RUGBY HEINEKEN CUP Munster 24 Perpignan 23: BY SHEER force of will, borne out of their pride on Heineken Cup nights in this peerless cauldron, Munster huffed and puffed their way over the finishing line, despite being outscored by three tries to nil.
But there was sufficient strength of character from Perpignan in earning the compensation of a bonus point to ensure next Sunday’s return meeting will be more of the same.
Majestic kicking displays from Ronan O’Gara, especially, who landed seven penalties out of nine and a drop goal, and Paul Warwick steered Munster home.
For, ultimately, no tactic worked better than putting the ball high into the crisp and breezy night air. It effectively yielded 15 points for Munster. In Jerome Porical’s dreams last night, or more likely nightmares, it would have rained Gilberts.
Coach Tony McGahan described it as a performance “of fortitude with a lot of experience”, and said of O’Gara: “I thought he was outstanding tonight. He’s a tremendously strong-willed performer.
“I thought we controlled things well and overall I was very happy with where we got to this evening. Our discipline was very good and that was a focus for us this week.”
For all the anger and hostility directed toward referee Wayne Barnes, the penalty count went 17-5 to the home side. There was plenty of desire in the Munster performance, but perhaps betraying their lack of real form, there was a bit too much frenzy and a comparative lack of control in much of what they did.
They also had plenty of ball, but it wasn’t always of the highest quality, especially from the lineout. There were too many inaccurate passes, while they lost their shape occasionally in attack and became a bit too flat at times.
And, in shades of their last outing in Europe, Munster also gave themselves something of a mountain to climb with the concession of two decidedly soft tries in the first quarter.
But the French champions were no Treviso. In particular, their line speed in defence and tackling was ruthlessly efficient.
O’Gara kicked off into the breeze and when Warwick tested Porical in the air, the fullback fumbled. Welcome to Thomond, Jerome.
Lifeimi Mafi, Tomás O’Leary and Keith Earls each made darts, and a high tackle on the latter led, amid audible relief as well as delight, to O’Gara nailing his first penalty.
However, when Warwick had countered off an alert quick throw from Doug Howlett, Mafi kicked out on the full after the ball had been passed back inside the 22. That Mafi was at first receiver and taking a rare kick was somehow indicative of Munster’s display.
In any event, O’Connell tapped down Guilhem Guairado’s ensuing throw, Yoann Vivalda ambled through the huge gap between the two “pods” and gathered to score virtually untouched from the 22.
A typically cultured touchfinder by Warwick enabled O’Gara to restore the lead with a sweetly struck penalty from wide out, but when Warwick slightly overcooked his next attempted kick, calamity struck the home side again.
This time Guirado rumbled round the blindside off the lineout and offloaded to Yannick Parent, who gave Nicolas Durand the opportunity to stand up Howlett and beat him on the outside with embarrassing ease.
But Munster continued to dominate possession and territory, O’Gara and Warwick cleverly exploring gaps in Perpignan’s back three with a variety of kicks.
O’Gara landed two penalties to draw the sides level.
Munster finished the half in the ascendancy, albeit after eschewing a penalty at goal and the Catalans had been let off the hook.
Going to the air continued to serve Munster well, albeit the penalty against Robins Tchale Watchou was a tad harsh as the ball appeared to come off Porical’s face.
O’Gara made it 15-12, and after Perry Freshwater had popped the Munster frontrow for Porical to draw the sides level again, each of the Munster backrow carried in turn before O’Leary was scragged, O’Gara deftly switched onto his left foot to restore the lead with a chipped drop goal.
A fifth O’Gara three-pointer from the aerial bombardment followed when Alan Quinlan, at the high point of an increasingly influential performance, claimed Warwick’s up-and-under on the run above poor Porical, and Durand went over the top.
However, Mafi ill-advisedly ran from deep and held on for David Mele to reduce the lead, and Munster’s goose was suddenly bronzing when, for once, the aerial stuff backfired. Perpignan had introduced Philip Burger for Porical, and, from another Warwick garryowen, Howlett missed the catch on the run and the South African accelerated away from just outside his 22 and beat Warwick and the covering O’Gara on the outside for a sensational try.
Undeterred, back Munster came, running hard off a tap penalty before the Bertrand Guiry instinctively attempted to stop Mafi off his inside step with a high arm. O’Gara restored the lead.
A breakaway try by Denis Hurley appeared to have sealed things, but linesman Robin Goodliffe called them back for a knock-on against the winger.
Munster opted to go up the line with their last couple of penalties, but couldn’t deny Perpignan their bonus point. In truth, the Catalans deserved that much.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4 mins: O'Gara pen 3-0; 6: Vivalda try 3-5; 10: O'Gara pen 6-5; 13: Durand try, Porical con 6-12; 25: O'Gara pen 9-12; 36: O'Gara pen 12-12; 47: O'Gara pen 15-12; 53: Porical pen 15-15; 57: O'Gara pen 18-15; 63: O'Gara pen 21-15; 65: Mele pen 21-18; 70: Burger try 21-23; 75: O'Gara pen 24-23.
MUNSTER: P Warwick; D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, D Hurley; R O'Gara, T O'Leary; W du Preez, D Fogarty, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell (capt); A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy. Replacements: D Varley for Fogarty (62 mins), T Buckley for Hayes (70 mins), J de Villiers for Warwick (75 mins). Not used: M O'Driscoll, D Ryan, N Ronan, P Stringer.
PERPIGNAN: J Porical; F Sid, D Marty, M Mermoz, C Manas; G Hume, N Durand; P Freshwater, G Guirado, N Mas (capt), O Olibeau, R Tchale Watchou, Y Vivalda, B Guiry, Y Parent. Replacements: M Tincu for Guirado (20-26 mins, 61 mins), J Schuster for Freshwater, R Alvarez Kairelis for Olibeau (both 61 mins), C Geli for Vivalda, D Mele for Durand, P Burger for Porical (all 64 mins), K Pulu for Mas (72 mins). Not used: J Grandclaude.
Referee: Wayne Barnes(England).
