Details

Date Time Competition Season
14 January 2023 3:15 pm European Champions Cup 2022/23

Match Report

14 man Munster Battle Late On For Champions Cup Win

Munster have recorded anther success in the Heineken Champions Cup, despite playing the majority with 14 men and failing to register a second half score until the 75th minute.

Munster started better and after Mike Haley collected a highball and went on a mazy run before he was brought down by Northampton, they were penalised at the breakdown and Joey Carbery stepped up and landed the kick for a 3-0 lead after two minutes.

Things would get better for the hosts, another penalty saw Carbery to kick to the corner, they executed the lineout perfectly and forced another penalty that they took quickly with a little tap and go as Gavin Coombes charged over from close range with the conversion giving them a 10-0 lead after ten minutes. Northampton had a double blow as just after the try Mike Haywood was shown  a yellow card for a high tackle on Joey Carbery.

With the extra advantage Munster kept up the pressure, another trademark move saw them gain ground, a gap opened out wide with Coombes darting on the wing, he didn't have the gas to get over for a second try but offloaded to Jack O'Donoghue to work the score, Carbery on hand to make it a 17-0 game after 21 minutes..

While it was going all the way of Munster just seconds later Jack O'Donoghue was sent off after going too high going into contact and his shoulder made contact with David Ribbans' head, no choice that it was indeed a sending off.

The card did little to stop the Munster machine from following in a further score,  Coombes powering over from close range with the support of his teammates, Carbery making it 24-0 off the conversion.

The second half would start with Munster on the back foot, the visitors carried well through their forwards before going wide where they had an overload, as Tommy Freeman got over with Fin Smith converting to reduce the gap after six minutes past the restart.

Smith landed a penalty minutes later to again chip away at the Munster lead before they hit the jugular before the hour mark, after a kick and chase to the corner by the Saints Joey Carbery was back to gather the ball but support failed to come quick enough and the ball was turned over for James Ramm to score, Smith reducing the gap to 24-17.

Agan Munster found themselves penalised this time for not rolling away and Northampton fly-half Smith narrowed the gap to four points after 71 minutes, eventually after 75 minutes Munster got on the board in the second half as Jack Crowley stepped up to slot a penalty to push them ahead 27-20.

Shane Daly made a match winning try late on to stop the Saints having a chance at a late try to equalise, but they would get a penalty to leave it a four point margin at the end.

Munster

15Mike Haley Full-Back
14Calvin Nash Winger
13Antoine Frisch Centre
12Jack Crowley Centre 75'
11Shane Daly Winger
10Joey Carbery 22 Fly-Half 10', 21', 29'
2'
9Craig Casey 21 Scrum-Half
1Dave Kilcoyne 17 Prop
2Niall Scannell Hooker
3Roman Salanoa 18 Prop
4Jean Kleyn 20 Lock
5Tadhg Beirne Lock
6Jack O’Donoghue Flanker 20'
22'
7Peter O’Mahony 19 Flanker
8Gavin Coombes No. 8 9', 28'
16Scott Buckley Hooker
17Josh Wycherley 1 Forward
18John Ryan 3 Prop
19John Hodnett 7 No. 8
20Alex Kendellen 4 Full-Back
21Patrick Patterson 9
22Rory Scannell 10 Centre
23Liam Coombes Winger

Northampton

15George Furbank Full-Back
14Tommy Freeman Winger 45'
13Matt Proctor 22 Centre
12Rory Hutchinson Centre
11James Ramm Winger 56'
10Fin Smith Fly-Half 46', 57'
50', 71', 78'
9Alex Mitchell Scrum-Half
1Alex Waller 17 Prop
2Mike Haywood 16 Hooker 11'
3Paul Hill 18 Prop
4David Ribbans Lock
5Alex Moon 19 Lock
6Lukhan Salakaia-Loto Flanker
7Courtney Lawes 20 Flanker
8Lewis Ludlam No. 8
16Robbie Smith 2
17Ethan Waller 1
18Alfie Petch 3
19Alex Coles 5 Lock
20Angus Scott-Young 7
21Callum Braley Back
22Fraser Dingwall 13 Centre
23Courtnall Skosan

Past Meetings

(Round 2)
6 - 17
European Champions Cup
Franklin's Gardens

Northampton v Munster

Ground

Thomond Park
Thomond Park, Limerick City, County Limerick, V94 PD28, Ireland

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