Munster looking to break their semi-final curse against Saracens in the European Cup
Steeped in history, with a rich European pedigree and where passion for the game cannot be bested – giants of club rugby don’t come much bigger than Ireland’s Munster.
But when they face Saracens on Saturday in the Champions Cup semi-final they will not only be burdened with their fans’ expectations but also the knowledge that they have become serial semi-finalists.
Lately Munster have struggled to hit the dizzying heights of their predecessors. Defeat this weekend would be a third in a row in the last four of the Champions Cup and generate further disappointment at the current side’s lack of silverware.
Serial semi-finalists
Falling short on the biggest occasions goes deeper than just the last two seasons, however. Since Munster last lifted this trophy in 2008 they have been halted at the semi-finals in six of the last 10 seasons, including four of the last six.
What’s more, the same pattern is true of their domestic form, where they have not won the Pro14 since 2011 – their last major honour. They finished runners-up in both 2015 and 2017 and lost in the semi-finals in 2012, 2014 and 2018.
In 2011, their only season in the European Challenge Cup, they also suffered defeat at the semi-final stage. Missing out when glory is within reach has become familiar.
Saturday’s fixture at the Ricoh Arena will revive bitter memories of the 2017 semi-final clash in which Saracens ran riot. The current English champions won 26-10 on their way to a second successive Champions Cup and have only improved since then, bolstering their squad with further quality such as Liam Williams and Will Skelton.
Munster lost the 2017 semi-final to Saracens, who went on to claim their second successive Champions Cup (Source: Getty)
European woes
This Munster side are yet to live up to the standards set in the previous decade, when they won two Heineken Cups and reached the final twice more.
“I’m fed up knocking on the door,” Conor Murray told The Times. “We all are. There are no bones about it, if you’re Munster, it’s all about the European Cup. For the supporters, as much as us, we just really want to get past the semis.”
Meanwhile, rivals Leinster have claimed the Champions Cup four times since Munster’s last, as well as three Pro14 titles, and did the double last season to round off a decade of dominance.
Leinster defeated Saracens on route to the final last season and are favourites to retain the trophy. They line up against Toulouse this weekend in the other semi-final.
For Sarries, victory would secure a fourth final in six years and a chance to win their third Champions Cup, making them the most successful English side in Europe.
They will likely have to get there without captain Brad Barritt, set to miss out through injury, but head coach Mark McCall has no qualms about handing Owen Farrell the armband, despite questions about his leadership ability following England’s Six Nations collapse against Scotland.
“The more Owen captains a side the better he will be,” said McCall. “He has done a phenomenal job for us when Brad hasn’t been playing. Owen is much more collegiate than people think. He passes responsibility to others, he’s very clear, he sees things well on the field and he’s able to communicate that. He’s brilliant at getting the best out of his team-mates.”
Farrell will be looking to repeat the devastating display he produced against Ireland in the Six Nations the last time he faced Murray. The Munster No9, meanwhile, will be fighting for a win that inspires the Irish province to end their trophy drought.