Hello, everybody, and welcome to The 42′s live coverage of Munster’s Champions Cup quarter-final meeting with Bordeaux at the Stade Chaban-Delmas.
It’s Gavan Casey with you here and if you’re not in France or if you don’t have access to Premier Sports 1 this afternoon, I’ll bring you live updates from this last-eight clash between the top seeds from the pool stage and the two-time European champions.
Ciarán Kennedy is in Bordeaux for us this afternoon and will have a live report and reaction after full-time, so keep an eye on The 42 for all of that later.
I may have this arseways but I think this sign reads in English: ‘This evening it’s us, Munster’. Bit of a warning shot from that Bordeaux fan if my Leaving Cert French stands up to scrutiny. (Huge chance it doesn’t).
Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Captains Maxime Lucu and Tadhg Beirne renew acquaintances having met in the Six Nations a few weeks ago.
Beirne’s accidental injuring of Antoine Dupont saw Lucu come onto the field and boss proceedings for the eventual champions. Munster will hope to keep the scrum-half under wraps this afternoon, but it’s a tough ask.
As well as being a brilliant attacking player, his box-kick exits are among the best in the game.
Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
12 Apr
2:41PM
Teams
Sounds like the sides are going to line out as named on Friday, although Joey Carbery has been knocking a ball around despite not being included against his former side today.
Joey Carbery out doing some kicking pregame. Not in the Bordeaux 23 today and wasn’t included in the list of injured players. pic.twitter.com/v7Iq6ZkbwD
For Munster, Alex Nankivell is freed to play after the province’s successful appeal against his suspension for a red card against Connacht in Mayo a couple of weeks ago.
Yannick Bru’s Bordeaux welcome back Six Nations Player of the Tournament Louis Bielle-Biarrey and France out-half Matthieu Jalibert also starts.
It’s a stronger team than that which faced Ulster last weekend.
BORDEAUX-BEGLES: Jon Echegaray; Damian Penaud, Yoram Moefana, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Matthieu Jalibert, Maxime Lucu (capt); Jefferson Poirot, Maxime Lamothe, Ben Tameifuna; Adam Coleman, Cyril Cazeaux; Mahamadou Diaby, Guido Petti, Pete Samu.
Replacements: Connor Sa, Matis Perchaud, Sipili Falatea, Pierre Bochaton, Marko Gazzotti, Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer, Yann Lesgourgues, Pablo Uberti.
MUNSTER: Thaakir Abrahams; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Andrew Smith; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron, Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (capt), Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Mark Donnelly, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern, Conor Murray, Seán O’Brien, Alex Kendellen.
1′ – BOR 0-0 MUN: Nika Amashukeli sounds his whistle and Jack Crowley gets the action underway at Stade Chaban-Delmas!
12 Apr
3:03PM
1′ – BOR 0-0 MUN: A blistering start by Munster as Gavin Coombes charges down the left edge and feeds Tom Farrell on a switch.
Farrell makes further inroads up to the Bordeaux 5′ but his offload inside to Andrew Smith is spilled in contact.
Wow, brilliant attack but a big chance missed by the visitors only seconds into the game!
12 Apr
3:06PM
3′ – BOR 0-0 MUN: Munster lose a lineout in Bordeaux territory and the French side look to break out of their 22′ with electrifying speed, big carry by Van Rensburg in the middle of it. Their attack eventually breaks down up around halfway — but a glimpse of how Munster can ill afford to be loose here today!
5′ – TRRRYYYYYYYYY FOR THE HOSTS! DAMIAN PENAUD FROM NOTHING!
A scrum inside the Munster half, Bordeaux swing right and Matthieu Jalibert chips in behind off first phase. Penaud pounces and beats Thaakir Abrahams to the ball, diving over in the right-hand corner.
Lethal. Lethal.
Jalibert’s conversion kisses the left-hand post but Munster trail 5-0 early.
Oh, that’s a disastrous score to concede. It all stemmed from a lost Munster lineout — their second — and Damian Penaud marauded down the left wing.
His chip through bobbles around pinball-style and evades Josh Wycherley, with Lucu pouncing on the ball over the try-line. Jalibert converts from centre-left.
Munster shooting themselves in the foot here bigtime.
12 Apr
3:21PM
16′ – BOR 15-3 MUN: Munster earn a lineout about 10 metres from the Bordeaux line but lose their third of the game. It’s a shambles so far and if they don’t sort it out, this game is as good as over.
Excellent pressure by Bordeaux in the air, to be fair.
12 Apr
3:26PM
22′ – BOR 15-3 BOR: Incredible defensive stand by Munster! Thaakir Abrahams with the scrambling try-saver on Bielle-Biarrey in the left-hand corner. Tadhg Beirne with the poach on his own 5′. Penalty Munster.
26′ – TRRYYYYYYYYY FOR BORDEAUX! Pete Samu gets their third! Munster chasing shadows.
Tom Farrell’s knock-on in midfield is punished ruthlessly but there are a series of defensive errors that lead to the score, which is converted by Jalibert.
Brilliant break into the 22′ by Jon Echegaray who pops it over his shoulder inside to Samu, who finishes it off.
Bordeaux lead by 19 and Munster are being torn to pieces here.
12 Apr
3:36PM
31′ – BOR 22-3 MUN: Really poor penalty concession by Josh Wycherley in his own 22′ as he seals off after Crowley is smashed.
Jalibert’s radar is a little bit off, however, and his relatively straightforward kick at goal drifts wide.
A let-off for the Irish province.
12 Apr
3:38PM
33′ – BOR 22-3 MUN: Another poor error by Munster in possession in midfield and Bordeaux blow a golden opportunity to kill the game off.
It’s been a very poor performance by Munster so far, they’ll be disgusted. But that was too casual by Bordeaux, who tried a crossfield kick when they had a huge overlap.
Ah, it’s sumptuous attacking rugby by Bordeaux after they crease the Munster scrum.
The fullback rounds off the score and Jalibert converts from range.
You’d have to say that’s curtains.
12 Apr
3:45PM
39′ – BOR 29-3 MUN: Niall Scannell on for the injured Diarmuid Barron and with his first involvement, Munster lose another lineout.
Folks, it hasn’t been good from an Irish perspective. But Bordeaux have been a pleasure to watch.
12 Apr
3:49PM
43′ – BOR 29-3 MUN: Clock deep in the red at the end of the first half. Munster get their first chance since the second minute with a penalty deep in Bordeaux’s 22.
Try for Munster! Half-time: Bordeaux 29-10 Munster
44′ – TRYYYYYYYY FOR MUNSTER! Alex Nankivell gives them a sliver of a lifeline as he converts from close range.
Crowley’s conversion from a tricky angle is on the ball and Munster will go in 19 down at the break, which honestly feels like a decent return from what’s been an abysmal half by them.
46′ – BOR 29-10 MUN: Totting-up process there and Cazeaux is binned after repeated team warnings on either side of half-time. He was offside near halfway.
Munster back in the Bordeaux 22′ but they have their lineout picked once more.
12 Apr
4:15PM
49′ – BOR 29-10 MUN: Back-to-back penalties against Munster, now, and Jalibert will have a look at three points from a reasonable distance out, centre-right.
12 Apr
4:17PM
49′ – BOR 29-10 MUN: Jalibert’s kick skews off his boot, wide right. It remains a three-score game, but hard to see where Munster can close that gap with their lineout.
Stephen Archer on for his 300th Munster appearance, replacing Oli Jager. Tom Ahern on for Peter O’Mahony.
52′ – TRRRYYYYYYY FOR MUNSTER! Andrew Smith with a wonderful score out of nothing!
Tom Farrell with a great carry up the middle. Alex Nankivell swings a bridge pass left to Smith. He chips into space, gathers near the line and dives over for Munster’s second try!
Crowley’s conversion from the left-hand touchline comes back off the left-hand upright.
Penalty try for Munster and yellow card for Jon Echegaray (Bordeaux): Bordeaux 40-22 Munster
68′ – TRY FOR MUNSTER! Seán O’Brien somehow finds a hole in a cul de sac and his pass out to Farrell inside the Bordeaux 22′ is deliberately knocked on by the Bordeaux fullback Echegaray.
Amashukeli gives penalty try, believing Farrell would have made it if he got the ball.
Honestly, I doubt that. Bordeaux are furious too.
But the ref runs under the sticks and it’s seven points for Munster!
74′ – TRY FOR MUNSTER! Tidy phase attack by Munster and Jack Crowley chips in behind. Andrew Smith gathers it on the bounce and dives over just in from the right-hand corner.
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As it happened: Bordeaux Bègles v Munster, Champions Cup quarter-final
Hello, everybody, and welcome to The 42′s live coverage of Munster’s Champions Cup quarter-final meeting with Bordeaux at the Stade Chaban-Delmas.
It’s Gavan Casey with you here and if you’re not in France or if you don’t have access to Premier Sports 1 this afternoon, I’ll bring you live updates from this last-eight clash between the top seeds from the pool stage and the two-time European champions.
Ciarán Kennedy is in Bordeaux for us this afternoon and will have a live report and reaction after full-time, so keep an eye on The 42 for all of that later.
We’re just over half an hour from kick-off. It’s a big one on the banks of the Garonne.
I may have this arseways but I think this sign reads in English: ‘This evening it’s us, Munster’. Bit of a warning shot from that Bordeaux fan if my Leaving Cert French stands up to scrutiny. (Huge chance it doesn’t).
Captains Maxime Lucu and Tadhg Beirne renew acquaintances having met in the Six Nations a few weeks ago.
Beirne’s accidental injuring of Antoine Dupont saw Lucu come onto the field and boss proceedings for the eventual champions. Munster will hope to keep the scrum-half under wraps this afternoon, but it’s a tough ask.
As well as being a brilliant attacking player, his box-kick exits are among the best in the game.
Sounds like the sides are going to line out as named on Friday, although Joey Carbery has been knocking a ball around despite not being included against his former side today.
For Munster, Alex Nankivell is freed to play after the province’s successful appeal against his suspension for a red card against Connacht in Mayo a couple of weeks ago.
Yannick Bru’s Bordeaux welcome back Six Nations Player of the Tournament Louis Bielle-Biarrey and France out-half Matthieu Jalibert also starts.
It’s a stronger team than that which faced Ulster last weekend.
BORDEAUX-BEGLES: Jon Echegaray; Damian Penaud, Yoram Moefana, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Matthieu Jalibert, Maxime Lucu (capt); Jefferson Poirot, Maxime Lamothe, Ben Tameifuna; Adam Coleman, Cyril Cazeaux; Mahamadou Diaby, Guido Petti, Pete Samu.
Replacements: Connor Sa, Matis Perchaud, Sipili Falatea, Pierre Bochaton, Marko Gazzotti, Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer, Yann Lesgourgues, Pablo Uberti.
MUNSTER: Thaakir Abrahams; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Andrew Smith; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron, Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (capt), Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Mark Donnelly, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern, Conor Murray, Seán O’Brien, Alex Kendellen.
Referee: Nika Amashukeli [GEO].
To the brave and faithful, nothing is impossible.
Your predictions, please:
Poll Results:
1′ – BOR 0-0 MUN: Nika Amashukeli sounds his whistle and Jack Crowley gets the action underway at Stade Chaban-Delmas!
1′ – BOR 0-0 MUN: A blistering start by Munster as Gavin Coombes charges down the left edge and feeds Tom Farrell on a switch.
Farrell makes further inroads up to the Bordeaux 5′ but his offload inside to Andrew Smith is spilled in contact.
Wow, brilliant attack but a big chance missed by the visitors only seconds into the game!
3′ – BOR 0-0 MUN: Munster lose a lineout in Bordeaux territory and the French side look to break out of their 22′ with electrifying speed, big carry by Van Rensburg in the middle of it. Their attack eventually breaks down up around halfway — but a glimpse of how Munster can ill afford to be loose here today!
5′ – TRRRYYYYYYYYY FOR THE HOSTS! DAMIAN PENAUD FROM NOTHING!
A scrum inside the Munster half, Bordeaux swing right and Matthieu Jalibert chips in behind off first phase. Penaud pounces and beats Thaakir Abrahams to the ball, diving over in the right-hand corner.
Lethal. Lethal.
Jalibert’s conversion kisses the left-hand post but Munster trail 5-0 early.
8′ – BOR 5-3 MUN: Munster’s scrum is gaining the upper hand early here, and Amashukeli pings Bordeaux on their 22′.
Munster win a further penalty advantage for offside and eventually garner three easy points from the boot of Jack Crowley.
A settler for the visitors.
11′ – BOR 5-3 MUN: John Hodnett goes for a poach inside his own 22′ but he’s penalised by Amashukeli. Penalty Bordeaux.
The referee is now consulting with his TMO on a potential high hit by Jean Kleyn on Ben Tameifuna.
Kleyn gets low, bent to the waist, and Amashukeli calls it a rugby collision — no foul play. Good shout.
Back for the Bordeaux penalty, though, and Jalibert is going to take the chip-shot three points.
12′ – BOR 8-3 MUN: Jalibert knocks over the three from close range. Bordeaux lead by five.
Too many errors by Munster in the early throes here.
14′ – TRRRRYYYYYYYYYY FOR BORDEAUX! MAXIME LUCU!
Oh, that’s a disastrous score to concede. It all stemmed from a lost Munster lineout — their second — and Damian Penaud marauded down the left wing.
His chip through bobbles around pinball-style and evades Josh Wycherley, with Lucu pouncing on the ball over the try-line. Jalibert converts from centre-left.
Munster shooting themselves in the foot here bigtime.
16′ – BOR 15-3 MUN: Munster earn a lineout about 10 metres from the Bordeaux line but lose their third of the game. It’s a shambles so far and if they don’t sort it out, this game is as good as over.
Excellent pressure by Bordeaux in the air, to be fair.
22′ – BOR 15-3 BOR: Incredible defensive stand by Munster! Thaakir Abrahams with the scrambling try-saver on Bielle-Biarrey in the left-hand corner. Tadhg Beirne with the poach on his own 5′. Penalty Munster.
And breathe. They’re under savage pressure here.
26′ – TRRYYYYYYYYY FOR BORDEAUX! Pete Samu gets their third! Munster chasing shadows.
Tom Farrell’s knock-on in midfield is punished ruthlessly but there are a series of defensive errors that lead to the score, which is converted by Jalibert.
Brilliant break into the 22′ by Jon Echegaray who pops it over his shoulder inside to Samu, who finishes it off.
Bordeaux lead by 19 and Munster are being torn to pieces here.
31′ – BOR 22-3 MUN: Really poor penalty concession by Josh Wycherley in his own 22′ as he seals off after Crowley is smashed.
Jalibert’s radar is a little bit off, however, and his relatively straightforward kick at goal drifts wide.
A let-off for the Irish province.
33′ – BOR 22-3 MUN: Another poor error by Munster in possession in midfield and Bordeaux blow a golden opportunity to kill the game off.
It’s been a very poor performance by Munster so far, they’ll be disgusted. But that was too casual by Bordeaux, who tried a crossfield kick when they had a huge overlap.
35′ – TRYYYYYYY FOR BORDEAUX! Echegaray!
Ah, it’s sumptuous attacking rugby by Bordeaux after they crease the Munster scrum.
The fullback rounds off the score and Jalibert converts from range.
You’d have to say that’s curtains.
39′ – BOR 29-3 MUN: Niall Scannell on for the injured Diarmuid Barron and with his first involvement, Munster lose another lineout.
Folks, it hasn’t been good from an Irish perspective. But Bordeaux have been a pleasure to watch.
43′ – BOR 29-3 MUN: Clock deep in the red at the end of the first half. Munster get their first chance since the second minute with a penalty deep in Bordeaux’s 22.
44′ – TRYYYYYYYY FOR MUNSTER! Alex Nankivell gives them a sliver of a lifeline as he converts from close range.
Crowley’s conversion from a tricky angle is on the ball and Munster will go in 19 down at the break, which honestly feels like a decent return from what’s been an abysmal half by them.
It’s been the Bordeaux show!
Catch you in 15.
41′ – BOR 29-10 MUN: Matthieu Jalibert gets the action back underway at Stade Chaban-Delmas.
42′ – BOR 29-10 MUN: Diaby concedes a pen on halfway for obstruction. Jack Crowley hammers Munster into the Bordeaux 22′.
Chance for the visitors goes a-begging, however, on a forward pass by Nankivell off first-phase.
45′ – BOR 29-10 MUN: Nice Munster attack yields another penalty. Crowley prods them to the Bordeaux five-metre line.
Big chance, and crucial chance for the visitors at 19 points down!
45′ – BOR 29-10 MUN: Munster’s lineout implodes again. Disaster. Chance gone.
46′ – BOR 29-10 MUN: Totting-up process there and Cazeaux is binned after repeated team warnings on either side of half-time. He was offside near halfway.
Munster back in the Bordeaux 22′ but they have their lineout picked once more.
49′ – BOR 29-10 MUN: Back-to-back penalties against Munster, now, and Jalibert will have a look at three points from a reasonable distance out, centre-right.
49′ – BOR 29-10 MUN: Jalibert’s kick skews off his boot, wide right. It remains a three-score game, but hard to see where Munster can close that gap with their lineout.
Stephen Archer on for his 300th Munster appearance, replacing Oli Jager. Tom Ahern on for Peter O’Mahony.
52′ – TRRRYYYYYYY FOR MUNSTER! Andrew Smith with a wonderful score out of nothing!
Tom Farrell with a great carry up the middle. Alex Nankivell swings a bridge pass left to Smith. He chips into space, gathers near the line and dives over for Munster’s second try!
Crowley’s conversion from the left-hand touchline comes back off the left-hand upright.
We have a 14-point game in Bordeaux.
54′ – BOR 32-15 MUN: Munster botch their exit from the restart after the try. Penalty as Kleyn holds on on the ground.
Jalibert stretches it back out to a three-score game.
So frustrating from a Munster perspective.
55′ – BOR 32-15 MUN: Munster make a total hames of things on their own 22′ as Crowley rockets a pass to Nankivell who knocks on.
Tom Ahern is too eager in defence, caught offside as he disrupts the Bordeaux attack. He’s in the bin. Bordeaux nearly back up to 15 again.
Huge swing. Munster their own worst enemies once more.
57′ – BOR 32-15 MUN: With Ahern in the bin, Bordeaux roll a maul over the Munster line.
Could be a try, could be a penalty try. Amashukeli will check upstairs but there’ll be nothing good from this from a Munster point of view!
57′ – TRYYYYYYYYY FOR BORDEAUX! I’m not sure who grounded it at the moment, but the score has been awarded.
Jalibert off the mark with the afters, but you can stick a fork in this one.
59′ – BOR 37-15 MUN: A monster exit kick by Jalibert and Crowley spills it forward on his own 5′ as he spins back to gather the ball.
One of those days.
Bordeaux with another big chance.
60′ – BOR 37-15 MUN: Seán O’Brien wins a jackal penalty to thwart Bordeaux’s latest effort. Unreal work by the replacement.
64′ – BOR 37-15 MUN: Munster collapse a maul and Alex Kendellen is immediately sin-binned upon his introduction just as he was last week.
Munster down to 13 for a play before Ahern comes back on.
Bordeaux lineout on the Munster 5′.
66′ – BOR 40-15 MUN: Munster infringe again at the breakdown as they desperately try to hold Bordeaux out.
Jalibert opts for three from in front of the posts and chips it over.
68′ – TRY FOR MUNSTER! Seán O’Brien somehow finds a hole in a cul de sac and his pass out to Farrell inside the Bordeaux 22′ is deliberately knocked on by the Bordeaux fullback Echegaray.
Amashukeli gives penalty try, believing Farrell would have made it if he got the ball.
Honestly, I doubt that. Bordeaux are furious too.
But the ref runs under the sticks and it’s seven points for Munster!
74′ – TRY FOR MUNSTER! Tidy phase attack by Munster and Jack Crowley chips in behind. Andrew Smith gathers it on the bounce and dives over just in from the right-hand corner.
Crowley nails his conversion.
Just over six minutes left. Munster down by 11.
75′ – BOR 40-29 MUN: Cazeaux receives a second yellow for a high tackle. Bordeaux down to 13. Munster about to return to 15.
Time against them but hey, if they can score again immediately, this could get interesting…
78′ – TRYYYY FOR BORDEAUX! Louis Bielle-Biarrey finishes it!
The 13 men of Bordeaux carve Munster open in transition and go the length!
The Six Nations Player of the Tournament kills the game in the left-hand corner.
Lucu converts from range.
That’s that.
So, not to be for Munster, whose lineout was among the primary issues as they fell short in Bordeaux.
A spirited fightback will take a small bit of the edge off, but they were outgunned and outclassed today by a potent French outfit.
Thanks for joining us for live updates. Ciarán Kennedy will take it from here with his report, reaction and analysis.
Take care, all!
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