Sensational Saints in heaven as Munster rue ref justice

ANOTHER great night for European rugby at Franklin’s Gardens saw Northampton deservedly claim the Heineken Cup points but only after French referee Christophe Berdos came up with a highly controversial decision at the death that clearly irked Munster veterans Paul O’Connell and Ronan O’Gara.

It is by the tiniest of margins that tight games like these are decided and once the dust had settled, nobody in the Munster camp was prepared to challenge the Frenchman’s interpretation of what happened under the Northampton posts in the 81st minute or indeed any other call he made in the course of a terrific rugby match. However, a photograph of O’Connell remonstrating with Berdos at the final whistle leaves absolutely no doubt as to his true feelings on the subject.

The Saints were leading by four points when Munster forced a penalty five metres from their line. Strangely, they scorned the set piece that would have tied in Saints defenders and opted instead for a short tap and used Marcus Horan as a human battering ram. There are few better footballing props in the game but by that stage the loose head must have been out on his feet. Perhaps David Wallace, a renowned ball carrier, would have been a better choice.