Munster qualified for knock-out stages at the expense of Leinster after a demolition of Racing Metro at Thomond Park today, with with Leicester sending Toulouse packing in the Heineken Cup.
By Declan Whooley
Needing a bonus-point victory to have any chance of qualification, Rob Penney’s men duly delivered on a scoreline of 29-6 and Leicester’s hardfought 9-5 win over Toulouse ended the hopes of the French giants.
The task was aided early on by referee Wayne Barnes who red-carded Antoine Batut for a knee on Tommy O’Donnell. It may not have been the most malicious moment we have ever witnessed, but it was foolish in the extreme for the Metro forward.
After Barnes recovered from a ball to the face from Ian Keatley, Munster too found composure with Conor Murray driving over the line to get Munster on the scoreboard. Tries from Simon Zebo and Mike Sherry saw Munster lead 17-6 at half-time.
Man of the match Zebo then added two more early in the second half, the first a brilliant solo effort and the second a clever finish just 15 minutes into the second half. A miserable day for the French team saw them finish the game with 13 men after a late yellow card, though Paddy Butler too saw the sin-bin in injury time.
But it mattered little as another European chapter was written into the history book at Thomond Park as the reigning champions Leinster bow out after a remarkable recent run of success in the competition. They will now face Wasps away in the Amlin Challenge Cup. Should they prevail they will face the inners of Gloucester/Biarritz at home, with the final at the RDS.
Munster will travel to Harlequins in the quarter-finals where they would hope to seek revenge for their defeat at home to the same opposition in the Amlin Challenge Cup two years ago. Ulster will also travel to London to take on Saracens who topped Munster’s group with a 40-7 win over the hapless Edinburgh.
Quarter-final fixtures: (Weekend of April 5/6/7)
Harlequins v Munster
Clermont Auvergne v Montpellier
Toulon v Leicester
Saracens v Ulster
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