Johann van Graan 'incredibly proud' of Munster's performance despite Champions Cup exit

Munster head coach Johann van Graan heaped praises on his side after they were edged out by Toulouse in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Champions Cup at Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday.

Alex Kendellen, Keith Earls and Mike Haley scored tries for the Irish province while Romain Ntamack and Matthis Lebel touched down for Toulouse as both the teams were unseparated at the end of 100 minutes with 24-24 points leading to a penalty shootout.

Munster’s Ben Healy and Conor Murray missed out on the penalty shootout while Thomas Ramos, Antoine Dupont (2) and Romain Ntamack ensured the defending champions won the encounter 4-2 leading to an exit in the competition for van Graan's side.

“Firstly, incredibly proud,” he said, regaining his composure.

“Today [Saturday] was what Munster rugby is about. To lose it like that, that is unfortunately sport, that is the way the rules are. Somebody has got to kick it over and somebody has got to miss.

"If ever there is a day that sums up Munster rugby it’s today, a community, 40,000 people travelling. It was certainly one of the best rugby games I have been involved with.

“I said to my wife there, from a feeling point of view this was like the World Cup semifinal in 2015 that we lost 20-18 against the All Blacks, that feeling that you gave it all you have got, the players gave it all they have got."

Toulouse will now face Leinster in the semi-final on the second week of May while La Rochelle will take on the winner of Racing 92 and Sale Sharks in the other knock out game.