Simon Zebo’s 50th provincial try sent Munster on their way to a barnstorming 32-7 Champions Cup bonus point win over a rather rudderless Racing 92 side at Stade Yves-du-Manoir.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: RACING 92 7 MUNSTER 32
Rassie Erasmus’ men moved back to the top of Pool 1, three points clear of Glasgow Warriors, whom they visit next Saturday, before the return leg against Racing in Limerick seven days later.
Simon Zebo, man-of-the-match CJ Stander and Andrew Conway all touched down to establish a 25-0 interval lead in cold and wet conditions, as the dominant Munster pack continually pummeled holes in the Racing defence.
Hooker Niall Scannell – part of an excellent Munster set-piece game – crashed over via a 56th-minute maul to seal the bonus point with Tyler Bleyendaal topping up his tally to 12 points. The reigning French champions, already out of the running with no pool points and lying eighth in the Top 14 table, had a breakaway seven-pointer from flanker Matthieu Voisin as their only consolation.
This round 1 fixture was postponed back in October following the sudden death of Munster head coach Anthony Foley at the team hotel. The province’s players have reacted in the best possible way, winning nine out of ten competitive games since leaving Paris on that unforgettably sad day.
Following some emotional pre-match tributes to Foley, the visitors signalled their intent early on, Tommy O’Donnell breaking past Joe Rokocoko and passing inside to Bleyendaal before the covering Camille Chat rescued the situation for Racing who had 11 personnel changes from last Sunday’s 17-11 league defeat to Toulon.
The eager Munster forwards heaped pressure on the hosts’ lineout and maul, twice going close from pick-and-goes either side of Bleyendaal’s 14th-minute penalty from in front of the posts.
The province’s patience was rewarded in the 23rd minute when aggressive clearing out from Peter O’Mahony and Donnacha Ryan, who had one of his best performances in Munster red, produced quick ball and Zebo, fed wide on the left, managed to turn after a tackle from Teddy Thomas and make the line for his half-century score and Munster’s 400th European Cup try.
Bleyendaal was off target with the conversion but Munster continued to dictate play in the second quarter, Conor Murray being held up just short after a Ryan-led turnover from a maul and a bulldozing Stander carry.
The Kiwi out-half mopped up with three more points for an 11-0 scoreline and a couple of minutes later, Stander took centre stage, blocking Benjamin Dambielle’s attempted kick and then popping up on the left for a superb 30-metre surge to the whitewash, which included a big hand-off on Racing captain Chris Masoe.
Bleyendaal converted and also added the extras to Conway’s effort on the stroke of half-time, the winger gobbling up Murray’s deftly-weighted grubber towards the right corner flag.
Munster quelled Racing’s initial response early in the second period, diligently using their forwards to get into scoring range and following two collapsed mauls, a third proved successful with workhorse Scannell powering over for Bleyendaal to convert.
Racing responded with a try seven minutes later, a ricocheted kick allowing full-back Juan Imhoff to hack through and the supporting Voisin won the race to touch down, with replacement Dan Carter converting.
However, Munster’s very well-marshalled defence prevented any further concessions and their impactful bench made their mark, particularly Keith Earls and Dave Kilcoyne, as they sewed up a comprehensive 25-point victory.
Speaking afterwards, Munster director of rugby Erasmus said: “We’re relieved. Not just for the scoreboard and for the win, I’m relieved this game is over. It was a tough week but it’s also been dragging on since Anthony passed away.
“I’m glad it’s over. It was a nervous week and I wasn’t quite sure what was coming. I didn’t know how we would handle it. And to get the fourth try was special – relieved this specific game was over.
“I would never say we can go on because we’ll think of Anthony always, a lot. We’ve made that decision and we will keep on doing that but it almost feels level – we’ve played the same number of matches as the other teams in the pool.
“We’ll never move on because we will always miss him but it feels like we’re back to normal, almost, if I can put it that way and with all the respect in the world.
“I think (the way the team are playing) is a tribute to Axel. Of course I think it was really clinical and intense, the first 50 minutes. We weren’t maybe as sharp for the final 30 but we still had the intensity, which was satisfying. A lot can be put down to Axel.”
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