European Rugby Champions Cup: Clermont become first French team to beat Munster in Limerick
Last Updated: 07/12/14 6:50am
Clermont Auvergne made history on Saturday night as they became the first French team to beat Munster at Thomond Park, claiming a 16-9 European Rugby Champions Cup triumph.
Saturday nights in Limerick have produced European classics aplenty and the Thomond Park crowd were guaranteed a landmark ocassion one way or another.
Munster enterted Round Three of the competition knowing a win would see them become the first team to reach a century of European victories, while Clermont would be only the third side to beat Munster on home soil.
Tries from man of the match Fritz Lee and electrifying centre Wesley Fofana combined with six points from the boot of fly-half Camille Lopez were enough to see Clermont over the line, with Munster relying on Ian Keatley for their nine points.
With Saracens' victory over Aviva Premiership rivals Sale Sharks earlier in the day, Pool 1 - dubbed the 'Pool of Death' - has been blown wide open.
Victory sees Clermont top the group with 10 points but they hold just a single-point advantage over Saracens and Munster's two victories earlier in the campaign keep them in contention with eight points ahead of a repeat fixture list next weekend.
Clermont, viewed by many as one of the finest sides not have been crowned champions of Europe, displayed their intent from the off as Lee crashed across the whitewash within 90 seconds of the kick-off as the Top 14 heavyweights made a scintillating start.
It was a sixth meeting between the sides and the history of flared tempers quickly repeated itself. In the midst of some heated exchanges Ian Keatley got Munster on the scoreboard with his first penalty of the match.
Clermont continued to adopt their expansive style of play and when Lee offered a neat offload for livewire centre Fofana to race into the right corner, the visitors held a 10-3 advantage.
Thunderous
While the Vulcans’ backs were expressing themselves, Munster’s thunderous pack ensured the Irish province remained in touch by earning a penalty at the scrum, which Keatley subsequently converted into three points.
Having squandered his first three kicks on goal, Lopez managed to reset his radar to re-establish a seven-point lead for the visitors and so buoyed was he by his success, the France fly-half then landed a 45-metre drop goal as Clermont took a 16-6 advantage into the break.
After an exhilarating start to the first half, the second period took some time to get off the ground as the two packs grappled for ascendency.
Munster were determined to used their forward power to wrestle their way back into the game, but uncharacteristic mistakes – including a second knock-on from their own line-out – left head coach Anthony Foley dismayed in the stands.
However, Munster's persistence eventually paid dividends as they drew a penalty from the Clermont defence and Keatley brought the hosts within seven points with a quarter of the match to play.
Clermont continued to frustrate Munster and run the clock down, although there was a brief break in play and a scare for the Frenchmen after Irish full-back Felix Jones put in a phenomenal hit on his opposite number Nick Abendanon from a Conor Murray box-kick.
Spurred on by a partisan Thomond Park crowd, Munster refused to relent, but when Damien Chouly stole a line-out from Paul O'Connell in the dying seconds the game was put to bed and Clermont return to the Marcel Michelin for a rematch with the Irish giants next weekend having claimed a piece of European rugby history.
