Munster 35
Connacht 33
Connacht and Munster delivered a cracking opening to the new season of the United Rugby Championship, but it was the hosts who eventually prevailed by just two points.
Looking the sharper throughout, Connacht put Munster to the sword, but in the end a couple of late errors proved their undoing, with Munster clinging on to scrape this win.
Munster coach Graham Rowntree described the game as a “proper interprovincial”.
“Crickey, they [Connacht] were good, but we stuck to our guns and got the result.”
Despite the loss, Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins said the game was a “great advert for the URC”.
“Disappointing, particularly for the players because they set themselves up to get the season off to a great start with a win and were not quite good enough to take it,” he said.
Some “cheap moments” in the second half gave Munster access to the game, but there were many positives, particularly “for a host of new players who were outstanding”.
“The effort and endeavour was as brave an effort from a Connacht side in my eight years here. Two competition points and we’ll look to build on them going forward.”
Those two points will have given Connacht players huge confidence as they prepare to host South African side Hollywoodbets Sharks next Saturday with hopes they can build on this positive start in Thomond Park.
Having finished last season in a disappointing 11th place - outside Champions Cup qualification - Peter Wilkins much-changed side boasted several key players in action - including the top-rated Santiago Cordero, Mack Hansen, and new recruits Piers O’Conor, Josh Ioane, and his scrumhalf partner Ben Murphy.
For the most part their aggressive defence kept Munster on their toes throughout, while enjoying a positive start - thanks to some scintillating backline play and a physicality that never relented. In addition, the new recruits proved immense - Ioane and Murphy forming as strong halfback pairing in their first competitive match together. Murphy helped deliver the opening score, his step inside the defence created the necessary space, and although Ioane missed the conversion, he was on the target for the second scored again by his scrumhalf, carved from the pace of Mack Hansen.
Munster was the team making the mistakes early on, but they recovered after having knocked on just shy of the line in their best opportunity after 27 minutes, However, a yellow card for Connacht’s Cordero opened the door for the hosts and from the penalty to touch Wycherley delivered from the line-out and centre Nankivell cut through an attempted tackle to open their scoring after 29 minutes, Billy Burns adding the conversion. Within minutes Munster added a second through Mike Haley with Burns again converting.
With Cordero in the bin, Connacht were further hampered by the injury loss of Shane Bolton, but just before the break, they bagged their third try. New recruit Josh Ioane found space from a scrum to race up field before delivering to the supporting Ben Murphy to finish. When Cathal Forde added the extras, Connacht took a 14-19 lead at the break.
With Connacht’s physicality matching their opponents, Munster did not have it their own way, but a penalty after the resumption provided them with theideal chance and they delivered within minutes - Josh Hodnett touching down from a driving maul, and Burns adding the conversion to put them two points in front.
But with Josh Murphy, back in the green jersey after a year completing his medical studies, and Joe Joyce, using all his experience, Connacht never relented. Although Munster denied their visitor another chance after a penalty hit the upright, Connacht produced their fourth try. After a penetrating burst from Shamus Hurley-Langton, and with support from Ioane, Forde and Heffernan, Hawkshaw delivered in the 53rd minute with Ioane adding the extras.
The five-point lead prove short-lived as Munster quickly replied through Gavin Coombes, but Connacht were back on the attack. Replacement scrumhalf Caolan Blade made the initial burst before Cathal Forde forced his way across the line, helped by Piers O’Connor.
However in a rip-roaring contest, there was no relief for Connacht. Munster, backed by the home crowd, continued to utilise their forward power to make hay, and eventually Shane Daly delivered the score to tie the game. Tony Butler’s conversion put the home side back in from by two points, and although the result remained in the balance to the end, Connacht were unable to capitalise on a late penalty.
Munster: Mike Haley, Thaakir Abrahams, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly, Billy Burns, Craig Casey, Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron (C ), John Ryan, Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley, Ruadhán Quinn, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Niall Scannell, Josh Wycherley, Oli Jager, Alex Kendellen, Jack O’Donoghue, Ethan Coughlan, Tony Butler, Seán O’Brien
Connacht: Santiago Cordero, Mack Hansen, Piers O’Conor, Cathal Forde, Shayne Bolton, Josh Ioane, Ben Murphy, Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Jack Aungier, Joe Joyce, Darragh Murray, Josh Murphy, Conor Oliver, Cian Prendergast (C ). Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, for Heffernan (650, Peter Dooley, Sam Illo, Oisín Dowling, Shamus Hurley-Langton for Caolin Blade for David Hawkshaw, Sean Jansen.
Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU ).
