Munster were left to rue an error-strewn performance as they allowed Saracens to march past them in a one-sided European Champions Cup clash at Allianz Park.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: SARACENS 33 MUNSTER 10
Saracens found points easy to come by in a fast-paced first half, with Chris Wyles finishing off a simple overlap for the opening try and it was his inviting kick that played in fellow winger Chris Ashton for the second.
Munster played well in patches but the injury-enforced departure of CJ Stander, coupled with some costless penalties (Owen Farrell landed his third successful penalty on the stroke of half-time), left the province 23-3 behind at the break.
Uncharacteristic mistakes from Paul O’Connell and Duncan Williams dented Munster’s hopes of mounting a comeback, as they failed to capitalise on a surging Simon Zebo run just moments after the restart.
Sarries widened the margin to 23 points with a Farrell penalty and while Munster lost prop James Cronin to the sin-bin, they did draw encouragement from a brilliant Peter O’Mahony charge and subsequent try from Denis Hurley.
Ian Keatley converted the 69th minute score, but it was Mark McCall’s men who had the final say. Inspired by man-of-the-match Billy Vunipola, they nabbed a third and final try when the overworked Munster defence allowed Ashton to slip through on the right and complete his brace.
Farrell converted to top off his handsome 18-point haul and confirm Munster’s early exit from the Champions Cup – it is only the second time in 17 seasons that the province have not reached the last-eight in Europe. 2011 was the last time.
The early action was confined to the far left touchline, Dave Foley nicking a Saracens lineout before Williams, making his first European start, sent up a number of box kicks.
One of the Munster scrum half’s efforts was blocked down by Jim Hamilton, but Saracens captain Alistair Hargreaves was hauled down short of the try-line and the visitors scrambled to win a ruck penalty.
Williams then took the wrong option when trying to run back an Ashton kick, the ensuing pressure yielding a penalty which Farrell converted from the right for an eighth minute lead.
Andrew Conway exploited some space on the right, with Keatley also probing with the boot as Munster enjoyed a spell in the Sarries’ half. However, the home side carried more of a threat with ball in hand as they benefited from a solid scrum platform.
They used set piece ball to carve open the Munster defence entering the second quarter. After good recycling, Billy Vunipola was used cleverly as a decoy runner and Wyles – a late call-up for David Strettle – converted a two-on-one overlap in the left corner.
Farrell’s conversion opened up a 10-point cushion and Munster suffered a double setback when Stander’s bandaged left ankle forced him off and Farrell followed up with another three-pointer.
Keatley responded with a well-struck penalty but Munster played into Saracens’ hands again when coughing up a penalty near halfway. McCall’s charges took it quickly, working the ball wide to Wyles and his lovely left-footed dink back inside saw the onrushing Ashton touch down to the left of the posts.
It was another simple but very effective try from Saracens, with the extras swiftly added by Farrell. The England out-half tagged on another penalty with the last kick of the half.
A sparkling break from Zebo ignited the Munster attack on the resumption, but Mako Vunipola won a penalty at the breakdown and his younger brother Billy soon increased his influence as a ball carrier.
The mistakes continued to come from Munster, with Duncan Casey throwing a loose lineout five metres from his own line and penalties followed at ruck and scrum time. Loosehead Cronin collapsed a 57th minute scrum and Farrell duly took the three points on offer.
Felix Jones saved a certain try as Sarries pressed out wide as Munster, who brought on the fit-again Keith Earls, defended defiantly despite a backpedalling scrum.
Farrell missed a penalty attempt but Munster were now pinned back in their own 22, the spiralling amount of penalties leading to Cronin being sin-binned with 15 minutes left.
Anthony Foley’s side lifted their game while down to 14 men with Zebo offloading for Williams to draw a relieving penalty. O’Mahony then prized open a gap in the Saracens midfield and after a couple of darts at the try-line, a Williams pass put centre Hurley past Farrell to score just beside the posts.
Keatley converted to take Munster into double figures, however bonus point-hunting Saracens made sure they ended this round 5 match on the attack. They succeeded in adding one more try, as numbers on the right saw Ashton step inside Zebo who had to hobble off with a foot injury.
Giving his reaction after the game, Munster boss Anthony Foley said: “We’ve got Sale next week at Thomond Park and it is important we put this defeat to bed in the week and turn up in front of our home fans and give them a performance that everyone can buy into.
“We weren’t allowed to play our usual game. Saracens came out and dominated the big areas – ball carrying, the ruck area and the scrums. We made a lot of errors, especially in our passing, and from that they got big moments in the game.
“Their tries came from mistakes, which is frustrating and hard to take. It kept us out of the game and we struggled to get momentum. We just had to dig in at the end there to make sure we didn’t concede a fourth try.
“Injuries happen, but we don’t delve into them as excuses. Saracens outplayed us today and we need to look at ourselves and see how we go forward and learn from this.”
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