Montauban no match for Munster

The defending Heineken Cup champions Munster secure a home quarter-final following their bonus-point victory over Montauban.

The Munster scrum-half Peter Stringer breaks through the Montauban line during their 39-13 victory over the French team.

PARIS // Defending champions Munster secured a home quarter-final 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 an emphatic 39-13 win. Ireland fly-half Ronan O'Gara booted 12 points for Munster 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 put 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 O'Leary burst from the back of a scrum to scramble over in the right corner.

English referee Dave Pearson opted to consult 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 in the 29th minute when O'Gara capitalised on Ibrahim Diarra'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 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 Tony McGahan's men who put their foot on the accelerator to extend their lead only minutes into the second half through Mafi's try. 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 Scott Murray sliced through the Munster defence to score under the posts.

Meanwhile, four first-half penalties from Felipe Contepomi proved enough for Leinster to beat Edinburgh 12-3 at the RDS and qualify for the quarter-finals. The Irish province's 19-12 defeat by London Wasps last weekend set up a final-day showdown in Pool Two as Leinster and Wasps, locked together on 16 points at the top of the table, looked to better each other's result this afternoon. In the end, Wasps lost 21-15 to Castres leaving Leinster to make it through to the tournament's last eight as pool winners, courtesy of the four points earned against Edinburgh.

* PA Sport