Top-Seeded Munster Through To Quarterfinals

Montauban 13 Munster 39

Defending champions Munster secured a home quarter-final in the Heineken Cup following their bonus-point victory over Montauban.

A brace of tries from Lifeimi Mafi and replacement back Barry Murphy added to Tomas O'Leary's opener for a emphatic win.

Ireland and Munster fly-half Ronan O'Gara booted 12 points in a disciplined and professional display in the south of France. 

The Pool One tie had been postponed by 24 hours on safety grounds following gale force winds at the Stade de Sapiac. 

That decision proved to be wise as Montauban kicked off with clear, blue skies overhead. 

Munster had already qualified for the quarter-finals with a convincing win over Sale Sharks last weekend but their remaining goal was to secure a home tie in the last eight. 

But the Irish province knew they would not find things easy after being given a fright in round one against the tournament newcomers at Thomond Park. 

And despite Julien Audy's seventh minute penalty miss, Munster were on the back foot again when the fly-half made amends three minutes later from the touchline. 

Audy had found his range as the 24-year-old handed Montauban further ahead with his second penalty goal on 17 minutes after Paul O'Connell was penalised. 

But the double European champions hit back four minutes later when Tomas O'Leary burst from the back of a scrum to scramble over in the right corner. 

English referee Dave Pearson opted to consult with television match official David Matthews who gave him the green light to award the try. 

O'Gara converted and Munster's increasing dominance was rewarded on 29 minutes when O'Gara capitalised on Ibrahim Dairra's infringement for a 10-6 lead. 

The visitors applied the pressure and probed for a vital second try before the interval with O'Connell, O'Leary and Lifeimi Mafi going close but Montauban's defence held firm to trail by just four points. 

But the 10-minute break came at the right time for Declan Kidney's men who put their foot on the accelerator to extend their lead only two minutes into the second half through Mafi's try to the right of the posts. 

Montauban threw caution to the wind with their European campaign coming to an end but that created space for the livewire O'Leary to assist Mafi for his second score in the 53rd minute and to give Munster clear breathing space. 

But the hosts hit back with a response of their own before the hour mark when Scottish lock Scott Murray sliced through the Munster defence to score under the posts and Petre Mitu's conversion reduced the deficit to 22-13. 

O'Gara added another penalty in the 67th minute before Murphy replaced the injured Keith Earls to score a late double. 

His first came after he pounced on O'Gara's kick-through for the bonus-point before adding his second on 76 minutes and Paul Warwick's conversion completed a satisfying afternoon for Munster.

Leinster, Connacht And The Exiles Move Forward

Leinster qualified for the quarterfinals of the Heineken Cup after their 12-3 win over Edinburgh, and the Wasps' loss away to Castres, left them at the top of Pool 2. Their sixth-seed sees them with a tough visit to Harlequins in April.

In the European Challenge Cup, both London Irish and Connacht qualified from Pool 1, the Exiles heading up the table after winning all six games and Connacht making it through to the quarterfinals as the second-best runner up behind the Newcastle Falcons.

The Exiles secured a first-seed, and a home game against Bourgoin, breaking the points tie-breaker with Northampton on tries, while Connacht, as seventh-seeds will head to Vicarage Road to take on the Saracens.