Northampton 34-32 Munster: Tom Seabrook scores hat-trick as hosts edge thriller
Tom Seabrook scored a stunning hat-trick as Northampton Saints secured top spot in Group 3 and a thrilling win over Munster in the Investec Championship A draw at home in the Cup Round of 16.
Making his second consecutive start for Saints in more than a year, the winger fired home after some good handball from the home side.
In a game dominated by wingers with finishing ability, Munster fought back through Calvin Nash, who raced past an unconscious Alex Mitchell to pick up Connor Mu Box kick from Ray, nice attempt.
Moments later Munster passed the ball over and winged it wide for Nash to double the score before Jack Crawley’s penalty doubled the visitors’ advantage.
Saints tried to regain momentum before the break and Munster had to surrender after Gavin Coombs was sent to the bin, allowing Curtis Langdon a chance to point down from the bottom of the rolling maul .
The home side were still three points behind at the break but Seabrook latched on to a superb curling pass from James Lahm for his second cross.
Full-back Lahm then transitioned from provider to finisher, breaking through the Munster defense following a clever tap-in from Finn Smith to seal the bonus.
However, it wasn’t all over for Munster, with winger Diarmuid Kilgallon latching onto a superb no-look back pass from Murray to open the door for Ireland.
With the game settled into a delicate balance, the Saints were in command again when Seabrook unleashed his inside presence on the first-period drive to complete his treble.
But Munster kept their faith, Kilgallon doubling the score at the other end and Crawley’s superb conversion down the left to bring the visitors within two points.
In a bid to move above Northampton in the table and seal home advantage in the last 16 and quarter-finals if they advance, Munster pushed forward in a tense final and scored at Crawley After successfully advancing, the Saints stabilized their position.
The home side secured a crucial turnover in their own half through Henry Pollock’s effort and the Partizans at Franklin Gardens breathed a sigh of relief when the ball was kicked dead, confirming Saints’ success as group champions.
