Munster Bow Out Of Champions Cup As Saracens March On

Defending champions Saracens showed their class with a 20-point second half salvo, including tries from Mako Vunipola and Chris Wyles, to knock Munster out of the Champions Cup at the semi-final stage.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: MUNSTER 10 SARACENS 26

On a day when too many of Munster’s players failed to fire on all cylinders, the province’s memorable European run came to an end at the Aviva Stadium where Saracens’ defence proved impenetrable until CJ Stander’s late consolation try.

Munster had 64% possession during a tense and tightly-contested first half but trailed 6-3 at half-time, Owen Farrell’s brace of penalties cancelling out Tyler Bleyendaal’s sixth-minute opener.

Rassie Erasmus’ men failed to profit from Jackson Wray’s sin-binning midway through the half, and Saracens’ powerful set piece game, combined with the tactical control provided by half-backs Farrell and Richard Wigglesworth, gave them the platform to push clear on the scoreboard.

The 52nd-minute injury-enforced loss of captain Peter O’Mahony, coupled with Conor Murray’s ongoing absence, left Munster without two of their talismen, and barely a minute later, Saracens loosehead Mako Vunipola burrowed over for a momentum-shifting try, converted by Farrell.

Having got so little change out of Saracens’ watertight defence, it was a gut-wrenching concession for the men in red and the sight of a below-par Bleyendaal missing a kickable penalty on the hour mark gave the visitors a further boost.

The Sarries’ scrum, driven on by man-of-the-match Vincent Koch, won a central penalty which Farrell sent over for 16-3 and after Bleyendaal was off target with a drop goal effort, a scrambled try from replacement Chris Wyles and Farrell’s fourth successful penalty booked another European final appearance for Mark McCall’s well-drilled side.

Munster, who were too often one-dimensional in attack, did at least have the final say when Francis Saili supplied some much-needed spark off the bench and number 8 Stander crashed over from a 79th-minute tap penalty.

Munster’s record 12th semi-final had begun in promising fashion, their scrum putting the Saracens front row under immediate pressure, Duncan Williams kicking through a loose ball and Farrell was held up in a maul in his own 22.

The title holders’ try-line came under threat before out-half Bleyendaal split the posts with a close-in penalty. Both sets of half-backs probed intelligently with the boot, the tactical battle just as tightly poised as the contest up front where the excellent Tommy O’Donnell had some penetrating carries.

Munster had a let-off when a midfield wraparound saw Sarries gain serious yards up the left wing but Wigglesworth could not hold onto Sean Maitland’s inside pass and the try-scoring opportunity was gone.

Farrell kicked the visitors level in the 16th minute, his half-back partner Wigglesworth buying a ruck penalty from French referee Romain Poite, and Saracens survived a second wave of Munster pressure which petered out with a Simon Zebo knock-on.

The box-kicking duel continued to be fiercely contested, Maitland being guilty of tackling Andrew Conway in the air and then Wray’s high tackle into Williams’ face saw the Sarries flanker sin-binned.

Billy Vunipola, who was regularly targeted as a kick receiver, won a relieving penalty despite no clear release in the tackle, and Saracens thwarted another Munster maul after it was set up by Zebo’s brilliant aerial take and a Maitland fumble.

Having had a meagre share of possession and territory, the English giants won another key scrum decision within kicking range and Farrell split the posts to give his side a 34th-minute lead. Three points remained the margin up to the interval.

Those missed opportunities in the red zone came back to haunt Munster early in the second period, albeit that an O’Mahony lineout steal and a scrum penalty forced by John Ryan saw the home support raise the decibel level. Zebo was also unfortunate that a slight knock-on, near halfway, prevented him from running in a possible breakaway try.

It was one step forward, two steps back for Munster at times, Conway rising highest to claim a Bleyendaal cross-field kick before Williams’ attempted chip over the top was well read by Saracens’ experienced full-back Alex Goode.

Saracens were beginning to create more chances, a fast-paced move out to the right ending with the usually reliable Chris Ashton dropping a pass as Munster desperately fanned across. Then, Champions Cup debutant Jean Deysel did just enough to prevent a certain try under the posts as Lions squad member George Kruis, having slipped straight through from the ruck, fumbled the ball as he stretched for the whitewash.

Territory was now very much in Sarries’ favour, their scrum continuing to cause Munster problems and a sliced touchfinder from Bleyendaal inviting the black shirts forward. Their forwards and backs combined in a ground-gaining maul near the left corner, sucking in enough of Munster’s big men for Mako Vunipola to spot a weak link and make the line. Farrell converted to open up a 13-3 advantage.

Munster’s response was good, winning a couple of penalties in advanced positions, but Bleyendaal badly misfired off the tee in the 58th minute. Shortly afterwards, Williams lacked protection – not for the first time today – as a Koch and Schalk Brits-led counter ruck led to a Saracens penalty near halfway.

The latter pair were pivotal to a scrum penalty in front of the posts which Farrell turned into three more points, and despite the eager entries of Rhys Marshall, Stephen Archer and Darren Sweetnam, the game was now getting away from Munster.

Saracens’ sheer doggedness and impressive organisation in defence was summed up when Rory Scannell was clattered with a big tackle as Munster pressed for an opening some 10 metres out, and then Bleyendaal’s drop goal came back off the post.

His opposite number Farrell used possession from a knock-on to kick deep into Munster territory and when the visitors won possession back, Farrell unlocked the home defence with a well-weighted grubber kick. Wyles competed for it with Zebo and the ball broke kindly for the USA international to dot down, with Farrell also adding the extras.

The margin was out to 23 points after Farrell punished Saili for going offside. The New Zealander redeemed himself with an impressive break up to the Sarries’ 22 and after Williams posed a threat around the fringes, Stander used the penalty to bludgeon his way over. Ian Keatley’s conversion was the final scoring act, his subsequent cross-field kick for Conway being caught by Wyles as Munster, who brought so much to this season’s Champions Cup, fell at the penultimate hurdle.

Giving his reaction afterwards, Munster director of rugby Erasmus said: “The guys tried really hard but the reality is, at this stage, Saracens are 15-20 points better than us. They’re a complete outfit.

“I don’t think we were great. We tried really hard but I think the pressure got to us. At 6-3, I think we were in it and then we had a few opportunities. If we’d scored there, the guys might have got some hope or belief but I think then at the end of the day, Saracens just squeezed the belief out of us.

“I think the harsh reality (is) that we’re 15-20 points below the standard of Saracens. It gives you hope that if you’re third or fourth in Europe, there are 16 teams below you, but we’ve got a way to go now until we get to Saracens. Hopefully in a year’s time, we will be closer.”