Monday Round-Up

Spirited Munster downed: Irish province Munster succumbed to back to back defeats at the hands of French powerhouses Clermont Auvergne yesterday, going down 26-19 at the Stade Marcel Michelin. Despite getting themselves off to a flying start on their travels, Anthony Foley’s men couldn’t manufacture their possession and territorial advantage into any significant lead on the scoreboard, as Clermont’s last ditch defence kept them to within three points. It was then Clermont’s turn to dominate, with skipper Damien Chouly and the magical Noa Nakaitici both crossing for sensational tries. The hosts continued to dominate into the second half, with the boot of Ian Keatley just narrowly keeping Munster in touch. However, a second five pointer from Chouly, along with a trio of Camille Lopez three pointers, all but secured the game for les Jaunards, despite the best efforts of Munster late on. 

Blitzbokke secure title: The South African Sevens side, more affectionately known as the Blitzbokke, claimed the Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens title yesterday, as they overcame New Zealand 26-17 in the Cup final. Having already seen off the likes of England and Australia, the host nation were on fire in the Port Elizabeth final against their Southern Hemisphere rival. A 12-10 advantage at the interval was soon stretched out, courtesy of tries from Smith and Senatla. Despite a late rally from New Zealand, the home side hung on to the delight of the P.E crowd, with the Blitzbokke claiming no.1 spot on the World rankings.

Ryan Sheady