Saints march into Euro quarters, where the Bulls await
MATCH REPORT: Replacement George Hendy scored two second-half tries as Northampton Saints booked their place in the Champions Cup quarterfinals.
After a competitive first half, which saw the teams level at 14-all, the Saints edged ahead for a 24-14 win.
Hendy, who took to the field on the hour mark, scored with his first touch of the ball and 10 minutes later bagged another.
As a result, the Saints will host the Bulls from South Africa at the same Franklin’s Gardens.
In a high-tempo first-half, the teams proved inseparable.
Both teams crossed twice, both via a wing and the fullback in what was a scintillating display in a knockout game.
For Northampton Saints, James Ramm and Tommy Freeman crossed either side of Munster’s scores from Sean O’Brien and Mike Haley.
Flyhalves Fin Smith and Jack Crowley both added two conversions to leave the score tied at 14-all after 40 minutes.
The second period started equally as back and forth, but both teams struggled to find a way through the others’ defence.
Eventually, the Saints’ superior depth and fitness began to show.
Munster had been forced into several late changes to the squad pre-match, with John Ryan, Shane Daly and RG Snyman all having to be pulled out.
Northampton Saints, meanwhile, only looked fresher as the game dragged on and their replacements entered the field.
One of those was Hendy, who grabbed his first try in the 61st minute, finishing off a fantastic coast-to-coast move by diving over in the corner.
Smith missed the conversion, and he soon shanked his first penalty attempt of the day wide too.
That left the visitors still alive heading into the final ten minutes, but for all their effort it was Northampton Saints who struck once more to kill the game off, McCarthy going over in the same corner as before.
The scorers
For Northampton Saints
Tries: Ramm, Freeman, Hendy 2
Cons: Smith 2
For Munster
Tries: O’Brien, Haley
Cons: Crowley 2
Teams
Northampton Saints: 15 James Ramm, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Fraser Dingwall, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Ollie Sleightholme, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Tom James, 8 Sam Graham, 7 Lewis Ludlam (captain), 6 Courtney Lawes, 5 Alex Coles, 4 Alex Moon, 3 Trevor Davison, 2 Curtis Langdon, 1 Emmanuel Iyogun.
Replacements: 16 Sam Matavesi, 17 Alex Waller, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Temo Mayanavanua, 20 Angus Scott-Young, 21 Juarno Augustus, 22 Alex Mitchell, 23 George Hendy.
Munster: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Simon Zebo, 13 Antoine Frisch, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Shane Daly, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Craig Casey, 8 Gavin Coombes, 7 John Hodnett, 6 Peter O’Mahony, 5 RG Snyman, 4 Tadhg Beirne (captain), 3 Stephen Archer, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 Jeremy Loughman.
Replacements: 16 Eoghan Clarke, 17 Josh Wycherley, 18 John Ryan, 19 Tom Ahern, 20 Alex Kendellen, 21 Conor Murray, 22 Joey Carbery, 23 Sean O’Brien.
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Jonny Perriam (Scotland), Dave Sutherland (Scotland)
TMO: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
* Additional reporting by @ChampionsCup
