IT DOESN’T GET any bigger than Munster vs Clermont at Thomond Park. Saracens won earlier in the day so anything less than a win for the men in red would probably end their interest in the tournament given where they have to travel to later in the pool. Can they get the job done yet again?
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Hello and welcome to TheScore.ie’s liveblog of Munster’s Champions Cup clash with Clermont. Who’s ready for some back-to-back action?
Here are the two teams. Munster look to have the edge up front but behind the scrum Clermont boast some very dangerous attacking threats.
Munster: 15 Felix Jones, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Pat Howard, 12 Denis Hurley, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Ian Keatley, 9 Conor Murray, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Tommy O’Donnell, 6 Peter O’Mahony (c), 5 Paul O’Connell, 4 Dave Foley, 3 BJ Botha, 2 Duncan Casey, 1 Dave Kilcoyne
Replacements: 16 Kevin O’Byrne, 17 James Cronin, 18 Stephen Archer, 19 Billy Holland, 20 Sean Dougall, 21 Duncan Williams, 22 JJ Hanrahan, 23 Johne Murphy
Clermont: 15 Nick Abendanon, 14 Noa Nakaitaci, 13 Aurélien Rougerie, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Napolioni Nalaga, 10 Camille Lopez, 9 Ludovic Radosavljevic, 8 Fritz Lee, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Damien Chouly (c), 5 Sébastien Vahaamahina, 4 Jamie Cudmore, 3 Clément Ric, 2 Benjamin Kayser, 1 Thomas Domingo
Replacements: 16 John Ulugia, 17 Vincent Debaty, 18 Davit Zirakashvili, 19 Julien Pierre, 20 Alexandre Lapandry, 21 Thierry Lacrampe, 22 Brock James, 23 Jonathan Davies
Saracens won in Sale earlier so this really is a must-win for Munster unless they want to go to London or Clermont knowing they have to win.
These two men will need to be on top form if Munster want to beat Clermont up front.
A few people have already mentioned Jamie Cudmore in the comments so I thought I’d leave this here….
Munster have played Clermont twice at Thomond Park in the European Cup – and have won both games.
The second game, the one with Cudmore vs O’Connell, was a cracker and also featured their underrated try-saving tackle from Tomas O’Leary.
The back row will be huge again for Munster today. The trio of O’Mahony, O’Donnell and Stander have been in sensational form in the Champions Cup so far. Stander’s carrying has given Munster lots of front foot ball and the entire pack were especially dominant against Saracens.
Reports of some rainy weather at Thomond Park. Probably suits Munster better.
Dave Foley hasn’t let his international stardom go to his head just yet.
One minute in and Sky have already referenced Munster’s 16th man. Expect other 571 mentions before the game is over. Minimum.
For the punters out there, Munster are four-point favourites.
Also, they are 1/2 to win, Clermont are 13/8 and the draw is 20/1.
Alan Quinlan talks about how the crowd love ‘Munster playing in these big Heineken Cu… eh, Champions Cup games’. Brilliant.
We are moments away from kick-off as the team make there way onto the field. Any last minute predictions?
Going through the teams on tv – my lord, if you combined Munster’s pack with Clermont’s backline you would beat anybody!
Camille Lopez gets us underway. Can Lopez bring a sense of calmness that Brock James often lacks?
Clermont win the kick-off and then Felix Jones carries a probing kick into touch and Clermont already have a 5m lineout. Great start by the visitors.
TRY! Munster 0-5 Clermont
Clermont set the maul and Fritz Lee touches down.
What a start by Clermont inside the first minute! All it took was three plays – win the kick-off, grubber in behind and then set the maul.
Lopez hits the post with the conversion.
It was Clermont scrum-half Ludovic Radosavljevic who dribbled the ball in behind to force Jones into touch.
Clermont turn Munster over on the halfway line and are trying to launch another attack.
Noa Nakaitaci won the kick-off and he has just claimed another high ball over Simon Zebo. However, Clermont knock on and Munster have a scrum on the right wing on halfway.
Wayne Barnes penalises the Munster scrum and Lopez is going for the sticks.
Is Camille Lopez just Brock James in disguise? The French out-half pulls his kick badly wide.
Munster seem to be playing a similar game plan to Ireland thus far. Murray has been using the boot frequently and to good effect. Lopez spills a high ball into touch and Munster have a lineout in the Clermont 22.
But Duncan Casey overthrows and Clermont counter. Nick Abendanon releases a support runner with a sublime offload but Napolioni Nalaga can’t take a poor pass. If that had gone to hand, Clermont were under the posts.
Tommy O’Donnell makes a searing break that takes him close to the Clermont 22 but he neglects to feed Zebo and gets tackled.
Keatley tries to put the ball in behind Clermont but it is dealt with and Lopez clears.
In the replay of O’Donnell’s break you can see that Noa Nakaitaci did excellently in defence to cover Zebo and force O’Donnell to go himself. Top defending.
TheScore.ie’s own Murray Kinsella weighs in on the early exchanges.
Clermont collapse the Munster maul and the home side get a penalty. Keatley will go for the posts just inside the Clermont ten on the right wing.
Munster 3-5 Clermont
Keatley nails it and that is a very good return for Munster after a ropey opening 15 minutes.
Murray gets charged down by Cudmore and Clermont have a huge overlap in the Munster 22. Inexplicably, Julien Bonnaire goes for the cross-kick and Nalaga knocks on when sliding for the line. If Bonnaire throws a pass it was a try. Very strange call from the flanker.
Munster win a free kick at the scrum and Keatley brings play to the halfway line.
Rougerie is looking dangerous and it takes two men to bring him down in the Munster 22.
TRY! Munster 3-10 Clermont
Fritz Lee draws Keatley and Murray in well on the right wing before popping to Fofana who shrugs off a tackle en route to the corner.
Once again, Lopez misses the kick.
Keatley will have a chance to narrow the gap after Munster win another scrum penalty. It’s between the ten and the 22 to the left of the posts.
Munster 6-10 Clermont
Keatley’s kick strikes the post… but sneaks over.
Abendanon kicks harmlessly in the direction of Zebo but the ball bounces off his hands and into touch. Clermont have a lineout on the Munster ten metre line.
BJ Botha is penalised at the scrum this time and Lopez will go for the posts from the ten metre line to the right of the posts.
Munster 6-13 Clermont
For the first time today, Lopez raises the flags.
Zebo gets his first attacking touch and spins away from one defender before being tackled by Sébastien Vahaamahina on the left wing.
Munster 6-16 Clermont
Lopez takes a quick lineout just outside his own 22 and then Nalaga slices through the Munster defence beautifully before being taken down just past the halfway line. Clermont retain possession and Lopez hammers a monster drop goal over from just outside the ten metre line.
Munster immediately work the ball into the Clermont 22. Their first proper attacking chance.
Munster win a penalty because Clermont don’t roll away. Keatley kicks to the corner. Big call.
Foley wins the lineout but as the maul begins to set the ball goes to ground. Scrum to Clermont five metres from their own line.
And Barnes awards the Clermont scrum a penalty and Lopez clears their line. Barnes warns Botha that he will go to the bin if he keeps infringing.
Munster disrupts the lineout and Murray toes the ball into the Clermont 22. But Lopez is ice cool and scoops the ball up before hammering it 40 metres downfield.
Cudmore just smashed O’Connell and Clermont pile in and win the penalty. It is all Clermont at the moment.
HT Munster 6-16 Clermont
Half time here and Munster will need to be a good deal better in the second half if they want to turn over Clermont. They have only really had one opportunity near the Clermont line and the decision to turn down three points a few minutes before the break might cost them at the end. Clermont manufactured two nice scores and are worth their lead at the moment.
We are in for a tense second half at Thomond Park.
So Munster fans, is there any way back? Munster have only ever lost two Heineken Cup games at Thomond Park.
Whatever about Munster, Clermont have been sensational so far. Their pack have more than matched Munster and their backs have been scintillating at times.
Keatley has kicked off and we are back.
Munster have a scrum on their own ten after Clermont knock on.
Keatley drills the ball low towards the corner but it bounces dead and Clermont have a scrum on Munster’s ten in the middle of the pitch.
Munster’s kicking has been poor this half. This time it is Gerhard van den Heever who blasts it dead and Clermont will have the put-in around the Munster ten metre line again.
Fritz Lee fumbles at the base of the scrum and Munster get the put-in.
Munster win the penalty after Clermont drive early for the second time. Keatley only brings play to the Clermont ten metre line.
Munster are finding it very hard to gain any yards. Keatley floats a pass over a defender to O’Donnell and he almost makes a break but Clermont turn over and Radosavljevic pins Munster back inside their own half.
Peter O’Mahony received a bit of treatment after a hit from Cudmore but he is up and able to continue.
Abendanon and Nakaitaci show good touches and then Fofana thunders onto the wing’s offload to make good inroads into the Munster half. A few phases later Jones tackles Rougerie near the touchline and the ball goes forward. Munster win a penalty at the scrum again and Keatley kicks into the Clermont half.
Munster have a nice spell of possession in the opposition half and Howard pumps his legs to make good yardage in contact. Keatley tries a grubber kick but it is dealt with by the Clermont rearguard and cleared.
But Munster immediately win a penalty at the breakdown and they now have a lineout in the Clermont 22.
But they knock-on at the lineout again and Clermont have a scrum.
Both times Munster have had lineouts in the Clermont 22, the ball has been knocked on while trying to transfer it to the back of the maul. Unusually sloppy by the home side.
Clermont smuggle the ball out of a retreating scrum but Lopez misses touch and van den Heever counters. Fritz Lee is straight over the ball and Clermont win a penalty.
Neither team has been particularly good in this half but Munster are still pressing for a score to reduce the gap. They have possession just outside the Clermont 22.
Also, James Cronin has replaced Dave Kilcoyne.
Munster have a penalty from straight in front on the 22 and Keatley has a great chance to get within seven.
Munster 9-16 Clermont
Keatley kicks the penalty and there is only a converted try between the teams now.
Abendanon is down after shipping a monster hit from Felix Jones.
20 to go, do Clermont have the mental strength to hold out?
Jonathan Davies is on for Abendanon.
A Conor Murray kicks goes straight out and now Clermont have a lineout on the Munster 22.
Munster almost win the lineout but Cronin knocks on and Clermont get the scrum.
Zebo shows another bit of magic in attack as he glides through the Clermont defence before getting tackled on the ten metre line. All that good work is undone after Murray once again kicks the ball out on the full.
Ten minutes to go now and Clermont have a scrum in the middle of the field on the Munster ten. This second half has been very poor in quality.
Munster win yet another scrum penalty. They will have a bit of territory from which to launch their next attack.
Munster knock on in the Clermont 22 once again. Their pack, usually so reliable, have been sloppy in possession tonight.
Lopez can only clear to outside the 22 and Munster have another chance.
Munster are hammering away at the Clermont defence outside the 22 but are getting driven back.
Keatley snipes into the Clermont 22 and Munster have a penalty advantage.
Munster go to the corner. Can the pack hold onto the ball this time? Keatley’s kick is poor and lands ten metres from the line.
The ball goes to ground AGAIN but Barnes says backwards and Munster drive towards the line.
Clermont defence holding firm. Munster still about 10m out.
Chouly comes in from the side and Keatley kicks into the corner again. Munster have a 5m lineout.
FT Munster 9-16 Clermont
Chouly steals the lineout from O’Connell and it’s all over!
Clermont become the third side after Ulster and Leicester to win at Thomond Park in the European Cup and despite offering almost nothing in the second half, they still deserved their win.
Munster had a couple of chances at the end but they never really looked like breaching the Clermont defence.
What will really kill Anthony Foley is the amount of sloppy knock-ons his side had. The execution level was way down from their previous Champions Cup outings.
Thanks for joining me for our Munster vs Clermont liveblog. We will have plenty of post-match analysis and reaction as well as minute-by-minute coverage of Ulster vs Scarlets.
