Enjoying the win: Nick Easter, Maurie Fa'asavalu and Chris Robshaw
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Harlequins caused one of the biggest upsets in Amlin Challenge Cup history when they downed Munster 20-12 at Thomond Park in the semi-final on Saturday.
Quins started the match as underdogs against a team that lost just one home game in 16 seasons in European competition, but they were not fazed by their opponents' continental pedigree and looked up for it from the start.
They were rewarded for their early dominance eight minutes into the game when George Robson crashed over for the first try. After taking the ball through the middle, they created an overlap and the lock found himself on the wing. All he had to do was collect and dive over. Nick Evans added the extras.
The visitors were unlucky not to increase their lead six minutes later when several players had a stab at the whitewash, but couldn't quite get over.
Six minutes before the break they finally doubled their lead through scrum-half Danny Care. Full-back Mike Brown and fly-half Evans were both held up just short but Care picked up from half a metre and crashed over.
Munster kept themselves in touch when Felix Jones joined the line from full-back and powered past opposite number Brown in the 39th minute.
Quins fly-half Rory Clegg, on for the injured Evans, landed two penalties in the second half to extend his side's advantage to 13 points entering the final 20 minutes.
Despite losing number eight Nick Easter to a second yellow card for coming in from the side of the ruck and conceding a late try to full-back Doug Howlett, Harlequins held on for a famous win.
The visitors' shock win sees them progress to the final on May 28 in Cardiff where they will meet Stade Français following their 29-25 win over Top 14 rivals Clermont on Friday.
The scorers:
For Munster:
Tries: Jones, Howlett
Con: O'Gara
For Harlequins:
Tries: Robson, Care
Cons: Evans, Care
Pens: Clegg (2)
The teams:
Munster: 15 Felix Jones, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Lifeimi Mafi, 12 Paul Warwick, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Ronan O'Gara, 9 Conor Murray, 8 James Coughlan, 7 David Wallace, 6 Denis Leamy, 5 Mick O'Driscoll, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 Tony Buckley, 2 Damien Varley, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Mike Sherry, 17 Marcus Horan, 18 John Hayes, 19 Paul O'Connell, 20 Donnacha Ryan, 21 Peter Stringer, 22 Sam Tuitupou, 23 Johne Murphy.
Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Gonzo Camacho, 13 George Lowe, 12 Jordan Turner-Hall, 11 Ugo Monye, 10 Nick Evans, 9 Danny Care, 8 Nick Easter, 7 Chris Robshaw, 6 Maurie Fa'asavalu, 5 George Robson, 4 Ollie Kohn, 3 James Johnston, 2 Joe Gray, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Matt Cairns, 17 Ceri Jones, 18 Mark Lambert, 19 Tomas Vallejos, 20 Will Skinner, 21 Dave Moore, 22 Rory Clegg, 23 Ross Chisholm.
Referee: Romain Poite
Comments
Rugbynut says...
Oh dear, Munster1981 appears to be an oversensitive sort, maybe you would be better off watching the round ball game, those fans are more your style. In the rugby world fans don't get so wound up and accept other viewpoints. Just look at all the other Munster fans comments - and learn!
Posted 23:52 04th May 2011
munster1981 says...
@Rugbynuy
you say my comment is one eyed? did you even read it and have you read you own?
I mention all Munsters failings in mine. And i acknowledged that Quins were the better side? What more do you want? I said that they could have won without the cynical play so why did they do it?
Both Conor O Shea and Tony Mcgahan have said Poite was below par, Mcgahan just said it wasnt the reason munster lost. Which I also said in the opening line of my comment. Cant use that to cover up poor calls when it came to offside. He got all the forward passes spot on but zero communication with his touch judges who seemed to be there for the day out and contributed nothing. Quins were offside alot and Poite never called it.
Again just to clarify i dont think munster should have won, (if youd opened both eyes you would have seen it in my last post Rugbynut). My point was that going down for attention to slow a game down belongs in soccer with all their other histrionics.
At least when Munster slowed the game down it was by stuffing the ball up their jerseys and running down the clock.
I have also acknowledged that their has to be some serious rebuilding at munster.
Do i have to post a third comment or is everything crystal clear to your one good eye Rugbynut?
And as for getting used to that losing feeling? Come back to me when u have only lost 2 european games at the stoop in 15 years of rugby.
Kind regards
Munster
Posted 02:30 03rd May 2011
Carpelone says...
An era of grim and annoying rugby is finally coming to an end.
What a pity to see Doug Howlett in this team of Munster.
Posted 16:16 02nd May 2011
Rugbynut says...
Awsome win for Quins, Munster are one of the great teams of world rugby and Quins won in some style! Can't agree with the Munster fans over the ref, Poite has always been a pretty even handed ref and with game turned a blind eye to Munster killing ball, lying over the ball and cutting off the ball at rucks. The comments by Munster1981 are typical of a one-eyed Munster fan, cynical play has sustained Munster for years! Get used to the losing feeling - your best years are behind you!
Come on you Quins, you can go the whole way!
Posted 14:41 02nd May 2011
davej says...
The final is on may 20th, not May 28th
Posted 03:23 02nd May 2011
munster1981 says...
can't blame the ref for the loss, although he did seem to only ref one side, how Quins were never called offside amazed me??? No question that Harelquins were the better side but I thought they left a bad taste going down for attention at every break in play to slow down any momentum. Bloodgate might be dead and gone but think that cynical play like that should stop too!
ALOT of rebuilding needed in Munster. Very limited penetration through the center. All we had was Mafi and Tuitupou bashing it up the middle. We seem to have lost the ability to unlock defenses and with Warrick off to France we have no other out half! They might be leading the Magners League but they certainly won't win it playing like this.
Looking forward to some fresh blood coming in the off season.
Posted 23:31 01st May 2011
blametheref says...
Most Munster fans I talked with agree Quins fully desreved their brilliant victory...Harlequins fans are the best in the UK and they know their rugby, they never gloat and Munster should reflect they were beaten by a really good team. Why Robshaw has not been first choice for England has always baffled me...At this level, Munster cannot expect to win even home games when 4/5 players know they are already off to new clubs...They should do everything to get Nick Mallet or is it were possible, Conor O' Shea's involvement. They some fresh blood urgently, including an alternative out half and 2 new centres...O' Callaghan is becoming worrying too, he's becoming the Bakkies Botha of Irish rugby, never a game goes by now without him doing something stupid...But Munster being Munster they'll rise from the ashes, if they get the proper coach/manager!
Posted 11:34 01st May 2011
lostprofit says...
I cant argue that quinns deserved it more and truly earned it. Not every team goes to Thomond Park and bosses the red army around like that (not even my beloved Leinster did that)
But I am gutted for Munster. Absolutely gutted.
Posted 02:06 01st May 2011
rugby_rockstar says...
Great game to watch, even if Munster seemed to get away with killing try scoring oportunities but Easter promptly gets set the the bin. So much for consistancy. Still I'll dedicate this win to all the Irish fans who've been sticking the boot in since the Ireland V England 6 Nations match. What goes around comes around my friends! :o)
Posted 21:47 30th April 2011
J_HDK says...
I missed this match. Very surprised by the result. Can't wait to see Conor O'Shea accepting humble apologies from the others on RTE that prematurely wrote Quins off.
Posted 21:13 30th April 2011
keste03 says...
Nice - always nice to see Munster lose...
Posted 15:16 30th April 2011