Danny Cipriani looked a dejected man sitting on the turf in the middle of the pitch on Saturday having seen Sale’s slim European hopes, and probably his own chances of an England recall, washed down the Manchester Ship Canal.
Forty minutes of inspiration followed by 40 minutes of close to desperation had come to nothing for the former England fly-half after one of those last-gasp drop goals so typical of Munster’s glory days in Europe.
“He was outstanding,” said the Sale director of rugby Steve Diamond of Cipriani, the 26-year-old he hopes will be back among the England elite to be announced on Wednesday. “If there were any contentious opinions about his goalkicking, he put them to rest today,” he added. “His ball in hand and his defence especially – he put 12 or 13 tackles in – showed he is playing well. If the England coaches select him, he definitely won’t let them down.”
All of which is certainly true, but whether Cipriani’s performance will lift him in the pecking order of England No 10s is another matter. This was his last chance to impress Stuart Lancaster and the other England coaches ahead of the announcement of their squad for the autumn Tests. If it is easier to look good in a winning side, then Cipriani’s thunder was stolen by another fly-half with Test ambitions.
Long after normal time had run out, Ian Keatley, a 27-year-old who had to leave Leinster and travel to Munster via Connacht, stole the match with a 30-metre drop goal to end any European hopes Sale may have had when they led by 16 points at half-time.
Then, inspired by Cipriani, who was perfect with the boot with four penalties and two conversions, and inspirational with his precise passing, Sale looked to be making a mockery of the self-inflicted whipping-boy status they acquired when drawn in a pool with three of last season’s Heineken semi-finalists. However, with the change of ends came the change in fortunes.
Instead of running rings around the former European champions, Sale, and Cipriani, were forced to batten down the hatches while Munster, a strengthening wind at their backs, mounted one of those rearguard campaigns which has seen so many sides buckle.
Tries by wing Andrew Conway and Ireland scrum-half Conor Murray reduced the gap and then Keatley did the rest with his boot.
“We’ve done that before,” said Anthony Foley, captain when Munster won the Heineken Cup in 2006 and now head coach.
“The boys know that when the 80 minutes are up there is no need to panic and time is your friend still.”
Sale next travel to Clermont Auvergne before facing a double-header against Saracens before Christmas.
Sale: Haley; Brady, Leota, Tuitupou (Jennings 56), Arscott; Cipriani, Cusiter; Lewis-Roberts (De Marchi 75), M Jones, Cobilas (Harrison 56) , Mills (Ostrikov 61), Paterson, Lund, Seymour (capt Beaumont 73), Easter.
Tries: Lund, Leota Cons: Cipriani 2 Pens: Cipriani 4
Munster: F Jones; Conway, Smith (Hanrahan 56), Hurley, Zebo; Keatley, Murray; Kilcoyne (Cronin 44), Casey, Archer (Botha 44), Foley, O’Connell, O’Mahoney (capt), O’Donnell, Stander.
Tries: Kilcoyle, Conway, Murray. Cons: Keating 3. Pen: Keatley. Sin bin: O’Donnell 33
Attn: 9,879 Ref: Mathieu Raynal (Fr; Laurent Cardona; Fr)
