Pool 4
Munster 32 Pontypridd 10
They said after the match that to win by 22 points and not play your best rugby was the sign of a good side. Munster were flattered by the winning margin but their hallmark was indelibly stamped on the match.
After a discernibly nervous and anxious first quarter and a third quarter which concentrated most on defence, Munster rode out the odd mini-crisis here and there in the face of an aggressive Welsh defence.
Trailing 9-10, another turnover was followed by a penalty and the concession of an extra 10 metres for dissent drove Mick Galwey to caution his side.
"Don't panic now boys, c'mon lets keep the heads up," he could be heard shouting.
Munster soon pulled themselves together, the lineout maul providing 16 points and their most potent weapon. It was the basis for their critical 33-minute try after Wood broke and Foley then intelligently put Quinlan away. O'Gara's touchline conversion was the pick of his massive 22-point haul.
Despite concerted Pontypridd pressure after the break and again late on, Munster kept their line intact while claiming a couple more O'Gara penalties and a late intercept-try from Killian Keane.
MUNSTER: M Mullins; J Kelly, K Keane, C Mahony, A Horgan; R O'Gara, P Stringer; P Clohessy, K Wood, J Hayes, M Galwey (capt), J Langford, A Quinlan, A Foley, D Wallace. Replacements: J Staunton for Mahony (61 mins), M Horan for Clohessy (77), T Tierney for Stringer (77), D O'Callaghan for Galwey (77), E Havley for Foley (79). PONTYPRIDD: B Davey; R Greenslade-jones, J Bryant, J Colderly, G Wyatt; C Sweeney, P John (capt); M Griffiths, F Vinupola, S Cronk, W James, I Gough, G P Lewis, D McIntosh, R Parkes. Replacements: L Jarvis for Sweeney, J Lewis for Bryant, N Tau for Griffiths (all 47 mins), M Loydd for McIntosh (59-66) and for G P Lewis (69), R Sidoli for Parks (72), G Williams for Vinupola (73).
Referee: B Campsall (England).
Saracens 34 Munster 35
Munster started badly against a team of street-wise achievers.
They trailed by 18-3, by 21-9 at the break and by 34-23 with eight minutes remaining in the match, yet won the tense contest with a stirring second-half comeback. This game spoke volumes about the team's character.
So creative was this Munster performance that they may even have scored more. The pack took a while to get going but when they did were outstanding, Mick Galwey and Anthony Foley both putting in big performances.
Flawed set-pieces allowed Munster tag a few penalties but the pack had begun to gel. However the 35-minute pre-interval pressure failed to yield a score causing some concern.
The break over and the players suitably reprogrammed, Munster brought up the tempo, Mullins off-loading perfectly from an outside break to Keane for a try, O'Gara converting.
Another hugh kick from O'Gara established the next platform. Foley rucked some turnover ball with Mullins coming in from deep.
Stringer delivered the blind-side pass but it was low. Quick thinking from the centre allowed him volley the ball through the gap and gather on the bounce to score, O'Gara again converting for an unassailable lead.
SARACENS: M Mapletoft; R Constable, J Thompson, K Sorrell, R Thirby; T Lacroix, N Walshe; R Grau, G Chuter, J White, S Murray, D Grewcock, R Hill, T Diprose, F Pienaar (capt). Replacements: K Chesnay for Murray (54 mins), P Ogilvie for Hill (54), D Flatman for Grau (61), P Wallace for White (63). MUNSTER: J Staunton; J Kelly, K Keane, M Mullins, A Horgan; R O'Gara, P Stringer; P Clohessy, K Wood, D Wallace, M Galwey (capt), J Langford, A Quinlan, A Foley, J Hayes.
Referee: D Mene (France).
Colomiers 15 Munster 31
Attitude, discipline and possession had become a mantra for Munster as they settled in Colomiers and became the first Irish province to win a European Cup match on French soil.
The first of Munster's four tries gave the visitors an 8-0 advantage, Jason Holland claiming the first touch-down in the French corner and O'Gara kicking a penalty.
While Colomiers' best phase was the closing 20 minutes of the first half Munster responded soon after with a series of scores to which the French had little reply.
Jean Luc Sadourny and Jerome Sieurac had both posted scores for their side but a Keith Wood's trade mark finish and two penalties from O'Gara after the break re-established Munster's dominance.
Work ethic and mental strength permeated the Munster display as they exploited the blindside particularly to great effect, Marcus Horan, John Langford, Holland and Wood each playing their critical roles particularly well.
"We are going to be a dangerous side if we play for 80 minutes. There was good confidence, good skills, a good performance," said Kidney afterwards.
COLOMIERS: J L Sadourny; M Biboulet, S Roque, J Sieurac, D Skrela; M Carre, F Cillinat; J P Beyssen, M dal Maso, P Pages, G Moro, J M Lorenzi, B di Guisti (capt.), S Peysson, P Tabacco. Replacements: J P Revallier for Lorenzi (63 mins), L Lhande for Carre (63), H Manet for Moro (80). MUNSTER: J Staunton; J Kelly, M Mullins, J Holland, A Horgan: R O'Gara, P Stringer; M Horan, J Wood, J Hayes, M Galwey (capt), J Langford, A Quinlan, A Foley, D Wallace. Replacements: I Murray for Hayes (half-time), F Sheahan for Murray (74 mins), T Tierney for Stringer (82), D Crotty for Staunton (82). Referee: C Rees (England).
Munster 23 Colomiers 5
The rain poured down for Colomiers' visit to Cork. The ball squirted and ricocheted and Munster decided that this was a game where they had to go back to basics.
An early wake-up call in the third minute had Munster watching as French winger Patrick Martinez ghosted in for a try, which was followed by an ominously impressive bout of continuity during which Munster tackling wasn't low, early or hard enough.
But the home side soon began to profit from the varied and accurate throws of Wood in the lineout as Munster regularly began to maul the French back yards. With the help of a few backs weighing in, Wood was at the sharp end of two try-scoring drives with O'Gara claiming a hand on the second one.
But the pick of the three was undoubtedly the last, the talented Marcus Horan making the hard yards off another lineout maul and the excellent Anthony Foley then drawing in three tacklers and setting up quick ruck ball in midfield.
From there, O'Gara's skip pass to Mullins allowed the centre relay the ball further wide to the galloping Dominic Crotty who had a clear run to the line.
"I was quite surprised by the quality of the Munster backs and I have been generally by the Irish and British backs this season, with their speed and explosiveness. It seems to me they have worked a lot on their physical strength and now we have to," said Colomiers coach Henri Auriol afterwards.
MUNSTER: J Staunton; J Kelly, M Mullins, J Holland, A Horgan: R O'Gara, P Stringer; M Horan, J Wood, J Hayes, M Galwey (capt), J Langford, A Quinlan, A Foley, D Wallace. Replacements: J O'Neil for Horgan (28 mins), D Crotty for Staunton (55), F Shehan for Wood (77), D O'Callaghan for Langford (80). COLOMIERS: J-L Sadourny; P Martinez, S Roque, J Sieurac, B Lhande; D Skrela, F Culinat; J Beyssen, M dal Maso, J Tomuli, J P Revallier, H Manet, F N'tamack, B de Giusti (capt.), P Tabacco. Replacements: W Begarie for Tomuli (half-time), G Moro for Revallier (halftime), P Magendie for N'tamack (60 mins), C Laurent for dal Maso (60), P Pueyo for de Giusti (73). Referee: A Lombard (Italy).
Munster 31 Saracens 30
A defining match for Munster. Those who didn't already know that this was a team of character and tenacity were left in no doubt after O'Gara's dazzling final kick.
As at Vicarage Road a month previously, Munster went into injury-time six points adrift. With any other team you might have called it a day but again O'Gara's trusted boot saved the day as the ball flicked over for a momentous Munster win.
The home side struggled for clean ruck ball for much of the afternoon in the face of Saracens' aggression on the gain line. For once too Munster's excellent lineout met one that was as effective and the scrums too were well matched, a combination of which at times prevented Munster from playing.
Saracens moved to 17-8 in front by the break for the calm before the storm. O'Gara landed another penalty before Holland went over for a home try, the outhalf's conversion restoring a lead that would change a further four times in the final 20 minutes.
Lacroix and O'Gara exchanged a number of kicks with a Mapletoft try extending Saracens' lead to 24-30 on 82 minutes.
Needing the try, Langford's take from a close in lineout was held up, Wood took on the ball and burrowed from inches out barely making it to the line through the pile of bodies leaving O'Gara a breathless kick for what was surely one of the greatest Munster wins in many years.
MUNSTER: D Crotty; J Kelly, M Mullins, J Holland, A Horgan; R O'Gara, P Stringer; P Clohessy, K Wood, J Hayes, M Galwey (capt), J Langford, A Quinlan, A Foley, D Wallace. Replacements: T Tierney for Stringer (512 mins), J O'Neil for O'Gara (12-16), M Horan for Hayes (16-26). SARACENS: M Mapletoft; R Constable, J Thompson, K Sorrell, D O'Mahony; T Lacroix, N Walshe; D Flatman, G Chuter, J White, S Murray, D Grewcock, R Hill, T Diprose, F Pienaar (capt). Replacements: M Cairns for Chuter (1113 mins), B Johnson for Thompson (22), P Wallace for White (61).
Referee: N Williams (Wales).
Pontypridd 38 Munster 36
The ball struck the left upright before grazing the inside of the crossbar and dropping over and Italian referee Signori Giacomel blew for full time thus heralding Munster's first defeat in this season's European Cup.
"We lost this match in the 20 minutes before half-time, dropping the tempo and giving away a couple of silly scores. I suppose I know how Saracens felt," observed Mick Galwey afterwards.
While the disappointment was obvious, the players displayed enormous character to haul themselves from the spectre of a sizeable defeat to the cusp of victory.
Pontypridd kicked to a 31-19 lead on 54 minutes before Munster began an improbable recovery amassing 17 unanswered points with tries from Anthony Foley and David Wallace and the boot of O'Gara.
Then leading 31-36 with four minutes of normal time remaining they braced themselves for a home-side onslaught which duly arrived.
Pontypridd centre John Colderly managed to break the thin red defence, taking three tacklers with him over the line. It was then left to man-of-the-match Brett Davey to kick his side to victory in much the same manner as O'Gara had done to Saracens.
O'Gara once again was an exception to the under-par performance, coming away with 21 points as well as two fine breaks that ultimately led to Munster scores.
Despite the defeat, a quarter-final at Thomond Park beckoned.
PONTYPRIDD: B Davey; G Wyatt, S Parker, J Bryant, R Greenslade-Jones; L Jarvis, P John (capt); M Griffiths, A Lamerton, S Cronk, G Prosser, I Gough, G Lewis, D McIntosh, R Field. Replacements: W James for Gough (49 mins), , J Colderlyb for Bryant (54), C Loader for Griffiths (62), M Lloyd for Field (62). MUNSTER: D Crotty; J Kelly, M Mullins, J Holland, A Horgan; R O'Gara, P Stringer; P Clohessy, K Wood, J Hayes, M Galwey (capt), J Langford, A Quinlan, A Foley, D Wallace. Replacements: E Halvey for Quinlan (51 mins), Horan for Hayes (70). Referee: S Giacomi (Italy).
Quarter-final:
Munster 27 Stade Francais 10
Memories of 1978 and Munster's historic victory over the touring All Blacks flooded back as their enduring excellence continued to make it one of the province's best ever seasons.
Clearly, Declan Kidney, Niall O'Donovan and Brian O'Brien had done their homework on Stade's lineout where Langford was again excellent as Munster went into the quarterfinal against one of the favourites for the cup.
They also nullified the French team's running game with a superbly organised defence and for good measure almost rucked the pack off the park.
By the time Stade had first sight of the ball they were already 12-0 down and reeling, Anthony Horgan running in a try following a garryowen from O'Gara.
Crotty added another showing no small measure of skill as Munster put body and soul on the line, Halvey reminding of how good a tackler he is, Langford towering in the lineout and Stringer zipping crisp passes.
Wood was again awesome with the brilliant Anthony Foley leading the way. Clohessy too played an uninhibited game despite having to revert to tighthead after John Hayes' early departure.
The pack were winning lots of ball and O'Gara, showing Dominguez just how tactical kicking should be carried out, was peerless behind, pinning Stade to their corners.
O'Gara kicked five penalties in the second half, four of them without reply as Munster swept to a 24-3 lead on 70 minutes before snuffing out their big name opponents by a 17-point margin, O'Gara fittingly kicking the last of the game deep in injury-time.
MUNSTER: D Crotty; J Kelly, M Mullins, K Keane, A Horgan; R O'Gara, P Stringer; P Clohessy, K Wood, J Hayes, M Galwey (capt), J Langford, E Halvey, A Foley, D Wallace. Replacements: M Horan for Hayes (25 mins).
STADE FRANCAIS: C Stoltz; C Dominci, F Comba, C Mytton, B Lima; D Dominguez, C Laussucq; C Marconnet, F Landreau, P de Villiers, D Auradou, K Whitley, D George, R Pool-Jones, M Lievremont. Replacement: L Pedrosa for Landreau (68 mins).
Referee: D Lander (England).
Semi-final:
Toulouse 25 Munster 31
The home side chose to play with the wind having won the toss, their expectation being to get as much on the board in the first half.
But despite being on the back foot for that period Munster had stealthily scored the game's only try at that juncture.
It came from the front row, Hayes getting the touch down, which, combined with O'Gara's opening kick, took Munster to a 3-8 lead.
Michel Marfaing then took advantage of three opportunities in succession for Toulouse before O'Gara hit back, the first half closing 12-11.
It wasn't until around the hour mark that Munster really put a shape on the game and in, one marvellously fluid move from a scrum just outside their 22, showed what a range of talent the side harbours.
In 91 seconds and 16 pairs of hands the ball was moved firstly by Stringer and then swept up field, O'Gara claiming the final touch down as Toulouse were opened up.
"I've never screamed louder or as long for a pass," revealed O'Gara afterwards.
Four minutes later Jason Holland added an intercept-try to O'Gara's effort which was very much a double whammy from which the French could not recover.
Wallace was again awesome while Halvey and Foley weren't far behind. Stringer's decision making, passing and work rate were again top notch and the work load of the old warhorses up front, Peter Clohessy, John Langford and Mick Galwey had to be seen to be believed.
As the squad milked the moments afterwards, Kidney was lofted shoulder high. "Destiny calls 'em," reckoned Brian O'Brien afterwards. "You can't define what's in there," he added nodding in the direction the chaotic Munster dressing room.
TOULOUSE: S Ougier; E N'Tamack, C Debrosse, L Stensness, M Marfaing; A Penaud, J Cazalbou; C Califano, Y Bru, F Tournaire, F Pelous, F Belot (capt), D Lacroix, S Dispagne, C Labit. Replacements: M Lievremont for Lacroix (64 mins), P Bondouy for Debrosse (68), H Miorin for Dispagne (73), L Esposito for Califano (73). MUNSTER: D Crotty; J Kelly, M Mullins, J Holland, A Horgan; R O'Gara, P Stringer; P Clohessy, K Wood, J Hayes, M Galwey (capt), J Langford, E halvey, A Foley, D Wallace.
Replacements: F Sheahan for Wood (half-time), M Horan for Hayes (73 mins), D O'Callaghan for Galwey (78).
Referee: J Flemming (Scotland).
