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La campagne européenne s'achève tristement pour le Munster et les Sharks de Sale
Munster head coach Anthony Foley has demanded his players produce a performance “worthy” of the famous red jersey against Stade Francais.
For the first time in the 21 years of the European Cup, Munster head into their fifth pool game with little more than pride to play for.
That was after they slumped to a 27-7 loss in Paris last week, a record third successive defeat in a row in the pool stage.
It was a new low for the two-time European champions given they played 40 minutes at Stade Jean Bouin against 14 men. Now Foley is demanding answers from his team.
He said: “We’ve lost three in a row and are out of a competition that means a lot to this club. Now we just have to think about how we get better and produce a performance next week worthy of the jersey.
“Everyone has upped the ante in this competition and so have we but we haven’t got the results we wanted. There are have been key games that we lost. Last year it was at home to Clermont-Auvergne and this year was home to Leicester.
“But the inability to score points has really hampered us this season. It’s something we have been working on behind the scenes but haven’t seen on the pitch.
“Now we have to look for answers but answers that can be seen on the pitch. Right now, we’re not coming up with those.”
French champions Stade have never won at Thomond Park but are now the best placed runner up in all five pools as they looked to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup for the first time in six years.
Head coach Gonzalo Quesada said: “We you look at the table and the mathematics, then this game is a huge opportunity for the club.
“But we know the spirit of Munster and especially at Thomond Park. They have a passion for playing there that will be a huge motivation for them.
“I will warn my players to prepare with extra humility because of the level of commitment and fight Munster will show to defend their territory.”
Match Facts
- Munster’s defeat to Clermont in last year’s competition was the first time they had ever lost at home to French opposition in Europe (W23, L1).
- Conversely Stade have won just twice in nine visits to Ireland, beating Leinster in 1998 and Ulster in 2008.
- The Irish province have won both of their previous home games against Stade Francais, in 2000 and 2004.
- It’s over 10 years (2004/05) since Stade have won two away games in the pool stages of the Champions Cup.
Munster bounced back in fine style with a 26-13 bonus-point win over Stade Francaise which seriously dents the French side's hopes of advancing from Pool 4 in the European Rugby Champions Cup. - 16/01/2016 14:53
Munster bounced back in fine style with a 26-13 bonus-point win over Stade Francaise which seriously dents the French side’s hopes of advancing from Pool 4 in the European Rugby Champions Cup.
Munster had been humbled by 14-man Stade in Paris last weekend, but they gained revenge as Mike Sherry, Keith Earls, Simon Zebo and CJ Stander scored tries, with Ian Keatley adding three conversions.
Stade’s only try came from flanker Jono Ross, with Morne Steyn kicking the rest of their points and they will need to beat Leicester Tigers in their final fixture to have any hope of reaching the knock-out stage.
The hosts did not make the most promising of starts as they conceded a penalty inside the first 10 seconds which Steyn slotted to give the visitors the early advantage.
But Munster meant business with their defensive line speed harrying and hassling their opponents and forcing mistakes from Stade.
Sherry’s try gave them the lead when a superb driving line-out ripped its way through the Stade pack and rumbled over the line with little opposition.
Keatley missed the conversion and Steyn but the French side back ahead a few moments later when he added his second penalty.
But there was a growing momentum behind Munster and they struck crucial blows either side of the interval to put Stade firmly on the back foot.
Earls got the first of them, the Ireland wing looked up to find a huge dogleg in the defence and pinned his ears back to race home from halfway. Keatley converted to send the hosts into the changing rooms six points ahead.
Moments after the restart came another try, Keatley’s deft chip was seized upon by Zebo who ran in under the posts to give Keatley an easy conversion.
There seemed no way back for Stade and they could not capitalise when Munster lost Ronan O’Mahony to the sin bin after taking out Hugo Bonneval in the air.
Once he returned the French side gave themselves hope as a loose Munster line-out allowed flanker Ross to get over the line, with Steyn converting.
But Munster had the last word. Conor Murray took a quick tap penalty and the outstanding Stander slithered his way to the line for the bonus-point score.
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