Toulouse hold on against Munster
REPORT: Stade Toulousain showcased their European quality with a combative 18-13 victory over Munster in their Round One Champions Cup encounter at Thomond Park on Sunday.
Toulouse was physical throughout, with the five-time champions’ maul particularly impressive as Matthis Lebel and Lucas Tauzin crossed for tries, Thomas Ramos adding eight points from the tee.
Munster enjoyed a fast start and Joey Carbery had a prosperous game, dotting down for a try and kicking eight points.
In thick fog, Munster looked strong early on and commanded the opening exchanges as they built a number of phases in the Toulouse half.
Flyhalf Carbery saw an early penalty attempt cannon back off the post but was on hand to open the scoring on nine minutes as he dived over the whitewash from close range.
His conversion moved Munster seven points clear, but Toulouse drew level on 22 minutes as they came away from their first visit to the hosts’ 22 with a try.
The TOP 14 leaders set up a driving maul before shifting the ball wide to wing Lebel, who finished superbly in the corner in a ruthless demonstration of their quality.
Fullback Ramos added the extras before slotting a penalty to give the visitors the lead, but Munster continued to enjoy more of the ball and a Carbery three-pointer saw them go into the break level.
But there was a nightmare start to the second half for the Irish province as another Toulouse maul laid the foundations and replacement wing Tauzin crossed out wide.
And the away side was commanding throughout the second half, restricting Munster to few attacking opportunities and increasing their lead through a Ramos penalty on 71 minutes.
There was brief hope late on for Munster as Carbery nudged his second three-pointer of the game moments before Toulouse scrumhalf Antoine Dupont was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on, but their experienced opponents saw the game out and held on for an important win.
Both teams’ Round Two games are next Sunday – with Munster travelling to Northampton Saints and Toulouse hosting Sale Sharks.
The scorers
For Munster
Try: Carbery
Con: Carbery
Pens: Carbery 2
For Stade Toulousain
Tries: Lebel, Tauzin
Con: Ramos
Pens: Ramos 2
Yellow card: Antoine Dupont (Stade Toulousain, 76 – cynical foul, deliberate knock-on)
Teams:
Munster: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Calvin Nash, 13 Antoine Frisch, 12 Rory Scannell, 11 Shane Daly, 10 Joey Carbery, 9 Craig Casey, 8 Gavin Coombes, 7 John Hodnett, 6 Peter O’Mahony (captain), 5 Tadhg Beirne, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 John Ryan, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 Jeremy Loughman.
Replacements: 16 Diarmuid Barron, 17 Josh Wycherley, 18 Roman Salanoa, 19 Jack O’Donoghue, 20 Alex Kendellen, 21 Paddy Patterson, 22 Jack Crowley, 23 Keith Earls.
Toulouse: 15 Thomas Ramos, 14 Ange Capuozzo, 13 Dimitri Delibes, 12 Pita Ahki, 11 Matthis Lebel, 10 Romain Ntamack, 9 Antoine Dupont (captain), 8 Alexandre Roumat, 7 Alban Placines, 6 Anthony Jelonch, 5 Emmanuel Meafou, 4 Richie Arnold, 3 Dorian Aldegheri, 2 Julien Marchand, 1 Rodrigue Neti.
Replacements: 16 Peato Mauvaka, 17 Cyril Baille, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Thibaud Flament, 20 Yannick Youyoutte, 21 Jack Willis, 22 Martin Page Relo, 23 Lucas Tauzin.
Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)
Assistant referees: Greg MacDonald (England), James Clarke (England)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)
Source: @ChampionsCup
