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Calvin Nash tumbling over for Munster's first try of the game. Dan Sheridan/INPHO

As it happened: Northampton Saints v Munster, Champions Cup

Catch up on all the action as the Irish province went to Franklin’s Gardens hoping to earn a home game in the Champions Cup round of 16.

Hello everyone and welcome along to our coverage of Munster’s Champions Cup clash with Northampton Saints.

After their excellent win over Saracens last weekend, the Irish province arrive in Northampton hoping to secure top spot in the pool while also securing a home game in the Champions Cup round of 16. The hosts are only a point ahead of Munster following their loss to Stade Francais.

We’ll have team line-ups for you in the next few moments as we close in on the 3.15pm kick-off.

Munster

  • 15. Mike Haley
  • 14. Calvin Nash
  • 13. Tom Farrell
  • 12. Rory Scannell
  • 11. Diarmuid Kilgallen
  • 10. Jack Crowley
  • 9. Conor Murray
  • 1. Dian Bleuler
  • 2. Diarmuid Barron
  • 3. Oli Jager
  • 4. Fineen Wycherley
  • 5. Tadhg Beirne (capt)
  • 6. Peter O’Mahony
  • 7. Alex Kendellen
  • 8. Gavin Coombes

Replacements:

  • 16. Niall Scannell
  • 17. John Ryan
  • 18. Stephen Archer
  • 19. Tom Ahern
  • 20. Jack O’Donoghue
  • 21. Paddy Patterson
  • 22. Tony Butler
  • 23. Brian Gleeson

Northampton Saints

  • 15. James Ramm
  • 14. Tommy Freeman
  • 13. Fraser Dingwall (capt)
  • 12. Rory Hutchinson
  • 11. Tom Seabrook
  • 10. Fin Smith
  • 9. Alex Mitchell
  • 1. Tarek Haffar
  • 2. Curtis Langdon
  • 3. Trevor Davison
  • 4. Alex Coles
  • 5. Tom Lockett
  • 6. Josh Kemeny
  • 7. Tom Pearson
  • 8. Juarno Augustus

Replacements: 

  • 16 Henry Walker
  • 17 Tom West
  • 18 Luke Green
  • 19 Callum Hunter-Hill
  • 20 Angus Scott-Young
  • 21 Henry Pollock
  • 22 Tom James
  • 23 Tom Litchfield

Not long to go now, how do you see this one going?


Poll Results:

Munster win (55)
Northampton win (32)
Draw (4)

Kick-Off! Northampton v Munster

1 min: Northampton 0-0 Munster

The visitors get the action underway. Jack Crowley makes the first gain as Munster start working through the phases.

2 mins: Northampton 0-0 Munster

Mike Haley puts Rory Scannell through with a quick pop pass to give Northampton’s defence an early test. 

The hosts respond with interest as James Ramm hoofs it forward for the 50:22. Now Munster need to defend.

3 mins: Northampton 0-0 Munster

Northampton secure the lineout and come smashing at the Munster gainline. The ball eventually spills out and into the safe hands of Crowley. Gavin Coombes adds a few yards, and Northampton are penalised for offside just as Conor Murray releases a box kick.

5 mins: Northampton 0-0 Munster

Crowley finds touch with the kick but Northampton win the ball back and quickly fly up the opposite wing through Tommy Freeman.

Munster thrive again in defence, forcing a knock-on to earn a turnover.

7 mins: Northampton 0-0 Munster

The referee isn’t happy with the first scrum. Down they go again for the reset but the referee blows the whistle again, and Munster are awarded the penalty which Crowley kicks high and pushes Northampton back to retrieve.

9 mins: Northampton 0-0 Munster

Munster win another penalty which Crowley uses to find touch. Tadhg Beirne is lifted up to claim their first lineout and they spray the ball across.

Meanwhile, Northampton scrum-half Alex Mitchell appears to be in a bit of discomfort but he looks to be carrying on. 

10 mins: Northampton 0-0 Munster

Scannell is penalised to give possession back to Northampton. Now they’re closing in on the Munster five metre line.

13 mins: Northampton 0-0 Munster

Brilliant work from Alex Kendellen halts the Northampton attack to turn over the ball. Munster lose the lineout as the ball slips out of the grasp of Peter O’Mahony.

Northampton counter rapidly and again Ramm comes charging at Munster down the wing. He chips the ball and tries to put Rory Hutchinson in at the tryline for the final touch. But the ball doesn’t bounce favourably for him and Munster are spared for now.

TRY! Northampton 5-0 Munster (Tom Seabrook ’14)

15 mins: Northampton 5-0 Munster

That was coming unfortunately as Tom Seabrook drives over. Ramm was pivotal again as his gain stretched the Munster defence. And from there, it was a simple pop pass to Seabrook to fly in from the corner.

Finn Smith fails to convert.

20 mins: Northampton 5-0 Munster

Munster come under pressure again in their own territory. Crowley’s kick gives them a bit more breathing space but an error in possession results in a knock-on and it’s another opportunity for the hosts to plot an attack again.

21 mins: Northampton 5-0 Munster

Brilliant charge down from Beirne. Maybe that’s the moment of inspiration Munster need to get into this contest. 

22 mins: Northampton 5-0 Munster

Haley adds to that with a brilliant take in the air. But there’s another penalty awarded to Northampton as Hutchinson gets in over the ball and forces the turnover for not releasing.

TRY! Northampton 5-7 Munster (Calvin Nash ’23)

26 mins: Northampton 5-7 Munster

What a response from Munster. And Calvin Nash. He gets on the end of a Murray box kick to get their opening try of the game, and it was a brilliant piece of individual endeavor as he had a lot of ground to make up to win the sprint against Alex Mitchell. 

But he tips the ball on off his quad, and tumbles over the tryline. Crowley converts and Munster are in front.

29 mins: Northampton 5-10 Munster 

Crowley pushes Munster further with a penalty. The reward came from a brilliant 50:22 courtesy of Haley, and Munster applied the pressure to force the referee to punish Northampton. 

30 mins: Northampton 5-10 Munster

Freeman leaps up for the take to get Northampton in a dangerous attacking position. But Munster regain control as an attempted chip in is claimed for the mark.

TRY! Northampton 5-15 Munster (Calvin Nash ’32)

36 mins: Northampton 5-15 Munster

Superb rugby from Munster. They launch a swift attack to get down into Northampton territory. A big tackle on Diarmuid Kilgallen seems to take the sting out of their charge for a moment, but they work the ball back across and Nash sprints from one wing to another to collect the ball at speed and wheel in at the corner for his second try of the game.

Crowley doesn’t make the conversion but Munster have built up a 10-point lead having struggled to get into the game for the opening stages of the first half.

39 mins: Northampton 5-15 Munster

Penalty called against Oli Jager, and it’s just the third penalty against Munster in this half. Northampton find the corner and force another penalty from the lineout. Finn Smith kicks for the corner again.

39 mins: Northampton 5-15 Munster

That’s three penalties in-a-row against Munster as Northampton continue to come knocking at their door. Northampton’s Mitchell is down again, and this time he’s getting some treatment on his knee.

39 mins: Northampton 5-15 Munster

Mitchell is continuing on with some heavy strapping. The play resumes and Northampton come hammering at Munster. Referee is playing penalty advantage but Munster are still standing strong.

40 mins: Northampton 5-15 Munster

A wayward pass results in the referee coming back for the penalty and Coombes is the sacrificial lamb going to the sinbin. 

TRY! Northampton 12-15 Munster (Curtis Langdon ’40)

Half-Time! Northampton 12-15 Munster 

Northampton 12-15 Munster 

Northampton profit from the numerical advantage as they go for the corner again, claim the lineout and heave their way over with Curtis Langdon providing the vital touch at the line. 

Finn Smith taps over the conversion and now we have a game again. It’s going to be even more tricky with Coombes on the sideline for the first few minutes of the second half.

Second Half: Northampton 12-15 Munster 

40 mins: Northampton 12-15 Munster 

We’re back underway in Franklin Gardens. And there’s an early scrum for Munster after a knock-on.

42 mins: Northampton 12-15 Munster 

Referee awards penalty to Munster and Crowley thumps it down into touch and Munster will hope to engineer something from this lineout.

43 mins: Northampton 12-15 Munster 

Northampton win the ball back as Smith and Ramm combine in the middle. Tom Pearson then makes a good linebreak out wide. 

Kilgallen then steps up to shut the door on that attack.

45 mins: Northampton 12-15 Munster 

Northampton come at the visitors as Hutchinson tries to punch a hole with a grubber kick. Crowley manages the bounce and accelerates away from danger. He dinks the ball away off his weaker left foot and it’s a brilliant kick to push his side up the field again.

As he turns, he gets the crowd going with a few fist pumps.

47 mins: Northampton 12-15 Munster 

Rory Scannell attempts a clearance but the ball slices off his boot to put it out on the fool. Northampton still have a chance to make Munster pay.

TRY! Northampton 17-15 Munster (Tom Seabrook ’49)

50 mins: Northampton 17-15 Munster

And punish Munster they do as Tom Seabrook soars over the line for his second of the game. Credit to Finn Smith for a nice dink ball through which caused Kilgallen to make a mistake in possession. 

And Ramm is the one to put Seabrook through with a super loop pass out wide.

Smith misses from the tee again and now the microphone passes back to Munster to summon a reply.

52 mins: Northampton 17-15 Munster 

Munster penalised in the rook as Beirne is adjudged to be off his feet after making a great steal. Now they have to defend again.

Meanwhile, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Tom Ahern & Jack O’Donoghue replace Diarmuid Barron, Oli Jager, Fineen Wycherley & Peter O’Mahony after 50 minutes.

TRY! Northampton 24-15 Munster (James Ramm ’54)

55 mins: Northampton 24-15 Munster

And James Ramm drives the nail further into Munster’s chest. Finn Smith does brilliantly with a tip pass to ensure Ramm uses the most of his momentum at the corner and lunge over for the bonus-point try.

57 mins: Northampton 24-18 Munster

A Jack Crowley penalty restores some calm for Munster. They’re still in this battle which is back to a one-score game.

59 mins: Northampton 24-18 Munster

But they’ve squandered possession on their own ’22 and these errors are hurting them when time is not with them.

It looks like Finn Smith is lining up to kick a penalty at the posts, and cancel out Crowley’s effort moments earlier.

59 mins: Northampton 27-18 Munster

And he slots it to press their advantage once more.

61 mins: Northampton 27-18 Munster

Munster get the penalty call from the scrum. This could be a massive moment as Crowley completes the kick to get his side into position.

63 mins: Northampton 27-18 Munster

They secure the lineout but they lose possession. The clearance comes to Nash who dances his way through the Northampton cover.

Crowley sends a kick through which doesn’t get claimed by Munster hands but the visitors are protesting that he was tackled late. The referee confers with the TMO and they determine the tackle to be legal.

Meanwhile, Tommy Butler comes on for Nash as a HIA replacement. That’s a blow as he has been their engine today.

TRY! Northampton 27-25 Munster (Diarmuid Kilgallen ’64)

66 mins: Northampton 27-25 Munster

Munster are still roaring! Diarmuid Kilgallen thunders through after sublime behind the back pass from Murray to put him through the tight bit of space in the Northampton line.

A tackle slows Kilgallen down but he powers his way over. Crowley adds the extras and there’s just two between the teams now coming into the final 10 minutes.

TRY! Northampton 34-25 Munster (Tom Seabrook ’67)

69 mins: Northampton 34-25 Munster

Another devastating blow for Munster as Seabrook completes his hat-trick after collecting a pop pass from Hutchinson and slicing the Munster line. Haley can’t get across to him in time as Seabrook surges over to make it a two-score game again with Smith adding the conversion.

73 mins: Northampton 34-25 Munster

Munster fortunate to avoid the concession of another try as James Ramm looked to be in clear after a big kick downfield. 

Ramm gets clipped by the bounce of the ball as he has to go back for possession, giving Beirne a chance to get in and trap the ball for the referee to award a penalty.

More bad news for Munster however. Nash has suffered a concussion and will play no further part in this game.

75 mins: Northampton 34-25 Munster

Heavy tackle on Munster replacement Tony Butler which the referee reviews with the TMO. It looked high but it’s ruled as a legal challenge by Tom Pearson.

76 mins: Northampton 34-25 Munster

Munster looked to be in for a try there through replacement Paddy Patterson who came on for Murray. He was mere inches from the line after some super interplay involving Crowley.

But credit to Henry Pollack who gets back to execute a try-saving tackle. Massive opportunity lost there for Munster.

TRY! Northampton 34-32 Munster (Diarmuid Kilgallen ’78)

79 mins: Northampton 34-32 Munster

Munster are throwing absolutely everything at Northampton. And there’s still time to snatch the winner.

Brilliant from Kilgallen after catching the ball out wide from Crowley who nails a tricky conversion.

Full-Time! Northampton 34-32 Munster 

Northampton 34-32 Munster

What a game! Crowley looked to be in with a chance of making a huge a break but Munster ran into a roadblock and a turnover from Henry Pollack ensured Northampton could boot it out to safety. 

Nine tries in all. A hat-trick for Tom Seabrook. Bonus points for both teams. It had it all. But it’s Northampton who prevail to secure home advantage in the Champions Cup Round of 16.

Thanks very much for following our coverage today. We hope you enjoyed it and that you’ll join us again for the meeting of Leinster and Bath. Gavan Casey will be taking you through that over here. Ciarán Kennedy’s match report from Northampton will be following shortly but for now, good luck!

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