RACING 7-32 MUNSTER
The spirit of Anthony Foley will live on within this Munster squad but this felt as if is spectre had finally been put to rest.
Rassie Erasmus’ squad tore Racing 92 asunder to record a bonus point win in Paris and go to the top of their Champions Cup group.
Ahead of the game, Munster and Racing players were joined by supporters at Stade Yves du Manoir in delivering a rousing minutes’ applause for the late Anthony Foley.
The applause certainly stirred Munster souls but Racing looked as if they wished they could be anywhere else. 11 changes had been made to their side that lost to Toulon over the festive period and they showed a shocking lack of fight in the opening 40.
Munster were only 3-0 up after 15 minutes but could have been much further ahead. Once Racing’s defence was breached – Simon Zebo with his 50th Munster try – there was no looking back.
CJ Stander barracked his way over for Munster’s second and Conor Murray’s grubber kick set up Andrew Conway for their third. 25-0 to the good at the break.
The second half’s initial sub-plot was all about how long it would take Munster to get their bonus point try. That try, their fourth, arrived on 51 minutes when hooker Niall Scannell crashed over off the back of a rolling maul.
On came the Munster subs – Dave Kilcoyne, Keith Earls and Francis Saili three decent ones to call on – and Racing answered with Dan Carter. The Kiwi and his teammates were playing for nothing more than respect and they finally got on the scoreboard through Matthieu Voisin. Carter converted.
That was as good as it got.
Munster are top of their pool and can all but secure a home quarter final by doing a number, any number, on Glasgow next weekend.
