17 Jan 2011

Munster out of European Cup

7:14 am on 17 January 2011

Two-time champions Munster have failed to reach the European Cup rugby quarter-finals for the first time since the 1997 season after they received a 32-16 thrashing by French debutants Toulon.

Two tries and 22 points by English World Cup-winning fly-half Jonny Wilkinson also saw the heavily-financed Toulon outfit 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 away at Glasgow.