Munster return to European knock-out rugby after tonight’s 14-12 win against Glasgow Warriors, securing their 16th quarter-final in 22 attempts.
Munster qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup as Pool 1 winners thanks to Francis Saili’s late try and the boot of Tyler Bleyendaal at Scotstoun.
A second win away from home in a week confirmed Munster’s place in the last eight, but only after a ferocious battle between two quality sides in Glasgow.
For long periods it seemed as if the teams’ kickers might be the match deciders as Bleyendaal, Finn Russell and Stuart Hogg went tit-for-tat in a penalty kick competition, but in the end a first try for Saili in Europe gave Rassie Erasmus’ side the crucial victory.
The set-piece was a real hot bed of activity throughout, and after 13 minutes Glasgow Warriors took the lead when they earned a penalty from a Munster scrum, which Russell kicked from the right for a 3-0 lead.
Three minutes later another Munster scrum saw the penalty go the other way on the halfway line, but Bleyendaal’s kick dropped just short.
But the New Zealand native soon drew Munster level from close range when Lee Jones was penalised for a high tackle on Keith Earls deep in Warriors territory.
From the start this was a hugely physical battle with some excellent play at the breakdown from both defences making quick ball a premium. But it wasn’t until the 32nd minute that this bore fruit when Warriors earned a penalty in their own half, which Hogg drilled over from more than 50 metres.
That 6-3 lead only last two minutes though, and Munster drew level again when Josh Strauss was caught offside and Bleyendaal kicked the penalty, made easier due to dissent from the Warriors No 8.
Hogg was unable to add another long-range kick just short of half-time as the sides went in level at 6-6, but seven minutes after the resumption Russell gave his side the lead when Andrew Conway didn’t roll away from the tackle after he initially did well to halt Tim Swinson near his own try-line.
Again, the sizeable Munster contingent at Scotstoun didn’t have long to wait for the equaliser, which came from another Bleyendaal penalty, but a big carry from Jean Kleyn did all the damage for the visitors.
With the game in the balance every error could prove fatal, and it seemed as if CJ Stander could have been the villain for once when he infringed at a Warriors maul on the left, and Russell kicked the three points on offer to take the lead again.
But that ended Glasgow’s scoring as Munster went on the attack. Nine minutes from time Conway looked certain to score in the corner for Munster, only for Hogg’s high tackle to deny him. The Scottish full-back was yellow carded for the offence, and instead of going for the posts from an acute angle, Bleyendaal pushed Munster into the corner.
The initial drive was halted by some good maul defence from Glasgow, but two long passes from Conor Murray and Bleyendaal found Simon Zebo wide on the left. He stood up the covering defender and passed to Earls as he cut back towards the posts, but Saili looped around the outside again to score brilliantly in the corner.
Bleyendaal was narrowly wide with the sideline conversion, and Munster were forced to defend their two-point lead late on, but they held solid to reach the last eight for the first time in three seasons.
Munster: S Zebo (I Keatley 73); A Conway, J Taute (F Saili 57), R Scannell, K Earls; T Bleyendaal, C Murray (D Williams 64-71 HIA); D Kilcoyne (J Cronin 49), N Scannell (R Marshall 67), J Ryan (T Du Toit 61); J Kleyn (B Holland 54), D Ryan; P O’Mahony (D Foley 73 HIA), J O'Donoghue, CJ Stander.
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU).