Munster Moments #5

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Perpignan vs Munster

Stade Amie Giral

Saturday December 14th 2013

Heineken Cup

The Team

Munster: Felix Jones (Denis Hurley 71); Keith Earls (JJ Hanrahan 78), Casey Laulala, James Downey, Johne Murphy; Ian Keatley, Cathal Sheridan; James Cronin (Dave Kilcoyne 61), Damien Varley, BJ Botha (Stephen Archer 72); Donnacha Ryan (Donncha O'Callaghan 52), Paul O'Connell; Peter O'Mahony Capt., Sean Dougall (Tommy O'Donnell 61), James Coughlan Replacements: Duncan Casey, Dave Kilcoyne, Stephen Archer, Donncha O'Callaghan, Tommy O'Donnell, Duncan Williams, JJ Hanrahan, Denis Hurley

Setting the scene

Its round four of the 13/14 Heineken Cup and Munster have traveled to the south of France for the return leg against Perpignan. Munster had lost their opening pool game away to Edinburgh but had beaten both Gloucester and Perpignan in Thomond to keep themselves in the hunt for knockout rugby.

It was vital that Munster took something out of this as they still faced a tough away game in front of the Shed in January and three away losses was likely to mean their campaign would be over at the end of the pool stages.

The Game

This was a close game, with Munster and Perpignan trading scores and misses throughout. Keatley and Tommy Allen traded early penalties and Munster had a Sean Dougal try ruled out for obstruction. There was a bit of niggle throughout the game with Peter O'Mahony and Perpignan hooker Terrain seeing yellow for scuffles in the first half.

Munster's scrum forced a penalty try early in the second half to retake a slim one point lead. Keatley and Allen again traded penalties and Munster maintained their lead going into the final minutes........

The Moment

The clock passes 76 minutes and Perignan have a scrum just inside the Munster half on the right side of the pitch. They move the ball through the hands across the backline and their full back draws two Munster defenders before releasing substitute Benvenuti to run in unopposed in the left corner. Allen misses the conversion but it looks like the game is over and Munster will struggle to get of the pool.

JJ Hanrahan is introduced in the 79th minute as a substitute for Keith Earls. The clock ticks past 80 minutes and Munster have a ruck inside their own half just outside their 10 metre line in the middle of the pitch. Sheridan spins the ball to the left to Keatley. A Perpignan defender shoots out of the line forcing Keatley to go back to his right.

Keatley gives a 10 metre pass to Coughlan who spins it wide to Murphy who lays it off to Hanrahan inside the tram lines. Hanrahan carries the ball to the half way line before offloading to Denis Hurley who runs a hard line on his shoulder.

Hurley is less than 2 metres from the touchline running hard and straight with 2 Perpignan tacklers closing him down. Some how he slips the ball one handed out the back to Tommy O'Donnell who is mere centimetres from the touchline. O'Donnell stands strong and bumps two defenders before offloading to Hanrahan who has continued his support run.

Hanrahan is now left one on one with the Perpignan full back just outside the 22. Just as he approaches the full back, JJ plants his left foot and steps to his right. The full back is left rolling onto his arse, as JJ glides by. JJ runs unopposed into the corner to dot the ball down and win the match with the last play of the game.