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Investec Champions Cup last 16
La Rochelle 24 (10)
Tries: Botia, penalty try, Bosmorin Cons: West, Hastoy Pen: West
Munster 25 (7)
Tries: Casey, Coombes, Smith Cons: Crowley 2 Pen: Crowley Drop-goal: Crowley
Munster advanced to the quarter-finals of the Investec Champions Cup with a brilliantly dogged 25-24 win at La Rochelle.
In an enthralling contest that featured six tries and four yellow cards split evenly between the two teams, Jack Crowley's drop-goal ultimately proved the difference with Munster surviving a late La Rochelle fightback to end their former fly-half Ronan O'Gara's hopes of bringing a third title to the Stade Marcel-Deflandre this season.
Munster took control of the game with two tries inside five second-half minutes but were still left hanging on at the death.
Gavin Coombes charge down score in the 47th minute had given the visitors their first lead of the game before Andrew Smith stretched over in the corner with Dillyn Leyds in the sin-bin.
That put Munster in a commanding position but, after a penalty try followed by a 78th-minute score for Hoani Bosmorin, Mike Prendergast's side were left to hold on in a hugely dramatic finish.
La Rochelle, winners of this competition in 2022 and 2023, are still without a win since beating Toulouse in the Top 14 on 4 January.
Without a win in eight games, La Rochelle certainly did not start like a team low on confidence.
Just a minute into the game, a brilliant move highlighted by an excellent pass from Uini Atonio concluded with Tawera Kerr-Barlow crossing the line.
It was only after Ihaia West's conversion attempt that the television match official (TMO) intervened to chalk off the score for Teddy Thomas stepping in touch before the final pass.
After 11 minutes, the hosts were over again and this time the score did count. After Andrew Smith had been sent to the sin bin for a cynical breakdown infringement, La Rochelle went to the corner.
Although Munster stopped the maul, La Rochelle moved the ball centrally and UJ Seuteni provided the final pass for flanker Levani Botia to crash over.
Munster held firm until Smith's return and then had a man advantage of their own after Ihaia West was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Sean O'Brien.
Like La Rochelle, they made the extra player count almost immediately as Thaakir Abrahams led a brilliant break and put Craig Casey away between the posts.
Munster could not force another score during West's absence and the New Zealander ensured his side carried a lead into the break with a penalty from the last play of the half.
Calvin Nash, who had made a try-saving tackle on the dangerous Thomas before the break, won Munster a breakdown penalty less than a minute into the second half which Jack Crowley kicked to bring the sides level once again.
Munster lived dangerously in the period that followed with former England international Jack Nowell going close in one corner before Thomas spurned a gilt-edged chance in the other.
But they took control of the game with a pair of scores just five minutes apart.
First Gavin Coombes charged down down West and showed real composure to nudge the ball over the line with his boot before he touched down.
Then, after Dillyn Leyds was shown the game's third yellow card for a deliberate knock-on, Casey spun the ball wide for Smith to score in the corner.
With just 28 minutes remaining, the visitors held a 12-point lead.
La Rochelle would cut the deficit to five with a penalty try with a quarter of an hour to go after Alex Kendellen was adjudged to have illegally halted a maul that was driving towards the line.
With the replacement flanker also shown a yellow card, Munster were again down to 14 but pushed their lead back out to two scores through Crowley's nerveless drop-goal.
La Rochelle desperately tried to find a way back into the game, and got back within a point through Bosmorin's 78th-minute try, but their attempt to deny Munster their famous French victory were ended by Tadhg Beirne's last-play turnover.
The celebrations were delayed as the officials looked at a tackle by Fineen Wycherley before Andrea Piardi's decision to take no action sparked jubilation among the travelling supporters.
La Rochelle: Leyds; Nowell, Thomas, Seuteni, Bosmorin; West, Kerr-Barlow; Wardi, Bourgarit, Atonio; Lavault, Skelton; Botia, Jegou, Alldritt (capt).
Replacements: Lespiaucq; Kaddouri, Juntlia, Dillane, Cancoriet, Haddad, Hastoy, Favre.
Yellow cards: West, Leyds
Munster: Abrahams; Nash, Farrell, O'Brien, Smith; Crowley, Casey; Loughman, Barron, Jager; Kleyn, Beirne (capt); O'Mahony, Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: N Scannell, J Wycherley, Archer, F Wycherley, Ahern, Murray, R Scannell, Kendellen.
Yellow card: Smith, Kendellen
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
English (US) ·