RACING 34-30 MUNSTER
It had to be Donnacha Ryan, didn’t it?
The former Munster second row may not have played for Racing 92 until December – following neck and shoulder issues – but he is proving his worth already.
With his side trailing 30-28 and with six minutes left on the clock, Ryan burst forward and beat Ian Keatley to a restart before winning his new side what would prove to be the matchwinning penalty. He took the plaudits but will have taken little pleasure from doing the ultimate damage to his home province.
Munster are still top of the Champions Cup pool – with hapless Castres up next – but they could have almost guaranteed a home quarter final by winning in Paris. It was not to be, however.
Munster looked right up against it in the opening exchanges as the French side tore into them. They trailed 10-0 – a Yannick Nyanga try and Maxime Machenaud’s boot contributing the rest – before a bustling Jean Kleyn carry and stretch made it 10-7.
Conor Murray and Ian Keatley were denied by the upright(s) with penalty efforts and, just on half-time, Machenaud made mistake when he got the chance.
Six down at the break, Munster were in a hole soon after the restart when Marc Andreu got over for a school. The visitors needed a spark and Keith Earls delivered it with a lovely score in the corner.
Keith Earls… go up at get your MOTM.. different gravy#oldschoolwithnewwheels
— Ronan O Gara (@RonanOGara10) January 14, 2018
Keatley then did superbly to hold his pass a beat to set Chris Farrell up for a score that put Munster ahead for the first time.
They did not have too long to bask in their lead as a smartly worked lineout saw Dimitri Szarzewski canter over and out his side ahead again. The lead then traded hands several times as Machenaud and Murray [from the halfway line] and Machenaud again, and again, landed kicks under pressure.
Racing, oddly, chose to take the three points – to make it 34-30 – in the 78th minute rather than go for an attacking lineout. A try from that scenario would have given them an extra, tryscoring bonus point. It would also have denied Munster a losing bonus point and put Racing ahead of them in the pool because of head-to-head results.
Munster really put it up to Racing but their discipline and composure wilted under the roof of the U Arena and under serious pressure. Still, winner takes it all next weekend.
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