Saracens squeeze out Munster

Defending champions Saracens are through to the European Rugby Champions Cup final at Murrayfield on 13 May following an impressive 26-10 win over Munster at Lansdowne Road.

Mako Vunipola and substitute Chris Wyles went over for second-half tries as Sarries ground their way past Rassie Erasmus' side, and Mark McCall's team now have the opportunity to become only the fourth side, after Leinster, Toulon and the Leicester Tigers, to win back-to-back Champions Cup titles.

Munster opened the scoring after five minutes through Tyler Bleyendaal's penalty, awarded after the French referee Romaine Poite had signalled an advantage and then brought play back after Donncha Ryan had knocked on just inches out from the line.

The visitors spurned a golden chance of a try on ten minutes, when, following good work from Billy Vunipola, Sean Maitland had a chance to put in Richard Wigglesworth in under the post, but his pass from the left wing was high and put down by the Sarries' number nine.

Saracens drew level on 16 minutes after Munster winger Andrew Conway failed to roll away in a tackle on Chris Ashton, allowing Owen Farrell to kick the points.

But the Aviva Premiership side were reduced to 14 men for 10 minutes midway through the first half, after flanker Jackson Wray caught Munster scrum-half Duncan Williams with a high shoulder, with referee Poite explaining: "The only thing that mitigates the act is that the player was going down, but you hit him straight on the face. With that clear outcome, it is a yellow card."

Yet, despite the man advantage, possession stats of 68%-32%, territory stats of 75% to 25% and 75 carries to 30, Munster went into the break 6-3 down as Farrell, the fifth highest points scorer in the competition's history, slotted over a 34th minute penalty.

Saracens then spurned two try chances in two minutes at the start of the second half through handling errors.

Ashton, joint all-time Champions Cup try scorer with Vincent Clerc, missed out on a 37th try when he dropped Alex Goode's pass out left, then George Kruis failed to ground the ball under the posts following a fine last-ditch tackle from Jean Deysel.

But all this Sarries pressure had to tell, and the inevitable try came on 55 minutes as Mako Vunipola drove over following a rolling maul, with Farrell adding the extras.

The sell-out Aviva Stadium crowd, a sea of Munster red, knew their hopes of a first European final since 2008 were wavering when Bleyendaal, who averages 13 points a game in Europe this season, sliced a 58th minute penalty wide.

Farrell, by contrast, was poise personified as he extended the lead to 13 points on 63 minutes following another collapsed Munster scrum.

And Wyles, back in action for his first appearance in three months, scored his 22nd try in his 50th appearance in the competition by outmuscling Simon Zebo and rolling past Bleyendaal after running on to Farrell's grubber kick.

Farrell added the extras, then made it six kicks from six with a 75th-minute penalty that extended the lead to three converted scores clear with five minutes remaining.

The inspirational CJ Stander went over for a late try for Munster, with Ian Keatley kicking the conversion, to put some gloss on the scoreline, but Sarries were deserved winners and will relish taking on either Leinster or Clermont in Edinburgh in three weeks' time.

Photo Inpho/Billy Strickland