Erasmus: Munster will 'learn and grow'

Rassie Erasmus says Munster will "grow into a great team" and will learn from their painful Champions Cup semi-final defeat to Saracens at the Aviva Stadium.

The Red Army were undone 26-10 as last year's winners deservedly advance to the final in Murrayfield on May 13.

Despite an impressive first-half for Erasmus' side, the English team upped gears and eventually ran out comfortable winners.

Erasmus has urged his players to use the experience to their advantage.

"It's disappointing, and it's sad," he told RTE.

"I think it was gutsy and tactically really smart for about 45 minutes but then we lost the plot a little bit. Overall we weren't clinical.

"We know we'll grow into a great team and we know we'll grow into a competitive team at this level, at European level. It will take time but we'll get there.

"But it's sad not to  have given the crowd more and to have got closer and won the game. That's the sad part but the nice part is the opportunity that, listen, maybe in a year's time we'll be much closer."

Munster went into the break behind 6-3 despite controlling large portions of the first-half and Erasmus rued missed opportunities.

"If you go in to half-time 6-3 down and you get one or two opportunities, if you don't take that the pressure will just build and build and then eventually you get a proper hiding," Erasmus added.

"They were spot on. They didn't miss any kicks for goal and then they really defended when we were close to their try line, so it was a well deserved win for them."  

Munster will face last year's winners Saracens in the European Champions Cup semi-final at the Aviva Stadium  on April 22 exclusively live on BT Sport, part of the eir Sport pack.