The Albany Gazette - Munster edge O'Gara's La Rochelle to reach Champions Cup quarters

Fly-half Jack Crowley kicked 10 points as Craig Casey, Gavin Coombes and Andrew Smith scored tries to extend La Rochelle's winless run in all competitions to nine games.

Two-time winners Munster will next play either Bordeaux-Begles or Ulster, who meet on Sunday.

O'Gara's side, champions in 2022 and 2023 under the Irishman, were eyeing a first win since January as Munster, where he spent 16 years and remains the leading scorer, came to a sold-out Stade Marcel Deflandre.

After a tense first-half in baking sunshine on the French Atlantic coast, the hosts led 10-7 after Levani Botia scored a try and Ihaia West slotted a penalty either side of Craig Casey's 25th minute touchdown.

The visitors took control of the dramatic fixture by the 55-minute.

Ireland fly-half Jack Crowley kicked a penalty before No 8 Gavin Coombs and winger Andrew Smith crossed to take the score to 22-10 and send the more than 2,000 travelling fans wild.

With a quarter of an hour to go Munster led 25-17 as referee Andrea Piardi awarded a penalty try to the hosts before Crowley struck an O'Gara-like drop goal.

It became a one-point game with three minutes left when winger Hoani Bosmorin caught fly-half Antoine Hastoy's cross kick. Hastoy converted from the touchline.

But the Irish province held on thanks to captain Tadhg Beirne's 80th minute turnover.

- Contender Prendergast -

Earlier, Crowley's competitor for the Ireland fly-half shirt Sam Prendergast scored 11 points as Leinster cruised past Harlequins 62-0 to consolidate his claim for a place in this summer's British and Irish Lions squad.

Prendergast's influential contribution in Dublin included a first-half try, one of nine touchdowns by the Irish province, as the four-time winners reached the quarters for a ninth straight season.

Next weekend they will face Glasgow or Leicester, who meet later on Saturday.

Elsewhere, 14-man Castres edged Treviso 39-37 to set-up a tie with English side Northampton, the 2000 winners, who hammered Clermont 46-24 on Friday.

Replacement scrum-half Jeremy Fernandez converted his own try with eight seconds left to send Castres into the quarters for the first time since 2002 after centre Adrien Seguret was sent off on 42 minutes.

Earlier, Argentina No.8 Facundo Isa scored three times on his 150th club appearance as Toulon fought back to hammer a much-changed Saracens 72-42.

Isa claimed his hat-trick in a 24-minute spell either side of the break after three-time former champions Sarries had built a 22-point lead in blazing sunshine on the French Riviera.

"I think it's the first time I've scored a hat-trick," Isa told BeIn Sports.

"We reacted well, lifted ourselves up.

"Now we want to go the whole way," the 31-year-old added.

Toulon, also champions on three occasions, will host holders Toulouse or Sale, who meet on Sunday, in the last eight.

The 114 points scored by the sides was the second highest in the tournament's history, only beaten by the 124 scored by Toulouse and Ebbw Vale in 1998.

(D.Sanchez--TAG)