Another one that got away for Munster after Castres slip
ANOTHER ONE GETS AWAY: Munster’s Tadhg Beirne dejected after the game. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
Castres, the one that got away from Munster in their bid to secure a home draw for the Champions Cup Round of 16. As disappointing as Saturday’s defeat at the home of the English champions was to both interim boss Ian Costello and captain Tadhg Beirne, the similarly narrow pre-Christmas loss at Stade Pierre Fabre is the one that had the Munster camp brooding as they faced up to yet another knockout road trip in April.
After deep disappointment in Durban two seasons ago, and a slide out of the competition here at the Saints nine months back, a third-place finish in Pool 3 this time will send Munster back on their travels for the Round of 16 and they only have themselves to blame.
Losing at Franklin’s Gardens by five tries to four was the right outcome as far as Costello was concerned. His side failed to manage the 10-minute period spanning either side of half-time when Gavin Coombes was yellow carded when his team’s accumulation of penalties in front of their tryline forced referee Nika Amashukeli to take action.
Munster conceded 12 points in the process as a 15-5 lead, created by a clinically finished double from Calvin Nash, turned into a 17-15 deficit after a Curtis Langdon try off a lineout drive had added to wing Tom Seabrook’s opener on 14 minutes.
No.8 Coombes was still watching from the sideline when Seabrook added a second as Saints exploited their numerical advantage and when the full-back added the bonus-point fourth try against a full Munster complement on 54 minutes, the visitors’ third-quarter misery was complete.
A late double from Munster wing Diarmuid Kilgallen on his competitive debut made things interesting but his tries came either side of Seabrook’s hat-trick score and Saints held on to claim top spot and a home knockout draw as they bid to go one further than their semi-final appearance last season.
Munster must do things the hard way and there was no escaping the December 13 loss in France when they contrived to lose 16-14 to a limited and beatable Castres side after failing to take enough of the numerous opportunities they had created.
“I think the disappointing thing was probably the Castres away game," Beirne admitted. "We really let that one slip and that's put us in this situation where we had to win today and we know how difficult it is to come here.
“We thought we'd be able to do it and unfortunately we came up short today. But we still have to look back at the period of this whole thing in terms of where we have played well and where we're going. I think with the players we have and the players we have coming back from injury, there's a lot of competition there now and I think the only way is up for us from here. I think we're going to keep improving."
Munster now turn their attention to climbing the URC table and reaching the end of season play-offs. That begins with a now crucial trip to Wales and a meeting with bottom club Dragons this Saturday, minus their five Ireland squad members including captain Beirne.
“We've got lads coming back, which is improving training as well,” Beirne ventured.
“Going back to the URC I think next week is going to be a massive game for us for our season and how the boys get on there is going to be huge and I think everyone knows that within the club.”
Costello saw both the Castres game and the Saints loss as missed opportunities: "I think we can be much better than we were tonight, you know, I think (if) we're better tonight we can win that game.
"Castres was disappointing, you know?
"A bit mixed at the moment when we reflect, at least we have a knockout game again in April.
“It was a different type of game last week, the kick chase was grittier, a lot of work and effort and maybe character moments last week and then we broke away in the last 20.
"Today was a bit more about being accurate, while being ambitious. And I don't think we're accurate enough and I think at times we're hit or miss on our physicality.
"We came over pretty confident, feeling really well prepared it's disappointing that we just come up a bit short."
Costello said Munster had “pretty much resigned ourselves” to finishing third in Pool 3 but added: “Our game is growing and we've had a good foundation for the last few weeks.
"This is a setback, disappointment, and we have a monstrous game again in the URC context next week.
"We've got to go at it again on Monday."
J Ramm: T Freeman, F Dingwall - captain, R Hutchinson, T Seabrook; F Smith, A Mitchell (T James, 72); T Haffar (T West, 59), C Langdon (H Walker, 79), T Davison (L Green, 63); A Coles (C Hunter-Hill, 54), T Lockett; J Kemeny (A Scott-Young, 72), T Pearson, J Augustus (H Pollock, 59).
T Litchfield
M Haley; C Nash (T Butler, 63 - HIA), T Farrell, R Scannell, D Kilgallen; J Crowley, C Murray (P Patterson, 72); D Bleuler (J Ryan, 72), D Barron (N Scannell, 49-74 - HIA), O Jager (S Archer, 49); F Wycherley (T Ahern, 49), T Beirne; P O'Mahony (J O'Donoghue, 49), A Kendellen (B Gleeson, 67), G Coombes.
G Coombes 40-50
Nika Amashukeli (Georgia).
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