Munster dump Leicester out of the Cup

Leicester 7 Munster 20

Leicester’s reign as kings of Europe is over after mighty Munster knocked them out in a classic Heineken Cup quarter-final at Welford Road.

The Tigers, chasing an unprecedented hat-trick of Heineken Cup crowns this season, were undone by second-half tries from Munster’s Irish international half-backs Ronan O’Gara and Peter Stringer.

O’Gara also kicked two penalties and two conversions for a 15-point haul, while Tigers could only muster a try-scoring reply by wing Steve Booth, which full-back Tim Stimpson converted.

Stimpson endured a nightmare afternoon, missing all four of his penalty kicks, and Leicester could have few complaints after they were outplayed, especially during the critical closing quarter.

In the six seasons of Heineken Cup rugby that has seen English participation, they will have no semi-final representative for the first time.

Munster, semi-finalists for a fourth successive campaign, now meet Toulouse in the last four later this month, with Leinster and Perpignan contesting the other game.

It was Leicester’s first Heineken Cup home defeat since 2000, and in stark contrast to the glory days of European final successes in Paris (2001) and Cardiff (2002).

Munster, Leicester’s final victims last year, exacted sweet revenge though, sending their travelling army of supporters wild.

Leicester are facing a possible first season without silverware since 1998. For once, their star-studded team had no answer to opponents superior in every department.

Welford Road was packed to its 17,500 capacity for the game, so much so, that senior Leicester officials including chairman Peter Tom and managing director David Clayton gave up their usual grandstand seats and watched the game on television with 500 other people in an adjoining marquee.

It underlined the extent of a ticket allocation row in the build-up to European rugby’s biggest domestic game this season, and almost saw the tie switched elsewhere by ERC some six weeks ago.

Munster made a superb start, with O’Gara booting a mighty 50-metre penalty from his first scoring opportunity on two minutes.

Leicester were guilty of unforced early handling errors and, unlike O’Gara, Stimpson missed a seventh-minute penalty chance, albeit from five metres further away.

The opening exchanges proved predictably fast and furious, but Leicester could not settle, and Stimpson botched an easy 25-metre penalty opportunity after 10 minutes, pulling it badly.

Stimpson, Tigers’ semi-final hero against Llanelli last season, could hardly have made a more unconvincing opening.

O’Gara’s teasing touchfinder then took Munster to within five metres of the Leicester line and, when Tigers captain Martin Johnson dropped possession from the resulting lineout, it gave the visitors a promising attacking scrum.

Welsh referee Nigel Williams penalised Tigers prop Perry Freshwater for dropping the scrum, but O’Gara missed the 20-metre chance, despite perfect goalkicking conditions.

The tackles were bone-crunching collisions as both sides tore into each other, yet the game’s manic nature was never far from the surface, with Munster full-back Jeremy Staunton firing a drop-goal attempt wide and players generally lacking time or space.

Leicester established their most threatening attacking position through a robust Martin Johnson charge. Stimpson though, missed his third penalty kick on 24 minutes, handing Munster another huge let-off.

An uneasy Tigers display was further highlighted by fly-half Austin Healey spilling the ball under no pressure, then being caught out deep inside his own 22 as Munster pressed for an opening score.

Munster almost scored when prop John Hayes rumbled towards Leicester’s line just before the break, but Tigers’ defence stopped him and then somehow they halted a menacing Munster line-out drive.

Leicester should have scored on the stroke of half-time. Centre Leon Lloyd’s pass to Booth though, rolled into touch with Munster’s defence stretched. It confirmed an opening period when nerves and anxiety dominated.

Leicester huffed and puffed at the start of the second half, but much of their attacking movement was too lateral, with dropped passes again a worrying feature.

O’Gara should have doubled Munster’s lead when England lock Ben Kay was penalised for a late challenge on Rob Henderson, but his 35-metre strike rebounded off an upright.

Leicester suffered an immediate injury blow as number eight Will Johnson, brother of Martin, was stretchered off and his place taken by Adam Balding.

The Tigers were rattled, their state of mind clearly confirmed when Booth attempted a risky breakaway from inside his own 22. Opposite number John Kelly predictable snared him, Leicester did not release from the tackle, and O’Gara struck the resulting kick for a 6-0 lead after 51 minutes.

Leicester appeared devoid of ideas, Healey sending a drop-goal attempt wide, just when they needed to be building territory and phase-play in true Tigers’ traditions.

They were awarded a 57th-minute penalty, but Stimpson again failed to find the target – his fourth miss from four attempts – and Munster preserved their six-point advantage.

Tigers though, broke through after 61 minutes when Murphy slipped his marker 20 metres out, creating enough space for Booth to cut through and touch down. Stimpson at last found his range, converting the try for a 7-6 lead.

But Leicester’s lead lasted all of six minutes. Outstanding work from the marauding Munster back-row put the Tigers’ defence in disarray, and the mercurial O’Gara squeezed for a priceless score.

O’Gara also converted, putting Munster 13-7 ahead, and within sight of the semi-finals.

Their place was confirmed seven minutes later in breathtaking fashion when O’Gara broke clear, fed supporting centre Mike Mullins, who found flanker Alan Quinlan, and Stringer finished the job.

O’Gara slotted the conversion, putting Munster into the last four and sending Leicester into a depressing bout of soul-searching.

Munster, on the day, were simply magnificent.