By BBC (Sports) | Created at 2025-01-18 18:56:29 | Updated at 2025-01-19 00:14:35
5 hours ago
Investec Champions Cup Pool 3
Northampton Saints: (12) 34
Try: Seabrook 3, Langdon, Ramm Con: Smith 3 Pen: Smith
Munster: (15) 32
Try: Nash 2, Kilgallen 2 Cons: Crowley 3 Pens: Crowley 2
Tom Seabrook scored a stunning hat-trick as Northampton Saints edged a thriller with Munster to clinch top spot in Pool 3 and a home tie in the Investec Champions Cup last 16.
On only his second consecutive Saints start in over a year, the winger scored the opening try out wide after some neat hands by the hosts.
In a game dominated by wingers with finishing prowess, Munster hit back through Calvin Nash, who sprinted past an unaware Alex Mitchell to claim Conor Murray's box-kick for a fine try.
Nash doubled his tally moments later after Munster threw the ball through the hands and the wing was off his touchline to dive over, before Jack Crowley's penalty stretched the visitors' advantage.
Saints looked to wrestle back momentum before the interval and Munster had to succumb after Gavin Coombes was sent to the sin-bin, allowing Curtis Langdon the opportunity to dot down from the bottom of the rolling maul.
The hosts still trailed by three at the break, but Seabrook collected James Ramm's excellent looping pass to cross for his second try.
Full-back Ramm then turned from provider to finisher as he burst through the Munster defence following Fin Smith's clever tip pass to seal the bonus.
Munster were not done there, however, as winger Diarmuid Kilgallen latched on to a sublime no-look round-the-back pass by Murray to open his account for the Irish province.
With the game finely poised, Saints took command again when Seabrook wrapped up his treble after a first-phase attack from the line-out freed him on the inside.
But Munster retained their belief and Kilgallen doubled his tally down the other end, before Crowley's superb conversion from out on the left dragged the visitors to within just two points.
In search of the victory to leapfrog Northampton in the table and seal home advantage in the last 16 and the quarter-final, should they progress, Munster poured forward in the tense finale and rolled through the phases following a Crowley break as Saints stood firm.
The hosts claimed a crucial turnover inside their own half through Henry Pollock's efforts and there was a huge sigh of relief at a partisan Franklin's Gardens as the ball was kicked dead to confirm a Saints success as pool winners.
Northampton claimed their maiden Champions Cup title with a 9-8 victory over Munster in 2000 – something the club were keen to celebrate as many of the players involved at Twickenham on that famous day paraded the trophy at half-time.
Their latest meeting with the Irish province may not carry as much importance in the club's history, but it will go down among the most famous European displays at the Gardens.
Both sides had sealed their progress to the knockout stages before a ball was kicked as Bulls ended Stade Francais' chances of qualification earlier in the day, but there was no shortage of intent following the first shrill of referee Nika Amashukeli's whistle.
Seabrook crossed for the early opener before Munster, backed by their vociferous traveling support, moved ahead with the two Nash tries.
The Ireland wing caught out Mitchell for his first as the Saints scrum-half jogged back to claim the ball as Nash sprinted past him on the inside. He was equally aware for his second, expecting to score from an overlap close to the touchline, before moving infield to burst on to a Crowley pass and dive over.
Langdon's score reduced the deficit on the stroke of half-time and the Premiership champions took control after the break.
Seabrook and Ramm scored after terrific build-up play which had Saints attack coach Sam Vesty punching the air in appreciation, but Munster were never going to go away quietly.
Former Ulsterman Kilgallen was alert to Murray's intent with a powerful line on the inside to break through and score as red shirts in the crowd found their voices once again.
Seabrook completed his hat-trick soon after, with a pre-planned attack straight off the training paddock but Kilgallen's run-in set up a tense finale.
Munster surged forward with the clock against them and gave themselves an outside chance until the Saints defence stole possession to end the contest.
It was a breathtaking battle, packed with incident and drama, and a genuine European classic between two old foes.
Northampton Saints: Ramm; Freeman, Dingwall, Hutchinson, Seabrook; Smith, Mitchell; Haffar, Langdon, Davison, Coles, Lockett, Kemeny, Pearson, Augustus.
Replacements: Walker, West, Green, Hunter-Hill, Scott-Young, Pollock, James, Litchfield.
Munster: Haley; Nash, Farrell, Scannell, Kilgallen; Crowley, Murray; Bleuler, Barron, Jager, Wycherley, Beirne (capt), O'Mahony, Kendellen, Coombes.
Replacements: Scannell, Ryan, Archer, Ahern, O'Donoghue, Patterson, Burns, Gleeson.
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Geo)
