Munster thrash 14-man Wasps, La Rochelle beat Glasgow

Planet Rugby

Munster’s makeshift side produced a superb display to defeat Wasps 35-14 and begin their Champions Cup campaign in fine style.

After the majority of their squad were forced to isolate, they had to name a weakened side, but they proved far too good for the hosts.

Munster could still name plenty of experienced internationals in the starting XV, however, including Joey Carbery, who kicked two early penalties for the Irish province.

The English side have also had their own issues. Head coach Lee Blackett was without 17 players through injury, saw five more withdraw just before the match due to Covid and had Gabriel Oghre, Alfie Barbeary and Nizaam Carr go off during the clash.

Wasps then suffered another blow as Brad Shields was sent off and, as a result, the visitors eventually ran away with the game.

Barbeary did touch down to briefly give the hosts the lead, but the Irishmen were exceptional throughout and claimed a superb win as Keith Earls, Patrick Campbell, Andrew Conway and Scott Buckley crossed the whitewash.

Carbery converted three of them and also added another three-pointer, but there was concern for the injury-plagued fly-half when he was replaced with what appeared to be an arm injury.

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Wasps’ Covid-affected start to the day was compounded when play got under way, with Thomas Young denied a certain try by Peter O’Mahony’s excellent covering tackle.

And while Carbery sent a penalty between the uprights to draw first blood for Munster, Jimmy Gopperth struck the crossbar to continue the two-time champions’ unfortunate opening.

But their scrum was offering a foothold in the game and it took feverish defence to keep their maul at bay until they produced the first of two turnovers in quick succession.

Munster were fighting for every ball in defiance of their absentees and their victory prospects received a dramatic boost when Shields was shown his dubious red card, with referee Romain Poite saying his shoulder had caught Kilcoyne’s neck.

Carbery directed a simple penalty at the post and while he was on target soon after, a dramatic twist followed as Wasps plundered a stunning try through Barbeary.

It concluded an exhilarating spell of end-to-end rugby in which the rivals took it in turns to attack from deep and, having been at the heart of the home advances, Barbeary delivered the telling blow.

A kind bounce of Conor Murray’s kick presented Earls with the simplest of tries as Munster hit back and then Frost departed for the sin-bin as the home side were reduced to 13.

It did not take long for the advantage in personnel to be felt as Tadhg Beirne started a breakout try that ended with full-back Campbell producing a brilliant finish on his senior debut.

And Munster were out of sight in the 49th minute when a loose pass during a promising counter-attack fell for Conway to scoop up and complete a simple run-in.

Hooker Buckley was the next over from a line-out move and that was the game won, although Michael Le Bourgeois picked a quality line to improve Wasps’ final score.

La Rochelle edge past battling Glasgow Warriors

Glasgow suffered a 20-13 Champions Cup defeat away to last season’s finalists La Rochelle after the hosts plundered 10 match-winning points when Rory Drage was in the sin bin for collapsing a maul.

Having twice led in the game at Stade Marcel Deflandre, there was no way back after that for the Warriors, who at least left with a losing bonus point.

They will now have to beat Exeter at home next weekend to stand any real chance of progressing.

Returning to the ground where they won 27-24 two years ago, Glasgow got off to a great start as they kept the ball alive for almost two minutes from the kick-off to put the home side under immediate pressure.

Their brave approach meant they enjoyed 64 per cent possession in the opening quarter and led 6-0 thanks to two penalties from young outside half Ross Thompson.

The first came after sixth minutes when home lock Romain Sazy came in at the side of a maul, while the second followed a major try-scoring opportunity created off first phase. Kyle Steyn came off his wing to make a break up the middle and good hands created a two-on-one out wide, only for Scott Cummings to go into contact and lose the chance.

The referee went back for an earlier penalty infringement in the move and Thompson made in 6-0 after 13 minutes. The Glasgow number 10 had a third shot from long distance, but failed to hit the mark.

La Rochelle finished the first half strongly and took the lead just after the half-hour mark when prop Reda Wardi was driven over from a five metre line-out.

Ihaia West added a wide-angled conversion and then stroked over a 40-metre penalty to give his side a 10-6 lead at the break.

West was just wide with a 52-metre monster attempt at the start of the second half, but it was Glasgow who picked up the first points after the break.

Having earned a penalty in front of the home posts five metres out, they turned down the automatic three points and went for a tap penalty.

George Turner led the charge and their bravery was rewarded when skipper for the day Ali Price chipped across the try line to allowed Steyn to rise highest and get the ball down for the try.

Thompson kept his nerve to add the extras from the right and – with 50 minutes gone – Glasgow were back in the lead.

To stay there they needed to keep the power-packed home pack at bay and their cause was dented when they lost Darge to a yellow card for collapsing a driving maul five metres out.

La Rochelle went for a scrum and fashioned a try in the right corner for Fijian wing Eneriko Buliruarua, while West converted off the touchline and then added a penalty soon after as the home side celebrated their victory.