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Munster left smarting after Champions Cup slip-up
By Ian Cameron
Munster have found themselves with European rugby egg on their face after getting shocked by French visitors Bayonne, who staged a late raid to secure a 17-17 draw in the opening round of the Investec Champions Cup.
Munster seemed in control at halftime with Shay McCarthy and Gavin Coombes crossing the try line, establishing a 14-3 lead.
However, Bayonne fought back valiantly in the second half, weathering the relentless Limerick rain.
Junior Tagi and Remy Baget's tries, coupled with Thomas Dolhagaray's crucial conversion, leveled the score and left Munster stunned.
Despite early pressure from the French side, Munster responded, with McCarthy's Champions Cup debut try establishing an early lead. Coombes powered over before the break, setting up what looked like would be a routine home win for Graham Rowntree's men. Yet, Bayonne refused to die as a well-worked try in challenging conditions from Tagi ignited their comeback.
In the closing stages, Munster clung to their lead, but a determined Bayonne, capitalizing on a lineout and rolling maul, orchestrated a late surge. A Gela Aprasidze break lead Baget to score in the corner, which was then followed by an immaculate conversion by Dolhagaray.
A last ditch drop goal attempt from Jack Crowley went wide of the posts, sealing a dramatic draw for Bayonne, leaving Munster's fortress breached and the French with a precious two points on the road.
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Mallia deserves 8 at least. Brains and skills for the comeback. Him, Garcia and Albornoz the core of The Pumas attack. Hope to see them in the 15s against France
Go to commentsYeah nar I pretty much agree with that sentiment, wasn't just about the lineout though.
Yeah, I think it's the future of SR, even TRC. Graham above just now posting about how good a night it was with a dbl header of ENGvSA and NZvFrance, and now I don't want to kick SA or Argentina out of TRC but it would be great if in this next of the woods 2 more top teams could come in to create more of these sort of nights (for rugby's appeal). Often Arg and SA and both travel here and you get those games but more often doesn't work out right.
Obviously a long way off but USA and Japan are the obvious two. First thing we need to do is get Eddie Jones kicked out of Japan so they can start improving again and then get a couple of US teams in SRP (even if one its just a US based and augmented Jaguares).
It will start off the whole conferences are crap debate again (which I will continue to argue vehemently against), but imagine a 6 team Pacific conference, Tokyo Sunwolves (drafted from Tokyo JRLO teams), Tokyo All Stars (made up of best remaining foreign players and overseas drafts), ALL Nihon (best of local non Tokyo based talent, inc China/Korea etc, with mainland Japan), a could of West Coast american franchises and perhaps a second self PI driven Hawai'i based team, or Jagaures. So I see a short NFL like 3 or 4 month comp as fitting best, maybe not even a full round, NZvAUSvPAC, all games taking place within a 6hr window. Model for NZ will definitely still require a competitive and funded NPC!
On the Crusaders, I liked last years ending with Grace on the bench (ovbiously form dependent but thats how it ended) and Lio-Willie at 8. I could have Blackadder trying to be a 7 but think balance will be used with him at 6 and Kellow as 7. Scott Barrett is an international 6 sized player. It is just NZ style/model that pushes him into the tight, I reckon he'd be a great loose player, and saders have Strange and Cahill as bigger players (plus that change could draw someone like Darry back). Same with Haig now, hes not grown yet but Barrett hight and been playing 6, now that the Highlanders have only chosen two locks he'll be playing lock, and that is going to change his growth trajectory massively, rather than seeing him grow like an International 6.
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