Bordeaux 47 Munster 29 (FT)
We leave you with Gerry Thornley’s live report from Bordeaux. There’ll be plenty of reaction and analysis to come from Gerry on the site. stay tuned.
[ Brave Munster go down fighting in Bordeaux defeatOpens in new window ]
Plenty of interesting full-time stats to throw your way. Unsurprisingly, Bordeaux were ruthlessly efficient in attack. As with most French sides, once they got into the 22, more often than not they scored. They notched 3.9 points per 22 entry compared to Munster’s figure of 2.
The most important stat, though? The lineout. Munster’s went to pot, particularly in the first half. It meant they couldn’t cash in on any attacking platform, while they gifted a side lethal on turnover ball plenty of opportunities to do damage.
Munster’s success rate at that set piece was only 62 per cent. By my maths, that means they lost a whopping 8 of their 21 throws.
Andrew Smith’s score had reduced the gap to 11, thanks to Crowley’s deft grubber. All in vain, ultimately.
This was the Bielle-Biarrey try which killed the game after Munster threatened a famous comeback.
Full-time: Bordeaux 47 Munster 29
Heartbreak for Munster. The last attack ends with a knock-on.
Bordeaux march into the semi-finals, they’ll play the winner of Toulon vs Toulouse. On the evidence of today, their attack comes as advertised. If they come up against a team which holds onto the ball, though, which denies them the transition opportunities they crave, they could struggle.
Conor Murray and Peter O’Mahony have played the last European games of their careers.
80 mins: Munster will have one last chance for a consolation. Crowley kicks a penalty into the 22 with the clock in the red.
Try Louis Bielle-Biarrey
78 mins: That’s that. Munster’s comeback falls short. A loose ball in midfield is scooped up by Bordeaux. Some beautiful offloading ultimately sees Bielle-Biarrey speed off into the distance and into the semi-finals.
Lucu converts.
Bordeaux 47 Munster 29
76 mins: Oh that could have been the comeback on! Abrahams gets space out wide but Lucu somehow catches him to tackle the South African into touch. What a chance, but what a moment in defence.
Red card Cazeaux
74 mins: Cazeaux gets a second yellow for a second high shot. Munster aren’t dead yet!
Try Andrew Smith
73 mins: Well they’re certainly going to try! Smith chases a Crowley chip in behind and dots down in the corner. Brilliant identification of space from Crowley as he spots Bielle-Biarrey out of position out wide.
Crowley curls the conversion over beautifully.
Bordeaux 40 Munster 29
70 mins: Munster are giving this a right crack as Nankivell breaks into the 22. Smith tries to throw a wonder pass to Abrahams out wide but it drifts both forwards and into touch. There are still 10 minutes left. They couldn’t, could they?
Yellow card
68 mins: Another card, this time for Bordeaux. This time Echegaray is the man who gets his marching orders, slapping down an attempted pas once Sean O’Brien had broken through. There was cover, so no penalty try.
Scratch that! The penalty try is given! Amashukeli initially didn’t seem too interested then he went over to the big screen to have a look. I thought there was cover, but the decision is that Tom Farrell would have scored if the ball wasn’t slapped down!
Bordeaux 40 Munster 22
Conor Murray replaces Craig Casey.
66 mins: Tadhg Beirne is both lucky and unlucky. He rips the ball in contact but can’t hold on when he goes to deck. Bordeaux get it back, meaning Beirne is lying on the wrong side when the opposition is in possession. Easy penalty and, if Kendellen hadn’t just been sent to the bin, Beirne would likely have gone for an attack-killing penalty right underneath his own posts. But he did initially win the ball.
Jalibert kicks the three.
Bordeaux 40 Munster 15
64 mins: Close! Penaud just runs out of room in-goal when chasing a Jalibert cross-kick. Bordeaux had advantage as a rumbling maul was hauled down after making 20 metres.
Yellow card: Alex Kendellen
The Munster replacement is sent to the naughty chair for his role in bringing down that ominous drive. Bordeaux kick into the corner.
63 mins: Oh dear. Smith tries to be opportunistic to counter-attack off a kick. The only problem was Abrahams wasn’t on the same page. The pass from Smith to the fullback sails past him and into touch.
59 mins: Oh dear. It’s all gone to you know what. Crowley races back into his 22 to gather a kick rolling along the turf. He spills it forward and Bordeaux have a scrum 5 metres from the Munster line.
Penalty Munster! Hodnett gets in over the ball to win a penalty once the ball goes wide.
Changes for Munster. Nash is replaced by O’Brien, Fineen Wycherley is on for Kleyn.
Try Bordeaux
57 mins: Wow, I’m not sure what has been seen on the footage there, but Amashukeli has overturned his decision. The TMO got involved after the held up call, the referee went to the big screen to have a look and has changed the call. Try time.
Jalibert misses the conversion.
Bordeaux 37 Munster 15
57 mins: Held up! The Bordeaux pack rumbles over the line off a lineout maul but Munster manage to get bodies under the ball.
Plenty of pushing and shoving after the whistle but doens’t look to be anything too serious.
56 mins: Jalibert spills an unsympathetic pass inside the 22 but advantage was being played. Back into the corner go Bordeaux.
Yellow card Tom Ahern
55 mins: The Munster replacement plays Lucu in an offside position after a Bordeaux break into the 22. On second viewing, I thought he got behind the ruck before playing the tackle but them’s the breaks. Jalibert goes into the corner.
54 mins: This time Jalibert is good 15m in from touch inside the 22.
Bordeaux 32 Munster 15
53 mins: From the sublime to the ridiculous. After Smith’s brilliant piece of skill, Munster can’t hold onto the ball at the kick-off. They’re counter-rucked off it inside their own 22, leading to a penalty for playing it on the deck. Jalibert hasn’t been good off the tee today, but he’ll have another go here.
Try Andrew Smith
52 mins: Sod the lineout, just break from deep! Farrell starts it off with a break when picking and going through an undermanned ruck. Nankivell then throws a beauty of a wide pass to Smith in space. He chips past the fullback before showing off some good pace to gather and score in the corner.
From the touchline, Crowley hits the post.
Bordeaux 29 Munster 15
49 mins: Now Bordeaux get a penalty as Beirne swims illegally through a maul. Jalibert has a tricky kick at goal on offer, but he will take it. Perhaps in a bid to kill some clock off the yellow as much as anything else.
Well he killed about 50 seconds or so, that’s it. His effort is a bad slice, sailing well wide.
Changes for Munster, Jager and O’Mahony go off for Archer and Ahern.
47 mins: Stop me if you’ve heard this before. Munster kick the penalty to the corner but the lineout goes to pot. This time Bordeaux win it at the front with Munster failing to get a man in the air, such was the panic and confusion at the malfunctioning set-piece.
47 mins: Another Munster attack, another penalty conceded by Bordeaux. The TMO has also asked the referee Amashukeli to have a look at a potential high tackle.
Yellow card: Cazeaux
The Bordeaux second row has hit Wycherley high. It was a glancing blow, but only because the Munster prop stepped out of the way of what could have been a nasty collision. That saves him, a red turning into a yellow.
45 mins: Bordeaux stray offside again, Munster go to the corner. It’s astonishing how poor they are in defence compared to how electric they are in attack. A penalty machine when they don’t have the ball.
Shame Munster can’t put together two consecutive lineouts. This one sails over the jumper again and Bordeaux clear.
42 mins: Munster get an early penalty as Diaby obstructs Coombes while chasing a Casey box-kick. Crowley’s kick into the corner is a beauty. If Munster score here...
They don’t. The lineout survives, but a forward pass kills the attack.
41 mins: Bordeaux kick off the second half through Matthieu Jalibert. Coombes carries inside his own 22, followed up by Jager. Casey clears once he has the angle. Nash reclaims the high ball and Munster have it back.
Teams are back out. Munster have 40 minutes to save their European campaign. On the evidence of the first half, they’ll struggle here. The silver lining? It’s hard to be as bad as they were once again.
Munster couldn’t pull this off could they? Well, the one time they held onto the ball - ie when they didn’t botch a lineout - they took Bordeaux threw the phases. Three or four penalties later, they’re crashing over.
If they sort the set-piece they both hold onto the ball and, even more crucially, deny Bordeaux the turnover ball which has led to havoc in the Munster line. A big if. Bordeaux have been sublime without having to work too hard.
Try Alex Nankivell
40+4 mins: Deep into first half injury time, do Munster have a lifeline? Casey zips a pass across two defenders, a beautiful piece of skill. Nankivell takes it and powers through Bielle-Biarrey for the score. Crowley converts!
Half-time: Bordeaux 29 Munster 10
40+3 mins: This time Scannell hits O’Mahony at the lineout. Munster go to the maul and Bordeaux enter in the side. Penalty coming as Munster play with advantage.
Not for long as Crowley’s kick goes astray. Back we go for the penalty, the referee has a word of warning with Maxime Lucu. Too many penalties in quick succession. Crowley goes to the corner - no he doesn’t, Munster tap and go...
40+2 mins: Munster get another penalty as Bordeaux stray offside. Crowley will go to the corner here. They need a score if they’re to have any hope after the break.
40 mins: Another Munster lineout goes to pot, this time at the front as Coombes is beaten in the air. Mercifully for the province, a knock on ends the attack after Samu broke through into the 22. A penalty allows Crowley to then kick down the line and we will play the lineout before half-time.
39 mins: Close! Half a chance for Munster as Beirne charges down Lucu’s clearance inside the 22. Bordeaux just about get to the loose ball and manage to clear.
38 muns: Smith loses it in contact as Munster look to run from deep. Diaby is the man who rips it as Bordeaux go off to the races again. Diaby does get isolated in possession minutes later, though, as Munster win a relieving penalty.
Scannell comes on at hooker for the injured Barron. Not that it improves the lineout fortunes, the first throw sailing over the jumper.
Try Echegaray
35 mins: If it wasn’t already, this game is surely done. Off the scrum, Bordeaux look to have made a mess of the attack with a loose wide pass. However, Echegeray holds his nerve, scooping and flinging it to Bielle-Biarrey. He can’t finish as Munster swarm, but he pops it back inside to his fullback who crashes over. Jalibert’s conversion from out wide is a beauty.
Bordeaux 29 Munster 3
33 mins: Bordeaux are screaming for a deliberate knock. Moefana cross-kicks to Penaud on the flank. Six metres from the line, he tries to pass back inside but Crowley knocks it down. The crowd aren’t happy, but referee Amashukeli says Crowley made a genuine attempt to catch the ball.
31 mins: Crowley makes a half-break in midfield as Munster finally hold onto the ball for a few phases. Not for a lot though, as a spill sees Samu gather and break into the 22....
30 mins: Another penalty for Bordeaux. Crowley takes a high bell well under pressure but Wycherley, in a bid to hold off the onrushing Diaby at the breakdown, goes straight off his feet. Jalibert calls for the tee. surely go to the corner to well and truly kill the game off? Especially seeing as he’s missed the kick!
29 mins: Oh Bordeaux should be under the posts again. It’s the usual 12-13-10 loop in the backline, only this time Moefana goes to the short option instead of out the back. Munster weren’t ready for it and one offload later, it only takes one more pass to send Penaud in. Fortunately for Munster, the pass is behind the wing as it sails into touch.
27 mins: Another Munster lineout, another turnover. This time Barron’s throw is crooked. That creaking set-piece, the inability to build attacks and the resulting transition ball for Bordeaux, is absolutely killing Munster.
Try Pete Samu
25 mins: That could be the game. At the very least, Munster are in trouble. Jalibert chips ahead for Bielle-Biarrey and Bordeaux are off to the races. Echegeray at fullback is heavily involved then with a step back inside before the offload to Samu sees the Australian backrow crash over. Jalibert converts.
Bordeaux 22 Munster 3
24 mins: what does every rugby coach tell you from a young age? Don’t let it bounce if you can avoid it. Nash allows Lucu’s clearance to hit the turf and it skips awkwardly over his head into touch. Still Munster ball, but that set-piece has struggled today.
22 mins: Tadhg Beirne to the rescue! Munster looked to be bailing water but there’s that blue scrumcap, clamping over the ball at the breakdown to win a penalty. Crowley’s clearance is fantastic, taking play up past halfway.
21 mins: Abrahams rushes out of the line needlessly and Jalibert picks him off, throwing a beauty of a long pass to Bielle-Biarrey in space. To be fair to the South African, Abrahams shows his recover speed to pull off a try-saving tackle. Bordeaux still have it inside the 22.
19 mins: Jalibert thinks he’s nailed a 50/22 off the back of the lineout. Mercifully for Munster, the linesman said it rolled into touch just outside the 22. Munster ball.
The relief is short lived, Hodnett pinged for playing the ball on the ground while under pressure from a Bordeaux counter-ruck. The French side kicks into the corner. Huge defensive stand coming up for Munster.
17 mins: A third consecutive botched Munster lineout ends an attack after a penalty was kicked into the 22. Whatever about wasting opportunities to score, the turnover ball presents dangerous ball to the hosts. Munster need to stop the rot.
Try Maxime Lucu
14 mins: Scrappy but a sign of how lethal Bordeaux are off turnover ball. Penaud glides past one man before taking on Abrahams down the flank. He chips ahead, everyone missing it as the ball rolls towards the line. Of all people, prop Josh Wycherley has a chance to gather but he spills it over his own line, allowing Lucu to pounce for an opportunistic score.
Jalibert converts.
Bordeaux 15 Munster 3
13 mins: Munster have lost another lineout, this time Barron’s throw sails over everyone. Here come Bordeaux, Jalibert and Moefana looking dangerous on transition...
11 mins: Hodnett thinks he’s come up with a breakdown poach but he was off his feet according to the officials.
Meanwhile Bordeaux tighthead Tameifuna has gone down clutching his head. It was after a collision with Jean Kleyn and the TMO wants a second look.
No penalty. Jean Kleyn was so low that his shoulder blade, as opposed to his actual shoulder, made contact with Tameifuna’s head. He’s low, bent at the hips and no degree of danger. Good refereeing.
However, there was the earlier penalty for Hodnett playing it off his feet. Jalibert kicks three off the tee.
Bordeaux 8 Munster 3
10 mins: No mistake from straight in front from Crowley. Munster instantly undo some of the damage from the Penaud score.
Bordeaux 5 Munster 3
8 mins: Unusually against French sides, Munster continue to have an early scrum dominance. They get a penalty but also earn an offside decision when playing under advantage. They take the latter, right in front of the posts, as Crowley calls for the tee.
8 mins: A try followed by a botched exit, the classic coach killer. Bordeaux spill the restart and Munster want an offside penalty. They only get a scrum, albeit inside the 22.
Try Damian Penaud
6 mins: There’s that Bordeaux threat. It’s a simple yet effective and ultimately beautiful backline move. Lucu runs down the blindside - without the ball - off the scrum to distract the Munster backrow. Samu picks off the base and feeds the backline. Moefana’s ball out the back narrows the defence, leaving space for Jalibert to kick in behind. Penaud has too much pace and coasts to the bouncing ball in the corner.
Jalibert misses the wide conversion.
Bordeaux 5 Munster 0
5 mins: Now Munster look to play from deep but Crowley throws a forward pass. He was looking to throw a long ball to find Beirne in space but play is brought back. Bordeaux scrum close to the Munster 22.
4 mins: Ominous signs this time from the Bordeaux attack. O’Mahony spills a lineout and UBB look to go from deep, Moefana throwing an offload. Crowley just about gets back to prevent van Jensburg from breaking before Bordeaux kick behind. Nash deals with the threat and clears.
3 mins: Wow. The Munster scrum gets an early shove and Lucu needs to play it quickly to avoid giving away a penalty. His rushed clearance finds touch but not far outside the 22.
2 mins: Munster look lively early. Nankivell’s pass takes out multiple defenders and Coombes is away down the flank. He finds Farrell who steps bak inside into the 22. He offloads to Smith metres from the line but a stray Bordeaux hand forces the ball loose in contact. Early chance goes begging.
1 min: We’re underway in Bordeaux! Crowley kicks off into the 22 where Lucu gathers and clears. Abrahams keeps it in play and Munster go on an early attack.
It’s a beautiful old ground in Bordeaux, it has the biggest attendance in the Top 14 to boot. It’s rocking and here come the players.
Worth noting that today Munster are not in their European strip. They line out in their traditional red home kit, as opposed to the lighter red/pink Champions Cup jersey.
Some more critical reading ahead of kick-off. Tom Farrell, starting at 13 today for Munster, has arguably been the signing of the season in Irish rugby.
Released from Connacht at the end of his contract last year, Munster snapped him up with little fanfare. He’s been one of their players of the year to date. He’s had 10 try involvements (tries or assists) so far this season, the most of anyone at the province.
Gerry Thornley spoke exclusively to the Munster centre.
[ Pound for pound, Tom Farrell is arguably the signing of the season Opens in new window ]
Quite a significant milestone for Stephen Archer today as he becomes the first man to notch 300 appearances for Munster. A bit like Cian Healy with Leinster/Ireland, part of the reason he’s got this far is because of a nationwide inability to develop props, but that takes nothing away from Archer’s staggering longevity in a brutal position.
There’s been a bit of weather in Bordeaux today. Not sure who that suits. In theory, wet conditions could shackle the French side’s backline but Munster also like to have a crack with ball in hand.
In any case, it looks like things should clear up in advance of kick-off.
If listening, as opposed to reading, is your thing, we caught up with McNamara on his Bordeaux sojourn last year on The Counter Ruck podcast. He gave some good detail on working with some of the French backs who eviscerated Ireland in the Six Nations: Maxime Lucu, Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle Biarrey et al.
Noel McNamara - The Irishman working with France's best backline
With no Carbery in the Bordeaux line-up today, that leaves Noel McNamara flying the Irish flag for the French outfit. He of course led the Ireland U20s once upon a time, while he also coached Clongowes and the Leinster academy.
Gerry Thornley caught up with the Clare native, now in charge of the French side’s attack, in advance of today’s clash.
[ Home thoughts from abroad as Bordeaux coach Noel McNamara awaits MunsterOpens in new window ]
The hosts line-up as follows. No Joey Carbery in the 23 despite an impressive performance against Ulster last time out. Suggestions of an injury are afoot. Matthieu Jalibert comes back in to start at 10. Louis Bielle-Biarrey, recently crowned player of the Six Nations, also starts having been rested last week.
Bordeaux: Jon Echegaray; Damian Penaud, Yoram Moefana, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Matthieu Jalibert, Maxime Lucu; Jefferson Poirot, Maxime Lamothe, Ben Tameifuna; Adam Coleman, Cyril Cazeaux; Mahamadou Diaby, Guido Petti, Pete Samu.
Replacements: Connor Sa, Matis Perchaud, Sipili Falatea, Pierre Bochaton, Marko Gazzotti, Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer, Yann Lesgourgues, Pablo Uberti.
We start with the team news. The main news is that Alex Nankivell can play after having his ban for what was seen at the time as a dangerous clearout vs Connacht overturned. He starts at 12 as Sean O’Brien drops to the bench.
There’s one other change to the XV which beat La Rochelle. Props Josh Wycherley and Jeremy Loughman trade places, the former starting while the latter is on the bench.
Jack Crowley and Craig Casey once again continue their halfback partnership, with Andrew Smith, Calvin Nash and Thaakir Abrahams making up the backthree.
Diarmuid Barron and Oli Jager join Wycherley in the frontrow, Jean Kleyn and Tadhg Beirne are in the engine room behind them. Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett and Gavin Coombes form the backrow.
It’s a six-two split on the bench with Conor Murray and O’Brien the only backline replacements.
Good afternoon all and welcome to more live Champions Cup action. Munster are on their travels in France once again, looking to back up their win in La Rochelle with another strong performance in Bordeaux.
After hammering Glasgow on Friday night, Leinster are already in the semi-finals. Can their provincial rivals join them?
We’ll find out later with the game kicking off at 3pm.
