MATCH REPORT | Munster Rugby 17-12 Saracens Men
Saracens Men were beaten in the Investec Champions Cup for the first time this season after a second-half comeback earned Munster Rugby a 17-12 win at Thomond Park.
The Men in Black dominated for large periods of the game and showed outstanding endeavour in a hostile atmosphere but were ultimately undone by the Irish side who were clinical in the final quarter of the game.
The losing bonus point still puts Sarries in a strong position as qualification to the knockout stages creeps closer ahead of the final round against Castres Olympique next week.
Sarries started brilliantly, and had the lead almost straight from the kick off. Juan Martin Gonzalez tackled and forced a knock on, and from there Munster strayed offside which gave Alex Lozowski a simple penalty attempt which he kicked to put his side 3-0 ahead with just 90 seconds on the clock.
The first defensive set was called upon when Gavin Coombes carried well from the base of a scrum and entered the 22, but after multiple phases they held firm and forced a turnover.
Liam Williams and Fergus Burke then combined nicely from the base of a scrum and looked to kick in to space but the Welshman’s kick was charged down and Munster could escape.
Nick Tompkins then grubbered ahead with Burke chasing a perfectly calculated kick, but Mike Haley won the race and cleared.
Lozowski then doubled the lead with 10 minutes gone as Munster were penalised for not releasing and he kicked straight through the posts to add to an impressive start from the Londoners.
Lozowski almost then set up a wonder try as he spotted space in the backfield and sent Lucio Cinti on a foot race, but the hosts were just about able to gather and kick the ball in to the stands.
Sarries were winning the kicking battle and a lot of the scraps on the floor with plenty of handling errors from the hosts giving McCall’s side the majority of the territory.
Elliot Daly might have been put through a gap by Burke with an overlap on the left but the defence read it, however there was plenty of optimism for the Londoners.
Munster halved the deficit with their first dangerous entry in to the 22, as they earned a penalty and Jack Crowley kicked it straight through the posts.
A chaotic spell then began where both sides could have scored. Gonzalez charged down a box kick but the bounce wouldn’t sit up for him, and Crowley’s chip and chase almost saw him score an incredible try but he couldn’t gather and Sarries survived.
A bit of ill-discipline started to creep in for the visitors as Munster piled on the pressure before the break, but some outstanding maul defence held them up just a metre from the line to keep Sarries 6-3 ahead.
There was one more chance in the final play of the half as Ivan van Zyl’s neat kick almost fell perfectly for Williams but Calvin Nash rose highest and Munster could kick in to touch, as both sides went down the tunnel after an intriguing opening 40 minutes.
Sarries started the second half well and were rewarded with a long-range penalty attempt for Daly which he never looked like missing despite lining up from 45 metres, and the flags went up to extend the lead to 9-3.
Crowley had the chance to cancel out that penalty when he had an attempt in the 52nd minute but his attempt went wide of the uprights.
The game was threatening to open up, a Tom Willis offload was intercepted by Tadhg Beirne and he hacked ahead, but Lozowski kept his cool and dummied out of danger.
A golden chance then arrived for Sarries as Daly tapped back a high kick and it fell for van Zyl who raced in to the 22 but he was caught just metres from the line. The ball was then recycled to Burke who attempted to a drop goal but it sailed to the left of the posts.
Munster then punished them on the hour mark as they scored the first try of the evening to bring the home crowd to life. Coombes carried right up to the line and then Dian Blueler could stretch over from just a metre out. Crowley converted to give the hosts a 10-9 lead as we entered the final quarter.
It got better for Munster five minutes later as they capitalised on the momentum. A cross-field kick was brilliantly gathered and passed inside to John Hodnett who was able to run clear from 30 metres. Crowley’s conversion edged them eight points ahead.
Lozowski got Sarries back to within a score with 10 minutes remaining as he kicked his third penalty of the evening, setting up a grandstand finish at Thomond Park.
A glorious chance with just four minutes left came the way of Sarries as some incredible handling took them deep in to the 22 on the counter attack, but Williams’ pass to Gonzalez didn’t go to hand and the majority in the stadium breathed a huge sigh of relief.
The Londoners kept going and tried to create one last opportunity but Munster held firm and registered a dramatic win.
We host Castres Olympique next Sunday at StoneX Stadium in a HUGE match as we sign off the Investec Champions Cup group stages! CLICK HERE to book your tickets!
