Defiant Munster side-step annihilation

It was a matter of perspective. Perpignan captain and number eight Thomas Lievremont maintained that his team could afford a little largesse in the closing 15 minutes, aware that the beaten finalists in last year's French Championship had accomplished their goal, a victory at the Stade Brutus.

Munster will dwell on the second 40 minutes, viewing it, if not as a moral victory, then a vindication of the character and potential that this squad of players possesses. Trailing 29-3 at the interval, albeit having played into a strong wind, one feared for the visitors.

Shunted mercilessly in the scrums, pounded on the fringes, and then sliced open with surgical dexterity further out, Munster courted annihilation, abetting their opponents' endeavours with powder-puff tackling and a black comedy of unforced errors. The second 40 minutes would offer a startling contrast.

In ascertaining which shade of the truth was more virtuous, one must point out that Perpignan destroyed Munster when the match was at its most competitive and did withdraw the visitors' Nemesis, Didier Camberabero, on 48 minutes: 37 years young and still possessing the vision and tactical acumen to control proceedings effortlessly.

The 36-times capped former French international mixed the game intelligently, punting long or deftly putting those around him through gaps in the visiting defence. Yet it would be churlish not to acknowledge Munster's revival.

French teams, particularly those in the ascendancy, are not given to humane destruction. The greater the carnage and blood-letting, the more it appeals. Perpignan did not indulge Munster. Three second-half tries and outscoring the locals 21-12 in the second half was achieved by dint of hard work and greater composure in possession.

The hesitancy and error which dogged the opening 40 minutes gave way to greater self-belief and the realisation that the opposition were mere mortals. It is important also to pay tribute to the performance of individuals within the Munster recovery.

When the Irish province found themselves at their lowest ebb, Peter Clohessy, by example, provided a rallying point: wonderfully abrasive in possession and committed in defence, he demonstrated a huge appetite for work and was prepared to meet the French players toe to toe.

Every ounce as effective and producing a superb performance for one so young and inexperienced in European competition was Peter Stringer. The pint-sized UCC scrum-half tackled like a dervish, saving two certain tries in the first half and his service to Barry Everitt was blemish free.

While these two excelled in adversity, others took up the mantle in the second half. Eddie Halvey and Alan Quinlan began to make an impact in possession, Everitt appeared sharper and more assured, grabbing a glorious individual try and the midfield defence tightened considerably.

A pack that had undergone major first-half reconstruction with Ian Murray replacing John Hayes on 29 minutes and Donnacha O'Callaghan being introduced for Mick O'Driscoll survived somewhat better in the tight, despite the odd creak.

In explaining the transformation Munster coach Declan Kidney candidly ventured: "We received a lesson in possession in the first half. It was like little boys against men for 40 minutes. We were doing the second thing before the first.

"They broke through easier than I expected and that was worrying. There was a players' talk at half-time and we simply added that it was important not to turn over possession. We showed a bit more patience, not looking to score off first phase. On a positive note, we learnt from the first half and didn't let the lessons last 80 minutes."

Perpignan began at a canter, eager to please their colourful, boisterous spectators but despite dominating territorially, it was not until the last 15 minutes of the half that they cut loose registering tries from Gregory Tutard, Patrick Furet, Alewyn Joubert and Renaud Peillard.

Two of the four came in similar manner, powerful driving from the pack in which Canadian international Mike James, French Grand Slam captain Raphael Ibanez and Bernard Goutta were outstanding, and carbon copy inside passes from Camberabero to powerful right wing Joubert, one of which he himself scored.

Lievremont expressed his satisfaction: "We played powerfully and created chances, most of which we took. Victory was important and we achieved that. The players realise that games are for 80 minutes and we know that when we go to Ireland we will need to play for longer than one half."

Munster's solitary reply, a Killian Keane penalty, appeared increasingly inadequate when Ibanez continued Perpignan's momentum three minutes after the interval with another try. It was from this point that Munster's rehabilitation began.

Everitt sliced through the cover on a slanting run to the posts after neat footwork, referee Robert Davies awarded Munster a penalty try for persistent infringing by Perpignan on their own line and Mick Galwey was driven over. Keane converted all three and the home side's only reply was a try from Matthieu Barrau, converted by Laurent Salies, whose only other contribution to to receive a yellow card.

Neath's defeat at Padova ensures that Munster's visit to the Gnoll this weekend is the pivotal clash of the group. On Saturday's evidence, that of the second half, victory should be well within Munster's compass.

Scoring sequence: 12 mins: Camberabero penalty, 3-0; 27: G Tutard try, Camberabero conversion, 10-0; 34: Furet try, Camberabero conversion, 17-0; 37: Joubert try, 22-0; 39: Keane penalty, 22-3; 40: Peillard try, Camberabero conversion, 29-3. 43: Ibanez try, 34-3; 55: Everitt try, Keane conversion, 34-10; 60: Barrau try, Salies conversion, 41-10; 68: penalty try, Keane conversion, 41-17; 72: Galwey try, Keane conversion 41-24.

Perpignan: G Bastide; A Joubert, D Plana, M Barrau, G Tutard; D Camberabero, J Basset; R Peillard, R Ibanez, S de Bescombes; J Pradal, M James; P Furet, T Lievremont (capt), B Goutta. Replacements: P Meya for Peillard, 44 mins; L Salies for Camberabero, 48 mins; G Majoral for Furet, 55 mins; S Deroeux for Goutta, 65 mins.

Munster: B Roche; J Kelly, K Keane, C Mahony, A Horgan; B Everitt, P Stringer; P Clohessy, M McDermott, J Hayes; M Galwey (capt), M O'Driscoll; A Quinlan, A Foley, E Halvey. Replacements: I Murray for Hayes, 29 mins; D O'Callaghan for O'Driscoll, 35 mins; D Corkery for O'Callaghan, 60 mins; F Sheehan for McDermott, 60 mins; B Walsh for Cian Mahony, 65 mins.

Referee: R Davies (Wales).