Stuart Hogg’s 45-metre drop goal helps Exeter take early edge over Munster

There have been some see-sawing contests in Europe over the years but few that have lurched so markedly from one extreme to the other. Munster looked dead and buried for long periods of this eventful tie but by the end it was Exeter, reduced to 13 men for a chunk of the final quarter, who were relieved to hear the final whistle.

In the final analysis Exeter were indebted to a remarkable 45-metre drop goal from Stuart Hogg which may yet offer some kind of lifeline in Limerick on Easter Saturday. Munster, though, will be massively buoyed by the spirit they showed in adversity, a 66th minute try by winger Shane Daly having left this two-leg encounter beautifully poised at the halfway stage.

Even in the good old days Munster have rarely had to overcome such a lengthy injury list or more off-field discontent but some things never change. The visitors were nothing if not cussed and might even have won had Exeter, with Olly Woodburn and Patrick Schickerling in the sin-bin, not kept their line intact throughout a 13-phase Munster assault.

Fair play to Munster’s Keith Earls, too, whose tackle on Woodburn prevented an almost certain late score that may yet prove significant. Munster will regard this as a moral victory in some respects, given their long list of absentees. With Peter O’Mahony, Andrew Conway, Joey Carbery, Tadhg Beirne, Dave Kilcoyne and Gavin Coombes already missing, it was almost cruel when a stomach bug ruled out Simon Zebo and reserve hooker Diarmuid Barron on the eve of the game.

It was not surprise, then, that Munster were soon right up against it physically, with Exeter putting a sparkling try on the board inside six minutes. A quick tap penalty was whisked right to Tom O’Flaherty who made a typically sharp