'Chiefs one of the best' - Van Graan

By Mark Stevens
21/1/19

Munster coach Johann Van Graan has described Exeter Chiefs as one of the top sides in world rugby after facing off against them twice in this season's Heineken Champions Cup.

Having shared the spoils with a 10-10 draw at Sandy Park back in October, it was the Irish province who advanced to the last eight of the competition courtesy of a narrow 9-7 victory on Saturday at Thomond Park.

Joey Carbery's third successful penalty, eight minutes from time, proved the difference in a blood-and-thunder contest in which neither side were willing to give up an inch.

Knowing nothing less than a victory would suffice in Limerick, the Chiefs threw everything at their hosts in a powerful display. And having taken the lead 7-6 thanks to a converted Don Armand try on 22 minutes, the game went a further 50 minutes without change before Carbery struck for the hosts.

Such was the speed, intensity and physicality that the game was played at, it was little wonder both sets of players looked like they had been at war when they trooped off the field at the final whistle.

And whilst he was delighted to see his own side progress to the quarter-finals, Van Graan was hugely complimentary of the threat posed by the visiting Chiefs.

"In my 15 months here at Munster, that was definitely the toughest game," said the South African post-match. "It was two teams that didn't know how to give up. The Chiefs kept fighting to the last second of the game. It's a team I respect so much.

"We made some errors because of pressure (from the opposition) in the first half, we adapted well in the second half and it became an arm wrestle and everybody wrestled with everything they got. I'm very glad we came through this one.

"It's not often in a game of rugby, there's only one score in the second half. That just shows how tight it was. Once we went in front, we knew they had to run everything. They fought for every single millimetre. When the pool draw came out and I saw that Exeter Chiefs were in our pool, they are in my opinion one of the top sides in the world, and I include test teams. They put us under pressure in all facets of the game."