By TOM JEFFREYS
Northampton Saints……………………………….24
Tries: Ramm 10, Freeman 35, Hendy 60, 72
Conversions: Smith 10, 36
Munster………………………………………………..14
Tries: O'Brien 15, Haley 27
Conversions: Crowley 15, 27
George Hendy's heroics booked Northampton Saints an Investec Champions Cup quarter-final against the Vodacom Bulls with a hard fought 24-14 victory against Munster.
Playing in their first Champions Cup knock out game in four years, and their first at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens since 2011, Saints consolidated their famous group stage victory against Munster at Thomond Park with a typical display of free flowing attack and resolute defence.
The build up to the game had centred around the battle between the two young fly halves, Fin Smith and Jack Crowley, and Smith provided a classy display to defy an unfavourable headwind in the second half as George Hendy scored twice to take his team out of reach of the 14-14 half time deadlock.
The two sides had traded tries and leads in the first half, with Sean O'Brien cancelling out an early James Ramm score, before Tommy Freeman equalised after a Mike Haley try.
Saints were guilty of squandering good territory in the third quarter of the match, but Hendy's introduction on the hour mark proved crucial, with the winger replacing an injured Burger Odendaal to score with his first touch, and then producing an exemplary finish for his second to give Saints their first Champions Cup knockout win in 13 years.
Lying ahead now is a daunting challenge against the Vodacom Bulls next week, but their unbeaten run in the competition has ensured a home quarter-final and momentous atmosphere at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens, with their robust defence and unshackled attack seemingly stopping for no one.
Neither team were able to assert a discernible advantage in a gripping first half, with each side typifying their attacks with each try. James Ramm is one of many Northampton backs to breakthrough this year and opened the scoring against the run of play as a result of some slick handling and top class ball retention.
A majority of the first ten minutes saw Saints repel Munster attack in their own 22, before their first forage into Munster's thanks to an excellent Tom James box kick. Keeping the ball despite Munster disruption in the ruck, Courtney Lawes gave both centres Fraser Dingwall and Burger Odendaal the chance to combine, the latter offloading to Ramm for the score.
Undeterred, however, by Saints' early defensive shift, Munster capitalised on some ill-discipline to attack Saints' line again, allowing centre Alex Nankivell to take the ball to the line and push Sean O'Brien through the line and over the whitewash.
The formula repeated itself after a period of enticing midfield play to give Munster another platform in the Saints 22 to exert their close range game, eventually allowing returning fullback Mike Haley to score a pick and go on his first Champions Cup game of the season.
With Munster's score coming on the half hour mark, Saints resisted a period of pressure to earn two consecutive penalties – one against the head at scrum time – and set up camp in Munster's 22. A lovely two-phase move ensued, with Sam Graham, who had produced a crucial turnover moments before, bundling over Crowley before some tidy hands gave Freeman a run under the sticks.
Freeman's try opened up the game before half time, with the highlight being a remarkable kick recovery by Curtis Langdon from a Tom Ahern chip and chase, but the open theme failed to carry over into a tense third quarter. Saints had the majority of possession but Munster's wide defence continued to turnover possession, before the substitution of Hendy for Odendaal broke the game wide open.
Saints attacked off the top of a lineout just outside their 22, with Smith delaying a pass George Ford-style to put Sleightholme through a gap in between Antoine Frisch and Simon Zebo. Sleightholme fed Ramm, who relied on Hendy's fresh legs to finish in the corner with his first touch of the ball and give his side a decisive 19-14 lead.
12 minutes later Hendy gave his most crucial intervention with a fabulously finished try. A Mitchell turnover and break took Saints onto Munster's 22, and such has been the case all season, the ball was worked to the opposite flank within two phases when Freeman threw a speculative pass over to Hendy. Recovering a bouncing ball behind him, the 22-year-old skinned both Crowley and Zebo to touch down in front of a buoyant home crowd.
Despite having ample time to overturn the ten-point deficit, Munster's attack imploded with handling errors characterising the final stages of the match against a resilient Saints defence. It was a subdued end to Munster's campaign, and perhaps to an era with Peter O'Mahony trudging off with 25 minutes to go. Meanwhile, Saints are riding a wave of confidence, and face the Bulls next week.
Northampton Saints: Ramm, Freeman, Dingwall, Odendaal (Hendy 59), Sleightholme, Smith, James (Mitchell 51); Iyogun (A Waller), Langdon (Matevesi 57), Davison (Hill 61), Moon (Mayanavanua 64), Coles, Lawes, Ludlam (c) (Augustus 51), Graham (Young 70)
Munster: Haley, O'Brien, Frisch, Nankivell (Carbery 65), Zebo, Crowley, Casey (Murray 55); Loughman (Wycherley 69), Scannell (Clarke 69), Archer, Ahern, Beirne (c), O'Mahony (Kendellen 55), Hodnett, Coombes (O'Donoghue 65)
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