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Two-times European Rugby Champions Cup winners Munster Rugby edged a nail-biting 20-19 triumph over RC Toulon in a titanic continental tussle in front of a partisan Thomond Park faithful on Saturday.
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Andrew Conway clinched the definitive score in the dying embers of the match as Munster Rugby set up a final-four showdown with ASM Clermont Auvergne or Racing 92, after a historic victory over three-times winners Toulon.
In a ferocious opening 10 minutes, Toulon dominated territory and possession, but only had a penalty kick from Anthony Belleau to show for their efforts.
21-year-old Belleau – preferred to the experienced head of Francois Trinh-Duc – doubled the Toulon advantage in an assured show of composure as he slotted a drop-goal off his left foot after a disciplined French pack paved a strong platform.
Munster’s riposte came against the run of play as Conor Murray offered a typically audacious piece of ingenuity as he picked Guilhem Guirado’s pocket on the Toulon line to dot down a score under the watchful eye of Nigel Owens and Ian Keatley’s conversion saw the hosts take a one-point lead in Limerick, must to the delight of a raucous capacity crowd at Thomond Park.
? Exactly what it means. #ChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/VMCuEr4D7f
— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) March 31, 2018
When Semi Radradra was deemed to have impeded Darren Sweetnam’s chase and Keatley added a second penalty to nudge the advantage to four points as Munster wrestled a modicum of control.
In a total contrast to the first half, Munster extended their hex on the tie in the opening period of the second half and Keatley’s second penalty of the afternoon put the hosts a converted score ahead, only for Trinh-Duc – introduced for the final half hour – to chip away at the deficit with a three-pointer of his own.
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Toulon wrestled control back as captain Mathieu Bastareaud released Chris Ashton to clinch his 39th Champions Cup try, before Trinh-Duc’s conversion and another penalty kick saw the visitors take what they hoped was a winning six-point advantage.
Conway offered up the match-winning moment with five minutes to play as he, with an excellent understanding of his geography, kept Trinh-Duc’s clearance in field before evading four Toulon defenders to claim a sensational solo try, before Keatley’s conversion clinched a stunning victory.
Source: EPCR
