Munster19 Montauban 17:THE EUROSCEPTICS beating the Kings of Europe wasn't exactly the script that had been envisaged. Less than three minutes were on the clock and, incredibly, Montauban - the debutants with the supposedly dilettante attitude to the Heineken Cup - were leading the two-time and reigning champions 17-16 in their revamped fortress.

What's more, they were running down the clock as Munster had done in last season's final. The biter was being bit, and Thomond Park were in shock at the prospect of what would have been the tournament's biggest upset in 14 years.

But Montauban's attempts to pick and go around the fringes came unstuck when referee Wayne Barnes adjudged the Montauban hooker Brice Mach had gone off his feet to protect the ball.

Right enough, he was laid out on the turf and a crowd that for much of the night had probably cursed an English referee's typically strict interpretation of the IRB diktat regarding ruckers staying on their feet heaved a collective sigh of relief.

Ronan O'Gara kept his head, as he does so many times with the pressure kick, and Munster saw out the last minute on the Montauban line. Phew!

The French outfit played with considerably more pride and stomach than had been expected, and marshalled from the base by the excellent Petre Mitu, had realigned themselves well and were fully committed to the tackle.

But that Munster had managed to leave themselves in such a hole was, it has to be said, largely of their own making.

The foundations were there for a much more convincing statement to the watching Europe.

John Hayes was a force of nature early on with his muscular presence close in. Paul O'Connell was his pumped-up self. Jerry Flannery and Marcus Horan were everywhere.

But for all the possession, there was profligacy as Munster continued on their merry way of high-risk, high-tempo rugby with ne'er a hint of patience.

It was certainly exciting and daring, but it lacked structure and was littered with handling errors - eight in the first half-hour, all of them by Munster as they forced passes and offloads, and played from their own half and deep behind the gain line.

Nearly everything went through the backs, and Lifeimi Mafi always looked capable of creating space for those around him with his dancing footwork and offloads.

But - with their occasional attempts at mauls being illegally brought down from below the waist - few hard yards were made by the big target men. Montauban could probably not believe what they were seeing.

Vast acres of territory in behind the Montauban line were also overlooked as Munster made little use of Ronan O'Gara's kicking game.

They attempted to draw in the reins at half-time, cutting down on the offloads and instead recycling the ball with intense rucking.

But having looked as if they might put the French side away, they were punished for not having done so earlier when again ignoring huge gaps for a kick from inside their own half when Alan Quinlan threw out a risky pass for Justin Melck and the ensuing turnover try put Montauban in front nearing the hour.

Cue a fraught last quarter, and while Munster's relief was palpable it could also be a blessed reality check as well as a reminder not to ignore their traditional strengths.

Thomond Park looked magnificent after its facelift and the champions of Europe now have a home as befits their status as one of the leading names in global rugby.

Alas, the many empty seats were evidence of the chaos on the narrow arteries leading toward Thomond, never mind the usual Friday evening rush in the rain, with reports of four-hour drives from Cork by some supporters.

It didn't help that, apparently, one of the turnstiles broke down.

Teething problems like this had better not be repeated.

Not only in its surrounds but in what unfolded then, this was an unfamiliar break with tradition.

Despite the teeming rain which greeted the players on arrival and had persisted for much of the day, Munster quickly set about playing their running game regardless.

But they forced everything as if they were losing in the last quarter rather than setting off in the first quarter in what was undoubtedly a case of too much, too soon.

Despite Mitu opening the scoring, Munster carried on counterattacking and taking quick taps and they were not helped by the stickler Barnes adjudging one flat offload by Keith Earls to release Quinlan as being a fraction forward amid the surfeit of penalties.

Mafi did put Earls away from inside half-way but having beaten the fullback, he was caught by centre Jean-Philippe Viard.

You knew there was something amiss when Flannery was taking a quick tap just outside the Munster 22. Later, when Earls was driven on in the tackle, Munster began mauling forward but O'Connell and others looked on as Montauban checked it and wrestled a turnover. Very strange.

O'Gara levelled though and as Rua Tipoki gave up on his attempt to return from a blood injury, his replacement Barry Murphy scored the breakthrough try.

Munster having opted for a lineout in the corner, which led only to quick ball for O'Gara to run into contact, credit in spades goes to Horan for pumping his legs and to Murphy for stepping inside the last two defenders after being released by Doug Howlett.

There was clearly reassessment at half-time and an immediate change of approach, though only after Mitu had landed the second of two penalty attempts to make it 10-6, as Munster went through 13 phases for O'Gara to make it 13-6.

But supposed blocking by Quinlan turned a break-out by Earls into another Mitu penalty and then Quinlan's risky intended pass to Melck cannoned off Rida Jahouer for Sylvain Jonnet to kick on and score.

Now things were insane. Mitu missed his conversion attempt but regained the lead after another O'Gara penalty when Barnes seemed to indicate the Munster backrow had broken their bind.

Enter Barnes one more time and OGara to the rescue, but given the chance to play this one all over again, Munster would undoubtedly do it differently.

SCORING SEQUENCE:9 mins: Mitu pen 0-3; 32: O'Gara pen 3-3; 38: Murphy try, O'Gara con 10-3 (half-time 10-3); 47: Mitu pen 10-6; 53: O'Gara pen 13-6; 56: Mitu pen 13-9; 57: Jonnet try 13-14; 65: O'Gara pen 16-14; 76: Mitu pen 16-17; 78: O'Gara pen 19-17.

MUNSTER:K Earls; D Howlett, R Tipoki, L Mafi, I Dowling; R O'Gara, P Stringer; M Horan, J Flannery, J Hayes; P O'Connell (capt), D O'Callaghan; A Quinlan, D Wallace, J Melck. Replacements: B Murphy for Tipoki (25-34 and 35 mins), P Warwick for Dowling (54 mins), D Ryan for Quinlan (60 mins), F Pucciariello for Hayes (66 mins), J O'Sullivan for Melck (70 mins). Not used: D Fogarty, M Prendergast.

MONTAUBAN:J Dalla Riva; S Jonnet, J Viard, R Jahouer, J Cassin; R Lespinas, P Mitu; B Balan, B Mach, N Adams; S Murray, R Frost; Y Caballero, M Raynaud (capt), M Clarkin. Replacements: K Ghezal for Frost (66 mins), L DelBoulbes for Balan (67 mins), S Florea for Adams (71 mins), J Laharrague for Jonnet (73 mins). Not used: C Traversa, A Battut, F Fortassin.

Referee:Wayne Barnes (England).