LEICESTER TIGERS 16-25 MUNSTER
That was something else.
Munster dogged out another European Cup war to top their Champions Cup pool. Having fallen behind to an early Matt Tait try, Munster ground their way back into the game and stretched clear in the closing stages.
Leicester were well up from the get-go as they sought to restore some pride after their walloping at Thomond Park last Saturday. Tait’s try and a George Ford penalty was answered by an early Ian Keatley penalty before Tigers indiscipline opened the door for a comeback.
The first half penalty count was 10-2 against Leicester, with Dan Cole giving away five on his very own. He was yellow carded just before the break and Munster went in 12-10 in front.
The second half saw Munster call the shots and add to their lead with a game-changing lineout steal and line-break from Conor Murray. CJ Stander did the rest from close range, with Sam Arnold latching on to help shove him over the line.
19-10 up after Keatley converted, Munster should have closed it out but a John Ryan yellow card gave Tigers a way back. Ford kicked over two more penalties but there would be no breaching the Munster defence with ball-in-hand again.
Stander was absolutely and utterly immense throughout as he made 19 carries for 42 metres gained, six successful tackles and made a crucial turnover in the closing stages.
The coup-de-grace arrived when Peter O’Mahony stole his second Tigers lineout and popped to Murray before the hosts conceded another penalty. Keatley made no mistake and the jig was up for the English side.
“We know how bloody hard it is to come here,” O’Mahony said – as Munster captain and man of the match – after his side’s 25-16 win.
O’Mahony and Stander did not do this alone – hooker Kevin O’Byrne was excellent on his first Champions Cup start, Murray was pure class again, Keatley showed serious stones and the likes of Billy Holland, Chris Cloete and Jack O’Donoghue stepped up with big plays too.
O’Mahony has signed the Munster and IRFU contract that his talent, form and leadership merited.
Surely CJ Stander will get his deal over the line in the coming days.
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