'A proper game' - Dowson reflects on special Saints win against Munster

The black, green and gold held their nerve in the final minute to put the seal on a thrilling win that earns them a home round of 16 tie in the Investec Champions Cup.

Tom Seabrook scored a hat-trick for Saints, who came back from 15-5 down to produce a memorable bonus-point victory at a sold-out cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens.

And Dowson said: "That was a proper game!

"We talk a lot about how special Europe is and there's a bit of history with the 2000 Heineken Cup-winning team walking around the pitch at half-time.

"It was one of those special occasions.

"The Munster fans and the Munster team put everything into that, and that was a proper game."

Saints were 15-12 down at the break, having cut the gap just before the interval thanks to a Curtis Langdon score.

And Dowson's men eventually pushed on to get some breathing space at 34-25 up before a Munster try just before the end made things nervy.

Henry Pollock eventually popped up with a match-winning turnover, allowing his side to boot the ball out to put the seal on their superb success.

"At half-time, we needed to make sure we played a bit more territory and we managed to exert a bit more pressure," Dowson said.

"In the first half, whenever Munster got into our half, they generally scored, so we managed it better in the second half.

"Right until the end, it was nip and tuck."

Saints have now topped Pool 3, meaning they will enjoy home advantage in the round of 16, and also the quarter-finals should they get there.

"It (the win against Munster) is huge from a seeding point of view," Dowson said.

"We saw in the round of 16 here against Munster last season how important home advantage is.

"At the top table of Europe, home advantage is fairly pivotal so you could see how hard our lads fought and how hard Munster fought as well so it was a really decent game of rugby.

"It was about the intensity of the game from minute one to 80.

"There were periods of this season where we weren't maybe as consistent as we have been, but I thought from zero to 80 here we were on our game and played very well.

"That consistency throughout the game was the most pleasing for me."