La Rochelle 22′ and he absolutely slots his drop-kick!
Out of nowhere, Munster lead by eight!
71′ – LAR 17-25 MUN: Andrew Smith and Calvin Nash combine for a HUGE jackal-penalty win as La Rochelle attack down the left, deep in Munster territory!
73′ – LAR 17-25 MUN: La Rochelle need to score twice here. They have a scrum on the Munster 10 at the moment.
74′ – LAR 17-25 MUN: TADHG BEIRNE WITH THE POACH PENALTY ON HIS OWN 22′! A huge moment again for the visitors!
76′ – LAR 17-25 MUN: La Rochelle win a penalty in their own half and Hastoy bangs it deep, deep into the Munster 22′.
Massive chance for the hosts. Can Munster deny them one more time?
78′ – TRYYYYYYYYYYY FOR LA ROCHELLE! La Rochelle 24-25 Munster: Hoani Bosforin collects the cross-kick! GAME ON!!!
79′ – LAR 24-25 MUN: La Rochelle win a penalty in their own 22′ as Munster are pinged for sealing off. Into the final minute. La Rochelle have the lineout inside the Munster half.
PENALTY MUNSTER! MUNSTER HAVE DONE IT!!!
Wow, I had to get the notification out to you ASAP — so just to actually describe what happened at the end:
Munster won a penalty at the breakdown with the clock red. But Piardi had to check upstairs for a potential high hit by Fineen Wycherley in extremely kickable territory.
Piardi’s on-field decision was that the carrier — might have been Jegou, I can’t remember honestly — had dipped into contact.
He stuck with that decision after watching the replay.
Crowley tapped the ball and out it went, and out went La Rochelle with it!
Munster march on with a famous victory. Incroyable!
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