HIGHLIGHTS | Coombes at the double as Munster get Champions Cup season back on track

A pair of Gavin Coombes tries in the first half got Munster back on track in the Champions cup on Sunday.

A massive second-half defensive stand gave Munster a vital Champions Cup victory over Northampton Saints at a wet and cold Franklin’s Gardens on Sunday afternoon.

It finished 6-17 in Northampton as Munster returned to winning ways after a losing start against Toulouse.

All of the points were scored in the first half with Gavin Coombes scoring two tries as Joey Carbery kicked both conversions and a penalty.

There were three yellow cards for Munster after the break and one for Northampton with the hosts camped in the Munster half for almost the entire 40 minutes but the Munster defence came up trumps time and time again.

18 December 2022; Gavin Coombes of Munster after his side’s victory in the Heineken Champions Cup Pool B Round 2 match between Northampton Saints and Munster at Franklin’s Gardens in Northampton, England. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Graham Rowntree’s men hit the front on 13 minutes as Coombes scored a trademark try from close range after Niall Scannell, on his 150th Munster appearance, made good yards off the five-metre tap and Coombes did the rest from a yard out. Carbery converted to make it 7-0.

Munster were back in the red zone on 35 minutes and made no mistake this time after a superbly-worked lineout move.

Scannell found Peter O’Mahony in the lineout and he transferred to Tadhg Beirne who popped it for Coombes on the loop to power over.

Carbery converted and Munster led 17-6 at half-time.

Jack O’Donoghue came up with another turnover under the posts for Munster as Northampton piled on the pressure early in the second half.

Munster were briefly down to 13 men on 57 minutes as Craig Casey was sin-binned after tackling James Ramm in the air as he jumped to catch a crossfield kick in the right corner.

The clock was Munster’s friend as Northampton continued to attack fruitlessly and Coombes came up with yet another turnover on 77 minutes to see out an extremely hard-fought victory.

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Leinster is next up for Munster as they meet on St Stephen’s Day in Thomond Park in the URC.

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