Blown away in the Basque Country
Munster were totally outplayed for the final 40 minutes and it is scant consolation they did score the game’s only try through Keith Earls. It was converted by Ronan O’Gara and enabled them to lead from the 15th to the 64th minute but it was all Biarritz in the second half as the Munster lineout was humiliated and the team as a whole failed to function.
So it’s an all-French final in Paris in three weeks and on the evidence of the weekend developments, it’s only as it should be. Biarritz gambled with Imanol Harinordoquy, broken nose and grotesque face mask and all, and it was completely justified. Not only was he a dominating figure in every aspect of the play on a personal basis for the 65 minutes he stayed on the pitch but he also inspired those around him. It took guts to do what he did and the great number eight’s reputation soared even higher after this tour de force.
Skipper Jerome Thion, hooker Benoit August and flanker Magnus Lund were all magnificent throughout a one-sided second half and this in turn allowed highly experienced scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili to pick his options with all the time in the world. On top of that, he kicked six out of six penalties and is obviously going to be a key figure in the final.
Not that this is a great Biarritz team and their failure to manage a five-pointer underlines as much. But they were still much too good in the key forward exchanges and it would be difficult to single out any member of the Munster pack for special mention. The lineout was a disaster and there’s no escaping the belief Paul O’Connell’s absence was felt far more than had been expected to be the case.
In the circumstances, the backs were rarely given a chance to show what they were capable of and apart from one forlorn effort from five metres in his own half of the pitch, O’Gara never had a shot at goal. Disappointingly, Jean de Villiers and Keith Earls, who looked to have the beating of the tackle on the rare occasion they were afforded an opportunity, didn’t have a decent chance to make their considerable presence felt.
Inevitably, there will now be talk that a team that has to some extent grown old together is finally at the end of the road. Coach Tony McGahan wasn’t buying that but admitted: “We were definitely second best today.”
The first half got off to a decidedly moderate start with neither side able to build any momentum in the opening quarter. Referee Pearson puzzled Munster when he allowed Benoit August to tackle Jean de Villiers when seemingly miles offside and in a very kickable goal position. And it was Munster who brought the proceedings to life on 19 minutes when Jerry Flannery made a mazy 50-metre run that carried him through the Biarritz 22. He nearly made it all the way himself but as the last-ditch tackle went in, the hooker tried to get a pass away to the supporting O’Gara. However, it went behind the number 10 and he was unable to hold the greasy ball.
The consolation wasn’t slow in coming with a superb Keith Earls try in the 28th minute. Alan Quinlan stole possession on the halfway line and Munster were away. O’Leary, Wallace and especially O’Callaghan made invaluable contributions before James Coughlan got a perfect scoring pass away to Earls. After the mediocrity that had gone before, it was a pleasure to watch such a splendid phase of play and fittingly O’Gara added the points.
By this stage, though, problems at the set piece – Munster lost three of their own lineout throws in the first half and five more on the turnover – were putting them under undue pressure and when another scrum went back at a rate of knots, the inevitable resulting penalty was safely dispatched by Yachvili.
He was on target again four minutes after the restart when Flannery was guilty of a late tackle on Karmichael Hunt and now it really was game on. The lineout difficulties continued with Flannery struggling to find his jumpers and Denis Hurley and Mick O’Driscoll had to put in despairing tackles to keep the French at bay.
However, it couldn’t continue. Wave after wave of attacks rained down on the Munster line and yet it was mistakes and silly option-taking rather than any ingenuity on the part of Biarritz that saw the game turn in their favour at a crucial stage. Warwick got a rush of blood in the 64th minute, attempting to run out of defence only to be hand tripped by Hunt and conceding a penalty in the ensuing ruck. Yachvili put Biarritz in front for the first time and shortly afterwards Hurley was pinged for deliberately flicking the ball into touch with his hand and Yachvili knocked over his four kick.
Two more penalties duly came in the dying minutes by which stage Munster were well and truly a beaten side. There could be no complaints. As Mick O’Driscoll ruefully allowed: “Biarritz had the best 15 players on the field today.”
Biarritz replacements: M Carriza for Hall (temp, 1-5 mins); J. Peyrelongue for Erinle (46); F. Barcella for Coetzee (59); F. Faure for Harinordoquy (65); Carizza for Hall (67).
Munster replacements: T Buckley for Hayes (56); N Williams for Coughlan (62); J. Brugnaut for Horan (71); N. Ronan for Quinlan (72); P. Stringer for O’Leary (74); S Deasy for Hurley (76); D. Varley and T. Gleeson for Flannery and Warwick (77).
Referee: Dave Pearson (England).
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