Hewat clinches quarter final spot

Hewat clinches quarter final spot

January 20, 2008

FORMER NSW points-scoring machine Peter Hewat has crossed for a last-minute try to guide London Irish into the quarter-finals of the European Cup.
The ex-Waratahs back scored two tries and two conversions in the 24-11 victory over Pool 1 rivals Treviso at the Stadio Communale Di Monigo in northern Italy.

Irish had raced to a 19-0 lead before the Italian champions pegged them back after the interval.

Hewat's second touchdown deep in injury time earned London Irish the bonus point they needed to reach the knockout stages for the first time in their history and guarantee a home quarter-final.

Meanwhile defending champions Wasps crashed out of the European Cup when they slumped to a 19-3 defeat at 2006 winners Munster in the pouring rain at Limerick.

Munster topped Pool 5 and made sure of their place in the quarter-finals along with triple champions Toulouse, Perpignan and Saracens.

But Wasps, who had former England skipper Lawrence Dallaglio sin-binned in a tense clash at Thomond Park, saw even their slim hopes of squeezing into the last eight as a best runner-up crushed when Clermont ran in six tries to beat hapless Llanelli 41-0 to snatch second place.

Munster, who have only lost once at their Irish stronghold in the history of the European Cup, mastered the windswept conditions much better than Wasps who were left shell-shocked having started the day on top of the pool.

"It is a great sense of achievement," said Munster's man-of-the-match Donncha O'Callagahan as he reflected on his side having made the last eight 10 years in succession.

"Today was a cup final in itself and that was how we approached it. We have huge respect for Wasps and they set the standard and we are thrilled to get out of the group."

Dallaglio was critical of the decision to send teammate and lock Simon Shaw to the sin bin in the first half.

"We started well but the turning point was Simon Shaw's sin bin," said Dallaglio. "It was a penalty and not a sin bin but ultimately they played the conditions better than us."

Ireland international Ronan O'Gara kicked three penalties to Danny Cipriani's one successful attempt to give Munster a 9-3 lead at the break.

Toulouse moved effortlessly into the quarter-finals with an easy 34-10 victory over Edinburgh.
They will be the only side from their daunting Pool 6 to progress to the knockout stages as Leinster failed to get the win they required at two-time champions Leicester, Brian O'Driscoll's men losing 25-9.

AAP