Munster 13
Toulouse 18
GRAHAM ROWNTREE’S FIRST Champions Cup game as Munster head coach ended in defeat as Toulouse recovered from a slow start to take a gripping round one clash in difficult conditions at Thomond Park.
On the back of encouraging wins against South Africa A, Connacht and Edinburgh, Munster again displayed some encouraging signs of growth, building neat passages of attack in the first half before Toulouse settled into the game and took control of the contest, taking the win thanks to tries from Matthis Lebel, Lucas Tauzin in either half, and eight points from the boot of Thomas Ramos.
The French side started slowly before strangling Munster, their accuracy and game management proving decisive as one of the early tournament favourites made a winning start to their campaign, kicking smartly and playing the game in the right areas of the park.
Munster had to settle for a losing bonus in the end but can be happy with many elements of their play, although they will be frustrated with small errors which continuously killed their momentum and invited the visitors to grow into the contest. That a solitary Joey Carbery penalty was their only score of a tense second half will be sore point for Rowntree and his coaching team.
This was edge of your seat stuff with a difference. With the temperature at -1C as the teams took to the field, those finding their places in the upper tiers found their seats coated in a layer of ice. On the walk up from quays ahead of kick-off, the iconic Thomond Park arches were barely visible through the dense fog which engulfed the city.
One wondered if it would be one of those Champions Cup days where a talented visiting French side just might not fancy it.
The early signs suggested that might be the case. In the opening minutes Munster won a massive scrum penalty against a powerful Toulouse pack, the province delivering on their desire to start fast and make a statement physically. In the next passage they won another penalty which handed Joey Carbery an early opportunity to split the posts, but his shot cracked off the post.
Within a couple of the minutes they were back in the Toulouse 22. Shane Daly, Niall Scannell and Gavin Coombes made good carries off the lineout before Craig Casey spun the ball to Carbery, who squeezed over. The out-half stepped up to convert his own score and Munster led 7-0.
The home side had their tails up and continued to attack with intent. Antoine Frisch took defenders on, Mike Haley ran some smart lines, Carbery slipped some neat kicks into his play and John Hodnett was making a real impact around the breakdown.
In contrast, the Top 14 leaders looked frozen on the spot and unable to find a way out of their own half. Ugo Mola’s side possess some of the most exciting attacking talent around but instead it was Munster who played with fluency and ambition in an absorbing opening quarter. If only they had more to show for it on the scoreboard.
Toulouse’s first real opportunity came via an attacking lineout midway through the first half. They used it to remind a vocal home support of their qualities. After a strong maul, Ange Capuozzo and Thomas Ramos both showed brilliant hands as Toulouse spun the ball from one wing to the other with Matthis Lebel finishing brilliantly in the corner under pressure from Shane Daly. Clinical, quick and accurate, it was Toulouse rugby at its best.
Ramos soon added a penalty to push the visitors into the lead after Jean Kleyn was pinged on the ground.
Munster had opportunites to respond but their accuracy began to deset them as the fog worsened. Haley knocked a loose ball on. Carbery skewed a low kick out of play.
Shortly before the break, after a good period of Munster pressure, Carbery split the posts from a penalty to level the game. It was the last meaningful act of an absorbing first half.
The second period didn’t take long to kick into life. Toulouse struck first, replacement Lucas Tauzin dotting down with his first touch, getting onto a smart Antoine Dupont pass after Toulouse had turned Munster ball over and won an attacking lineout. With poor visibility – it was now difficult to see the far touchline from the other – Ramos sent his conversion attempt wide.
The home crowd were then incensed to see Alban Placines escape a yellow card for colliding with an air-bound Haley.
With 50 minutes on the clock, Rowntree sent in Paddy Patterson, Jack O’Donoghue and home favourite Jack Crowley, who slotted in for centre Rory Scannell.
Toulouse out-half Romain Ntamack then sent a drop-goal attempt wide before Munster refreshed their front row. Ramos soon followed up with a penalty attempt that dropped short. Another let off. Another reminder that this game was still there for Munster.
Yet the conditions continued to make life difficult. Carbery knocked on a high ball that dropped through the fog. It led to a Toulouse scrum and asked Munster to knuckle down for another big defensive shift. Munster eventually cleared the danger but a crooked throw from Diarmuid Barron at the lineout handed the visitors another scrum. They felt like killer moments.
The home side were soon on the attack again but were struggling to deal with Toulouse’s impressive linespeed.
Then the killer blow. Inching towards the Toulouse 22, Munster were turned over again. Ramos kicked deep and chased, applying pressure on Jack O’Donoghue who was then pinged under his posts. Ramos slotted the kick and with it, sealed the win.
Yet there was still time for a twist or two. A Carbery penalty – Munster’s only score of the second half – narrowed the gap with five to play, before Dupont was shown a late yellow card for a deliberate knock-on.
The crowd sensed opportunity and roared, but a loose ball at the ruck led to a Toulouse penalty, Munster’s error count rising with the pressure on and the clock ticking.
They finished the game looking to attack from deep, but each snipe was met with stubborn Toulouse defence, the final whistle sparking a chorus of boos after the French side won possession back to end the game.
With winnable games against Northampton ahead, this defeat should not be too damaging for Munster, and the losing bonus point could prove key down the line. Yet for Rowntree and his players, the frustration will lie in the fact that this felt like a missed opportunity to record an energising early-season upset.
Munster scorers –
Try: Carbery
Penalty: Carbery [1/2]
Conversion: Carbery [1/1]
Toulouse scorers –
Tries: Matthis Lebel, Lucas Tauzin
Penalties: Thomas Ramos [2/3]
Conversions: Thomas Ramos [1/2]
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Rory Scannell (Jack Crowley, 52), Shane Daly (Keith Earls, 69); Joey Carbery, Craig Casey (Paddy Patterson, 52); Jeremy Loughman (Diarmuid Barron, 58), Niall Scannell (Josh Wycherley, 58), John Ryan (Roman Salanoa, 58); Jean Kleyn (Jack O’Donoghue, 52), Tadhg Beirne; Peter O’Mahony (captain), John Hodnett (Alex Kendellen, 62), Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, Roman Salanoa, Jack O’Donoghue, Alex Kendellen, Paddy Patterson, Jack Crowley, Keith Earls.
TOULOUSE: Thomas Ramos; Ange Capuozzo (Lucas Tauzin, HT), Dimitri Delibes, Pita Ahki, Matthis Lebel; Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont (captain); Rodrigue Neti (Peato Mauvaka, 55), Julien Marchand (Cyril Baille, 55), Dorian Aldegheri (Charlie Faumuina, 57); Richie Arnold (Yannick Youyoutte, 73), Emmanuel Meafou; Anthony Jelonch, Alban Placines (Jack Willis, 50), Alexandre Roumat (Thibaud Flament, HIA 15)
Replacements: Peato Mauvaka, Cyril Baille, Charlie Faumuina, Thibaud Flament, Yannick Youyoutte, Jack Willis, Martin Page Relo, Lucas Tauzin.
Referee: Christophe Ridley [RFU]
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