Similar to last season’s Champions Cup opener in Castres, it was honours even between Munster and Exeter Chiefs at the end of a hugely physical and absorbing battle at Sandy Park this afternoon.
Conditions played a huge part with a strong gale blowing for the 80 minutes. The hosts held the advantage in the first half and led 10-3 at the break with hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie scoring the only try and Dungannon man Gareth Steeson kicking a penalty and conversion.
Munster’s return came from the boot of Joey Carbery, while the closing 40 minutes saw the province dominate possession and level matters with CJ Stander’s 63rd-minute try. Centre Dan Goggin made his Champions Cup debut, while fit-again scrum half Neil Cronin did likewise off the bench.
It was also a first European outing in Munster red for Carbery, full-back Mike Haley and lock Tadhg Beirne, whose tireless efforts at the breakdown, in the lineout and around the pitch saw him deservedly pick up the man-of-the-match award.
Munster head coach Johann van Graan was forced into a last-minute change before kick-off as experienced winger Keith Earls reported a tight hamstring during the warm-up and Darren Sweetnam came straight into the starting XV to take his place on the left wing.
It was a tightly-contested opening 20 minutes with both sides getting to grips with the blustery gale, making life difficult for each other in possession. Captain Peter O’Mahony and Beirne shone brightest for Munster early on, but it was wind-assisted Exeter who put the first points on the board when Steenson knocked over a simple 18th-minute penalty from straight in front.
Five minutes later some clever link-up play between Goggin and Sweetnam, down the left wing, brought Munster right up to the Exeter 22, and after a series of phases, Exeter eventually fell to the pressure. They coughed up a penalty just in front of the posts and out-half Carbery made no mistake to leave it at three points apiece.
Exeter’s reply was excellent, though, as they began to dominate possession. As half-time approached, their forward power saw Cowan-Dickie bundle his way over the Munster line to give Chiefs a seven-point buffer to take into the second period.
The arm-wrestle continued on the restart with neither side able to score for 20 minutes, although Munster did have a Chris Cloete try ruled out. Beirne forced a penalty at the breakdown and their maul did likewise, before a close-in lineout drive saw Cloete peel away to crash over the line. However, referee Jerome Garces pinged the otherwise-razor sharp Niall Scannell and Beirne for obstruction.
On the hour mark, Exeter blazed downfield and looked certain to score only for some great determination and bravery from Duncan Williams. The Cork-born scrum half showed all of his commitment to dart back downfield and not make one, but two, strong tackles, ultimately forcing Rob Baxter’s men to knock on inside the Munster 22.
It was a huge moment in the game, the vocal travelling support responded, and just minutes later Munster were down the other end with Williams dictating the tempo deep inside Exeter territory. Tommy O’Donnell showed his worth from the bench with a storming carry bringing Munster within inches of the whitewash, and with the reds sniffing blood, Stander barged over for his eighth try for the province.
Ten points apiece following Carbery’s coolly-struck conversion, and with 15 minutes left on the clock, this one looked poised for a grandstand finish. With just a minute remaining that is exactly what we got. Carbery, whose kicking out of hand had been impressive, erred when the wind carried his clearance over the end line, bringing play back for an Exeter scrum.
The pressure was on as Munster were forced to defend en masse with the clock going into red, but the visitors showed immaculate discipline and true desire – through 22 phases – to force a knock-on from the Gallagher Premiership leaders and secure a valuable two points on the road.
On the injury front ahead of Gloucester’s visit to Thomond Park next Saturday, Sam Arnold will be assessed for a bang to his throat. He had to be replaced by JJ Hanrahan just eight minutes after entering the fray with an hour elapsed. Prop John Ryan will be monitored for an ankle roll, along with Earls (tight hamstring).
Giving his post-match assessment, Munster skipper O’Mahony said: “We came here to win the game, every game you come to win. But you take the factors in, they’re one of the best teams in England, if not Europe, their home record speaks for itself – how difficult it is to come here and get a win, even how difficult it is to come here and get a performance.
“They’re a hugely oppressive side, their ability to hold the ball is very impressive and as a result of that, I have to say we’ll take a draw. I was very proud of the lads, it was a difficult game. The conditions were difficult to play the game and I thought the lads were very good.”
Speaking about that late defensive stand, he added: “It speaks volumes. That’s their game, the pressure they put on and they play with. We knew that discipline was a big factor and apart from me, we were very good discipline-wise.
“Twenty two phases, under your sticks, to have the discipline there to hold them out when it is what they do, you know? You watch them week in, week out in the Premiership and when they get within sight of the line they are so clinical, so oppressive. It speaks volumes for the lads’ character.”
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