Back to news
Munster roadshow moves on to quarter-final showdown with Bordeaux Bègles next Saturday
@Source: irishtimes.com
Munster will take their Champions Cup roadshow further down the French Atlantic coast to Bordeaux Bègles after the latter’s entertaining 43-31 Round of 16 win over a doggedly defiant Ulster set up a quarter-final between the two in the Stade Chaban-Delmas next Saturday (kick-off 4pm local time/3pm Irish time).
Following on from their titanic 25-24 Round of 16 win over Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle on Saturday evening amid a loud and vibrant mix of yellow and red, Munster will renew acquaintances with another former outhalf in Joey Carbery, who piloted UBB to their win over Ulster.
Meanwhile, Leinster will host Glasgow next Friday night in the Aviva Stadium (kick-off 8pm), when the prize for Leo Cullen’s team will be a home semi-final against the winners of the Northampton v Castres tie, which will be played next Saturday evening (kick-off 5.30pm).
In the other half of the draw, the winners of the Bordeaux Bègles v Munster tie will face either Toulon or Toulouse, whose all-French meeting will conclude the quarter-finals when they meet next Sunday.
Connacht’s 35-20 win over Cardiff last Saturday night has set up a home Challenge Cup quarter-final against three-time Champions Cup finalists Racing 92.
Bordeaux Bègles will be favourites next Saturday, but Ulster exposed enough chinks in their armour to make Munster travel in hope. The Ulster coach Richie Murphy, who must have feared the worst when the home side ran up 21 points in the first 21 minutes in energy-sapping conditions, expressed himself “extremely proud of the lads, the way they stuck at it and stayed in the fight.
“We played some really good rugby at times, the transitionary moments which we knew were going to come really cost us in that first half. A couple of loose kicks and they punish you really badly. Fair play to Bordeaux, and we wish them all the best going forward. Our focus turns to the URC.”
Asked if he gave Munster a chance in the same stadium next Saturday, Murphy said: “You’ve always got a chance. It’s a very difficult place to come. The atmosphere will be incredible like it was yesterday. We wish them all the best.”
O’Gara was more optimistic about his former province’s chances.
“They’ve momentum now and that’s the most important thing. You look at it and think Bordeaux are a seriously impressive side, but they don’t have momentum because they got rattled by Toulouse’s so-called second team and they made them worry a lot and then they lost to Racing last week.
“They’re on fire from September to March but there’s definitely been a slowing down, or a belt to the juggernaut that was Bordeaux. Munster love coming to France and they’ve been doing it for 25 years.”
The pity is that as a consequence of the Anglo-French cartel in the EPRC restricting the Champions Cup to eight weekends, the quarter-finals are shoehorned into the calendar at barely six days’ notice. The estimated 3,000-strong Red Army which invaded La Rochelle had been planning their trips since January and can thus hardly be expected to travel in the same numbers.
Champions Cup quarter-finals
Friday, April 11th: Leinster v Glasgow Warriors, Aviva Stadium, 8pm (live on RTÉ 2 and Premier Sports)
Saturday, April 12th: Bordeaux Bègles v Munster, Stade Chaban-Delmas, 4pm local/3pm Irish time (live on Premier Sports); Northampton Saints v Castres, Franklin’s Gardens, 5.30.
Sunday, April 13th: Toulon v Toulouse, Stade Félix Mayol, 4pm local time/3pm Irish.
Related News
07 Apr, 2025
Black Monday 2025: stock market threaten . . .
10 Apr, 2025
Jay and Silent Bob make their way to Riv . . .
17 Mar, 2025
Rasha Thadani Keeps It Stylish In A Chic . . .
16 Mar, 2025
Meghan Markle's pal speaks out after 'em . . .
30 Mar, 2025
Good News For Mumbai Indians! Jasprit Bu . . .
23 Mar, 2025
"As Much Sixes...": Gaikwad On Dhoni's S . . .
15 Mar, 2025
adidas and Liverpool Football Club annou . . .
07 Apr, 2025
Camping in France? Siblu holiday village . . .