MUNSTER LOST AN utterly intense Champions Cup semi-final 10 – 26 to reigning English and European Champions Saracens. You’ll find the match report here, with some post-match thoughts below.
Sickeningly good Saracens
Mark McCall is in charge of a very worthy group of reigning European Champions and they must be favourites to retain their crown no matter who comes through from tomorrow’s semi-final between Clermont and Leinster.
Munster put them to the pin of their collar at the Aviva Stadium today, they creaked, but never cracked. Even under immense pressure during a raucous first half, the visitors created the game’s best try-scoring opportunity with slick hands carving Munster open only for Richard Wigglesworth to put the ball down with the line begging.
Through bullish maul defence and relentless tackling, they weathered all the storm Munster could gather and two more try-scoring chances were left untouched by Chris Ashton and George Kruis before Mako Vunipola powered over.
Muted Munster attack
Munster did so much right before coming undone. John Ryan looked like a man with a vendetta against Mako Vunipola and they created a feeding frenzy around the visitors’ scrum. Simon Zebo rose magnificently to take high balls and their kicking racked up a dominance of 72% territory in the first-half.
However, what they did with that territory in those periods of momentum where what cost them this semi-final. The best chance created was in the opening minutes on the back of two ferocious scrummaging efforts from the pack, but Rassie Erasmus’ side were slightly too ponderous and any look wide was seconds too late. Saracens were left to stand up to physical one-out carries and they relished every collision.
Feel the noise
News of traffic chaos all the way up the main arteries from Munster to Dublin made us worry for the attendance at kick-off time, but if there was any Munster fan MIA – and there were smatterings of green seats all over the east stand – the earlier risersmade sure to dig deep and bellow out enough noise to more than make up the difference.
The Aviva Stadium looked terrific decked out in red and the guttural roars that greeted early clashes only died down as the champions pulled clear. Indeed, even when an insurmountable 13-point gap faced them late in the second half, there was a wall of noise behind the pack’s last roll of the dice and rather than stream glumly to the gate, much of the crowd spent the minutes after the final whistle cheering their players off the field.
That old sinking semi-final feeling
Stats never really do Munster’s relationship with the European Cup much justice. Their longing for this tournament is built on near misses and heart-breaking memories from campaigns that felt like odysseys.
Today was the southern province’s 12th semi-final of the Heineken / Champions Cup, but they were unfortunate to be pitted against a team who have made themselves at home at this level with final four appearances in each of the last five years.
Of Munster’s 12 semis, it was a fourth in Dublin and thanks to Saracens second-half tries, they have still only defeated Leinster in this city.
The end of the European campaign, but a special season lives on
Munster’s squad and staff have dug to new depths of resolve in devastating circumstances this season. They have channeled their grief and anguish, miraculously, into consistently brilliant, energetic and accurate performances on the rugby field.
There is no shame in defeat today. They are way beyond the improvement curve anyone could have set for Erasmus’ first year and were up against a team eight years into its development and at the absolute peak of their powers.
A home semi-final in the Pro12 still lies ahead for Munster to build towards, but even if there is no sweet and silverware-line ending to this campaign, the season will ling long in the memory.
There is a bright red future to look forward to.
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