Munster's Heineken Cup dream ends

Biarritz 19 Munster 10

Biarritz added to the French flavour of this year’s Heineken Cup as they did just enough to secure a tight 19-10 quarter-final win over Munster in San Sebastian.

For the first time since 1999, a trio of Gallic sides have marched into the Cup semi-finals – leaving perennial final four merchants Munster out in the cold.

Alan Gaffney’s men fought tirelessly at the sold-out Estadio Anoeta, the home of Spanish football giants Real Sociedad.

Having shipped 16 unanswered points in the opening half, David Wallace’s 45th-minute try brought the province back into contention, but their Basque hosts closed the door, albeit in less-than-impressive fashion.

France fly-half Dimitri Yachvili kicked Biarritz’s only points of the second half as they struggled past the finishing line on a weekend when Top 16 compatriots Toulouse and Stade Francais were so dominant in their quarter-final successes.

In all, the right boot of Yachvili contributed a match-winning 14 points to the Biarritz cause, as he converted Argentina international Martin Gaitan’s sole touchdown on the quarter-hour.

Ironically, 1999 was also the last season Munster faltered at the quarter-finals, yet, despite that proud past, some early forward grunt from Biarritz gave a sense of foreboding to the Irish hordes who had travelled southwards.

Following a wayward drop shot from Julien Peyrelogue, Biarritz’s early pressure saw them take an 11th-minute lead as Yachvili punished Alan Quinlan for an offside.

Quinlan needlessly handed the Biarritz number 10 two more shots at the posts and he duly punished the Munster flanker’s ruck indiscretions on 30 and 41 minutes.

It had all gone wrong for Munster on the 15-minute mark as Damien Traille turned over Paul Burke – the injured Ronan O’Gara’s replacement – in midfield, and centre Gaitan outpaced Peter Stringer for the right corner and a first try of the campaign.

Having waited 32 minutes to venture into the Biarritz 22 in the first half, a fired-up Munster wasted little time in gaining territory in the second. 16-0 down, Burke’s long-range penalty on 43 minutes just fell short.

Biarritz captain Thomas Lievremont then had to ankle tap Shaun Payne just metres from his own line as the Munster full-back went on a 20-metre dart. Wallace did get over moments later, as he switched to number eight at the base of Munster’s scrum and rounded Yachvili to score.

Burke converted and it was game on with Munster prop Marcus Horan soon angling through the Biarritz defence on a couple of galloping charges.

But the momentum swung back to Biarritz as Yachvili stroked over his fourth penalty on the hour.

Burke drew it back to 19-10 seven minutes later, as Munster continued to probe and press in coach Gaffney’s last European campaign.

Biarritz’s defence – typified by flanker Serge Betsen – was resolute however, and Lievremont’s men held firm to book a Paris semi-final date with Stade.