Northampton Saints v Munster: Ashley Potter's verdict
The Saints forwards were superb in an atmosphere of absolute bedlam at Thomond Park, and their mighty effort may have clinched a passage into the quarter-finals with a vital bonus point.
Munster started the game two points clear of Saints at the top of pool one, with Jim Mallinder's men looking at mission improbable – to inflict on Munster only their second defeat at Thomond Park in 15 years of Heineken Cup rugby to finish top and guarantee a spot in the knockout stages.
It was the ugliest game you will ever see, but it more than made up for a lack of artistry in sheer passion, Herculean physical contests and noise. Lots of noise.
In the end it came down to penalties, but Saints will rue not getting anything out of Paul O'Connell's sin-binning. They had Munster's scrum on toast, yet with a man missing the Irish side won against the head, helped in no small part by the home fans cheering so much it would have took the roof off most stadiums. They simply would not let their side concede a try. They felt sheer noise would do it, and it did.
At 9-6 Munster held out and even won a penalty to make it 12-6. Saints never got close again, but fought magnificently for a bonus point. The teams ran out to 26,000 fans belting out the Fields of Athenry. The crowd noise was incredible as Roger Wilson, quite understandably, fumbled the first bomb.
Ben Foden did better seconds later, but as Munster piled into the ruck Saints were pinged for going in at the side. From 40-metres out and in total silence, Ronan O'Gara landed the third minute penalty.
The opening exchanges were a series of high bombs that the home crowd just loved. Alan Quinlan took out Chris Ashton as the winger put up his own up-and-under, which the referee ignored. It sparked a personal duel that was won by the Irish flanker as Ashton was done for not letting go of the ball as Quinlan picked him up by the scruff of his neck.
Saints largely won the opening territory battle, but the crowd were still cheering every bomb, every tackle like it was a try. great tackle from Dylan Hartley put O'Connell on his back as a fog mixed with the steam from the players.
The noise at every Saints lineout was deafening. Hartley
didn't help by trying to march Munster back over the 5m line, it only angered the crowd and Saints lost the throw on their 22.
The Saints scrum struck the first psychological blow, shoving Munster back 10m and then winning a penalty. Soon after from 40m Geraghty missed with a woeful drop goal and then kicked straight over the dead ball line to give Munster a scrum, which Euan Murray was penalised for dragging down. But from halfway O'Gara was short with his kick.
At the next scrum Saints got a massive hit to win a penalty and Bruce Reihana made it 3-3, but two minutes before half-time Hartley gave away a penalty 15m from his line to present O'Gara an easy chance, which he split the posts with to make it 6-3.
Saints started the second half well, with Juandre Kruger smashing O'Gara to win a penalty, but from 45m Reihana pulled it wide.
The Saints scrum was in supreme form, smashing another penalty out of the Munster pack, but from 40m Geraghty this time totally fluffed his kick. But the Saints scrum would not be stopped, they won a ball against the head and from the ensuing pressure, Geraghty was given an easier chance 22m out and made it 6-6.
Geraghty brilliantly took another bomb, but then kicked straight out on the full for the third time. Lo and behold Munster won a penalty 40m in front of the posts and O'Gara made it 9-6 after 56 minutes.
Saints almost hit back with a try when Hartley charged down a Tomas O'Leary kick. He was just stopped. Saints smashed back the 5m scrum, but the referee gave nothing. On 60 minutes the Munster lynchpin O'Connell was sin-binned after already having a warning for killing the ball
The referee was living dangerously penalising the Munster scrum for wheeling. The crowd were more than incensed and it was as if they had won the Heineken Cup when they won against the head with seven men.
Munster survived O'Connell's binning. He returned just as his team won a penalty thanks to another fantastic chase from Howlett. O'Gara made it 12-6 with nine minutes to go.
But Saints' scrum was imperious. With five minutes to go it won another penalty and from 40m Stephen Myler nailed it to make it 12-9.
After a horrendous pass, Lee Dickson made up for it by getting the way of Marcus Horan as he chased his kick. Saints couldn't get out of their half though, and had to make do with a point.
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Tuesday 07 February 2012
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