Munster crash out of Challenge Cup after Exeter's first-half blitz

Murray Kinsella Reports from Sandy Park

Exeter 31

Munster 21

THERE WAS HOPE in the air among the Munster support pre-match in Exeter that this might be the start of an uplift in their province’s season, that the Challenge Cup might give them scope to build some optimism.

Those feelings proved to be short-lived as Rob Baxter’s Chiefs pummelled Munster in a first half that left the visitors trailing 31-0 and in a world of pain.

Clayton McMillan’s side were well off the pace as they struggled hugely to win the gainline against a ferocious, clever Exeter defence that produced two intercept tries and teed up brilliant wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso for another score.

Munster were playing into a strong wind in that opening 40 minutes but they made no progress into it whatsoever as they produced numerous handling errors, forced passes, and made some questionable decisions.

They rallied in the second half, scoring three tries, with out-half Jack Crowley scoring two of them in an impressive effort. But ultimately, they were of the consolation variety as Exeter seemed to take their foot off the pedal ahead of next weekend’s quarter-final.

Munster clearly didn’t pack it in after the break but what will live in the memory was the sight of Exeter shredding them in a devastating first half at Sandy Park.

Add this one to the list of worrying performances this season that already included the recent hammering at the hands of the Sharks, the battering by Bath, and the feeble effort away to Ulster.

The reality is that Munster have lost 10 of their 19 games in all competitions this season and after a bright start under new head coach McMillan, they are struggling to be genuinely competitive in some matches. They’ve only won twice in 2026, those victories coming against the Dragons and Zebre.

The New Zealander spoke about raising the floor for Munster, ensuring that these kinds of days were fewer and far between. But so far, the floor remains worryingly low.

Munster’s Champions Cup campaign ended in the pool stages in January; now their Challenge Cup effort is emphatically over at the first hurdle. That means full focus goes onto ensuring a top-eight finish in the URC, which would bring crucial Champions Cup qualification for next season.

But the way things have been going in recent times, there will be plenty of Munster supporters concerned that their team’s poor form will continue. 

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The signs were ominous from the opening minute in Exeter as Munster required centre Alex Nankivell to make a try-saving tackle on Chiefs wing Paul Brown-Bampoe in the left corner.

Munster absorbed lots of pressure from there, with a Tadhg Beirne turnover lifting the siege, but they were wasteful on their first visit down the other end as John Ryan knocked on a poor Lee Barron pass. A second scrum penalty concession followed.

Exeter got up and running from the resulting lineout, Feyi-Waboso scorching down the left before flanker Ross Vintcent surged over from close range, with Henry Slade converting.

Experienced outside centre Slade grabbed their second as he picked off a Diarmuid Kilgallen knock-on when Munster overplayed in the middle of the pitch, Slade converting his own score for 14-0.

Barron’s penalty concession for an off-the-ball hit allowed Slade to move the home side a further three points in front off the tee, and Munster just couldn’t find a response.

A breakdown penalty win by Alex Kendellen gave them field position on the half-hour mark but Kilgallen knocked on as the Munster attack struggled for gainline. A scrum free-kick gave them another shot straight away, but they were battered in contact again near the Exeter 22 until fullback Ben O’Connor’s long pass was intercepted by Chiefs centre Will Rigg, who raced clear and dotted down under the posts for Slade to convert.

A scrum penalty for Munster gave them one last chance to hit back just before the break but they botched their lineout 10 metres from the Exeter line and the Chiefs kicked clear.

That might have been that for the first half but the excellent Exeter defence came up with another turnover, flanker Tom Hooper swung the ball wide to Feyi-Waboso, and the England wing produced a stunning finish.

He surged past and around five Munster defenders on a slaloming run in off his left wing, dotting down close to the posts to allow Slade to add the extras. Munster were in a deep hole, trailing 31-0 at half time.

McMillan’s side simply had to score early in the second but their first thrust ended with Gavin Coombes knocking the ball on from Craig Casey’s short pass. And the next one finished with an almost comical knock-on by Beirne off Jack Crowley’s pass.

But they finally got something in the 50th minute from a scrum in the Exeter 22, with Crowley stepping neatly and darting over for a try, then landing the touchline conversion.

Munster now had some semblance of momentum but they couldn’t do further damage on the scoreboard, with Exeter’s Campbell Ridl – on for Feyi-Waboso – earning a breakdown penalty, with the next couple of Munster possessions leaving them empty-handed too.

With 12 minutes left, captain Beirne finished off a sharp Casey pass following a sustained period of pressure down in Exeter territory, with Crowley’s conversion bringing Munster back to 31-14.

But the Munster skipper was sent to the bin just a couple of minutes later for a deliberate knock-on, ending his afternoon in frustrating fashion.

Crowley refused to give up on the game, scoring his second try with a classy chip and regather, converting for 31-21. 

Yet Exeter were able to see their win out and move on to face either Benetton or Cardiff next weekend. Munster go back to the drawing board again. 

Exeter scorers:

Tries: Ross Vintcent, Henry Slade, Will Rigg, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso

Conversions: Henry Slade [4 from 4]

Penalties: Henry Slade [1 from 1]

Munster scorers:

Tries: Jack Crowley [2], Tadhg Beirne

Conversions: Jack Crowley [3 from 3]

EXETER: Olly Woodburn; Paul Brown-Bampoe, Henry Slade, Will Rigg (Will Haydon-Wood ’74), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Campbell Ridl ’46); Harvey Skinner, Steve Varney; Scott Sio (Ethan Burger ’50), Jack Yeandle (Joseph Dweba ’50), Jimmy Roots (Bachuki Tchumbadze ’46); Dafydd Jenkins (captain), Andrea Zambonin; Tom Hooper (Rus Tuima ’74), Ross Vintcent (Finn Worley-Brady ’74), Greg Fisilau

Replacement not used: Tom Cairns.

MUNSTER: Ben O’Connor (Seán O’Brien ’69);  Diarmuid Kilgallen, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey (Ben O’Donovan ’69); Jeremy Loughman (Michael Milne ’49), Lee Barron (Niall Scannell ’49), John Ryan (Michael Ala’alatoa ’49); Edwin Edogbo, Tadhg Beirne (captain) (yellow card ’74); Jack O’Donoghue (Tom Ahern ’69), Alex Kendellen (John Hodnett ’50), Gavin Coombes (Ruadhán Quinn ’50).

Referee: Jeremy Rozier [FFR].