Toulouse win penalty shootout to make Champions Cup semis

Could there be a more horrible way to lose a knockout rugby match? Munster missed three shots at goal in their penalty shootout with Toulouse at the Aviva Stadium, meaning the reigning champions scrape through to the Heineken Champions Cup semi-finals.

Not even 20 minutes of extra time could end a 24-all stalemate between the two sides, meaning that we went to the tee for a shootout – a tortuous prospect no side has faced at this level since the famous shootout between Cardiff and Leicester Tigers back in 2009.

That day, Martyn Williams of Cardiff missed and Jordan Crane of Leicester slotted, to decide the tie. That day we witnessed one of the tournaments most memorable – and tense – matches.

This time out, in Dublin, Toulouse made all of their shots while Ben Healy missed twice and Conor Murray once to end things 4-2 in the French giant’s favour.

The sides were inseparable after the regulation 80 minutes, both sides scoring three tries, three conversions and a penalty apiece. They went in level at half-time too, at 14-all.

It was advantage Munster at the midpoint of the second half but their staunch defence could not hold out Toulouse indefinitely. Healy also had a long-range penalty kick at the end of the second half to try and decide the tie, but the kick fell just shy of the posts and we headed into a nervy extra time period.

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