Two-time champions Munster failed to reach the European Cup quarter-finals for the first time since the 1997-1988 season after they received a 32-16 thrashing by French debutantes Toulon on Sunday.
English World Cup-winning fly-half Jonny Wilkinson contributed 22 of his team’s points as heavily-financed Toulon were assured of topping the hotly-contested Pool 3 and a place in the last eight.
Welsh side Ospreys will also miss out on the last eight — a stage they have reached the past three seasons — as they surprisingly went down 24-12 at London Irish, the Exiles’ first win in 11 matches.
On a good day for French sides, defending champions Toulouse progressed without even playing as their closest rivals in Pool 6, two-time champions Wasps, suffered a shock 20-10 defeat at Glasgow.
Wasps host Toulouse next weekend in the final round of matches and must hope that they beat their opponents, and other results go their way, so they can snatch one of the two best runners-up spots and a place in the quarter-finals.
“It is a magical weekend. To qualify another time for the quarter-finals is exceptional,” Toulouse head coach Guy Noves said. “It is a deserved qualification. It is due reward for the work done by the players and the coaching staff. I am very proud of what we have accomplished.”
Toulon took the match by the scruff of the neck from the outset as three early penalties by Wilkinson gave them a 9-3 cushion against a flat Munster outfit.
The hosts turned the screw when they scored the opening try as a cheeky chip over the defense by veteran scrum-half Pierre Mignoni was caught by Tongan-born Japanese international Christian Loamanu, beating Doug Howlett and Paul Warwick, before he touched down.
Wilkinson landed the conversion and although Ronan O’Gara scored a penalty to make it a 10-point deficit, the Irish self--destructed again.
Veteran Irish lock Donncha O’Callaghan was sin-binned in the 33rd minute for throwing an opponent to the ground off the ball and Toulon profited as Wilkinson landed the resulting penalty.
The inspired Mignoni cut the Irish defense to ribbons creating a huge overlap which, though nearly spoiled by a wild pass from Joe van Niekerk, was well recovered by Paul Sackey and the England winger burrowed over the line to score in the corner.
Wilkinson landed a sublime conversion from out wide on the right to make it 26-6, with the damage being only marginally reduced by another O’Gara penalty on the stroke of halftime.
However, Wilkinson added a penalty shortly after the restart to make it 29-9 and Munster’s nightmare afternoon got even worse shortly before the 50th minute mark when O’Gara was yellow-carded for what even the linesman termed “handbags” as the Irishman and Mignoni went at each other.
Wilkinson added another penalty with O’Gara still off the pitch to make it 32-9 and Irish hopes of sparking a revival were further dimmed when Howlett dived to touch down in the corner, but his effort was ruled out for being in touch.
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