Munster make the biggest move on mixed weekend for provinces

The four provinces emerged with a mixed bag from Saturday’s historic quadruple of Gallic-Irish fixtures, and also with varying outlooks heading into next weekend’s final round of Champions Cup pool games.

While Leinster have secured their place in the Round of 16 along with Toulouse, Lyon, Harlequins, Northampton, Exeter and Bordeaux-Begles, and are hunting down another potential home route to another final, Munster have all but secured their place in the Round of 16 as well.

By contrast, Ulster are clinging on but vulnerable, while Connacht are in all likelihood restricted to a shot at the Challenge Cup when Pat Lam returns to the Sportsground with Bristol next Friday.

On balance, the standout result, and one which defied the odds, was Munster’s daring 29-18 win over Toulon in the Stade Felix Mayol, which all but assured them of a place in the knock-out stages for the 22nd time in the last 26 seasons.

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Munster even have an outside chance of securing a home tie in the Round of 16, but they would need a bonus-point win over Northampton in Thomond Park next Saturday (5.30) and then hope that Exeter earn no match points from their tie in Bayonne on Sunday evening.

[ Ulster count cost of heavy Toulouse defeat ahead of trip to Harlequins ]

Either way, Munster’s position looks altogether healthier than it did going into Saturday’s game, or when they trailed 10-0 after 24 minutes. At that point, Munster had again perhaps played too much rugby, but their approach was ultimately rewarded, and they are not for turning now.

“We won a trophy last season doing it, keeping the ball on the field, sticking in there, firing shots, not kicking the ball off the field, sticking to our plan,” said head coach Graham Rowntree.

“No, we learned a lot in those games, particularly the Connacht game. We had a young 10 [Tony Butler] on the field and learned about game management. They were just messy games where we couldn’t get our game on top of teams. Today we could. We had good weather. We’re a possession team, and move teams around, find space, and we showed that tonight.”

Last Saturday’s quartet of staggered games came three weeks before the next instalment in the France-Ireland rivalry when they meet on Six Nations’ opening night on Friday, February 2nd, and with that in mind, one ventures that of all the players Andy Farrell wanted to see on a winning side, the first would have been Jack Crowley.

[ Graham Rowntree ‘immensely proud of the lads’ as Munster stick to the plan in Toulon ]

Although Leo Cullen played down the back injury Ciaran Frawley sustained in Leinster’s 43-7 win over Stade Francais, Crowley’s health and well-being has assumed even greater importance following the injuries to Ross and Harry Byrne at the beginning of this post-Sexton era.

Along with Crowley and Frawley, there could be room for one of the forgotten men in Ireland’s Six Nations squad when it is announced next Wednesday, ie Joey Carbery (who has agreed a two-year deal with Bordeaux-Begles), Jack Carty or Billy Burns, or even JJ Hanrahan or Sam Prendergast.

Although Crowley made errors, his chip and kick pass created tries for Simon Zebo and Tom Ahern, and he pulled the strings as Munster maintained their inventive attacking shape for much of the game. He also landed four from five and marked his 24th birthday with a Man of the Match award.

“He’s certainly maturing,” said Rowntree. “He’s not the finished article, he knows that. But he’s so important for the group. He drives us on, another one who leads by his actions more than what he says. I thought he was quite composed tonight, not perfect, and he’d agree with that.

“But I’m delighted for him that he’s come through a big game like that. For his confidence that would be very important, whatever happens with him in Ireland in the next couple of weeks. He’ll be one of the first ones on Monday saying we’ve got to drive standards again for this week. We’re going to drive on for Northampton.”

[ Jack Crowley leads Munster to famous Champions Cup win in Toulon ]

Leinster will travel to Leicester for a third meeting in successive seasons against Cullen’s familiar former club and old foes seeking a fourth win out of four, and a top two seeding behind Toulouse going into the knock-out stages.

This follows La Rochelle’s 45-12 bonus point win over Leicester yesterday, which also leaves Ronan O’Gara’s back-to-back champions facing a shoot-out away to Sale Sharks for a place in the Round of 16, albeit a win could yet see them earn a home Last-16 tie should Leinster beat Leicester and the Stormers lose away to Stade Francais.

However Jonathan Danty appeared to suffer a concussion and also with the Six Nations’ opener in mind, Pierre Bourgarit seemed to suffer what looked like a serious arm injury. O’Gara said after the game that he was likely to be out for three or four months.

“You have seen it over the years, definitely, there is advantages to being at home for knockout games,” admitted Cullen. “It’s not the be all and end all, as we know, but there is definitely some advantages to it for sure. And that’s the bit about us putting in a big week now.”

[ Leinster run in seven tries as Stade Francais put to the sword at the Aviva ]

Despite a decidedly chastening and deflating 48-24 defeat by Toulouse on Saturday night at the Kingspan Stadium, Ulster remain in the fourth and last qualifying spot from Pool B after Racing relinquished a 22-8 lead in their 29-25 loss to Bath yesterday.

However, in all probability, Dan McFarland’s side need to beat Harlequins next Saturday at the Stoop (kick-off 1pm) if not to be overtaken by Racing when they host Cardiff immediately afterwards.

As for Connacht, in the heel of the hunt and in all probability, after letting slip even a bonus point in their 34-20 loss in Lyon they will need to beat Bristol with a bonus point at the Sportsground next Friday (8pm) to earn a place in the Challenge Cup.