Four tries for a bonus point win in summery Thomond Park was just what Munster needed to keep their home venue status for a meeting with Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship (URC) knockout phase next weekend. If they keep winning Munster will remain in Thomond Park up to the final.
Ulster huffed and puffed, took the lead in the second half and made life troublesome for the home side despite suffering two late injury withdrawals in Stuart McCloskey and Ethan McIlroy.
In what was the final match of the regular season, Munster kept fans in considerable doubt until 10 minutes from the end when replacement hooker Eoghan Clarke dashed away from the back of a lineout maul to score the final try, one that put Munster 26-24 ahead.
Tries also from RG Snyman after seven minutes, player of the match Calvin Nash and Shane Daly in the second half outscored the three from Ulster, hooker Rob Herring, flankers David McCann and Matty Rea crossing in what was an edge of the seat cup tie meeting between the teams.
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In the end Munster were good for their win and a quarterfinal meeting with Ospreys next on Friday at 7.35pm in Thomond Park.
It is likely to be a changed Munster team too as Joey Carbery was called into the match in the first half for injured centre Rory Scannell. Alex Nankivell and Antoine Frisch were also unavailable. Still, Munster coach Graham Rowntree was upbeat about his side’s current run of nine unbeaten URC games.
“Played well, didn’t he?” said Rowntree on Carbery. “He is about to be a father as well. He has a lot on his mind, a lot on his mind at the moment, Joey. We have always had that ability for Jack to move to 12 and for Joey to come on. We trained that in the week. I thought he brought composure tonight,.
“I would say probably Frisch, Nanks probably not,” added the Munster coach when asked about his injured players’ availability for Ospreys.
The home support will be an obvious asset to Munster. Also, the nature of the win was impressive in that Munster found themselves in a 14-24 hole in the second half of the match, when Rea scored and John Cooney converted. But they found a way to haul themselves back and win the game.
The bench was also a shot of energy when Gavin Coombes, Oli Jager, Tom Ahern and John Hodnett all came in around 50 minutes and added an edge to the Munster play,
Rowntree and centre Sean O’Brien turned that into one of their strengths, O’Brien focusing on the winning streak Munster have found in the final third of the season. World Cup winner Snyman and Peter O’Mahony were two players that gave way in that change up.
“Well, obviously like, the lads won the whole thing last year, so we know what this group is capable of,” said O’Brien. “Like Wig [Rowntree] said, it is something like 39 points out of the last 40 or 44 out of 45, so we know we are a good team, but that does not mean anything unless we go out and perform every week but, yeah, the belief in there is sky high, we know what we can do.”
Rowntree also pointed to the Munster errors which they must clean up. Both sides were guilty of misplaced passes and handling mistakes as well as some overthrown lineouts in attacking positions. But the overall mood from both was positive and Ulster feel they are in good shape to face Leinster in Dublin.
Their backrow of number eight Nick Timoney, openside David McCann and the outstanding Cormac Izuchukwu, are looking forward to that Dublin clash with Izuchukwu putting in an outstanding shift and directly responsible for making the ground Rea’s second half try.
“We don’t do things easy. We like a bit of jeopardy. The mentality is the next game, play-off rugby, anything can happen. Ospreys coming here, as I say, good team, well coached, nothing to lose,” said Rowntree before alluding to the errors Munster made to allow it to become a dogfight in the end.
“We have some things to address there around our game particularly individually. The guys know, they are an honest group. Guys know who have made those errors.
“This week is about getting ourselves right physically and mentally for play-off rugby. Friday night is not ideal, but we will roll with the punches. We don’t do things easy as you have seen over the years, over this season. We are into play-off rugby now, dust ourselves down, pick a team middle of the week, as I say.”
Irish winger Nash, who almost finished off one of the best moves of the match after 27 minutes, when he was put through by Simon Zebo but brought down by covering Timoney, was player of the match in front of a 17,496 crowd.
URC quarter-final draw
Friday June 7
Munster v Ospreys, Thomond Park, Limerick (kick-off 7.35pm) – live on RTE, Premier Sports and URC.tv
Saturday June 8
Vodacom Bulls v Benetton, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (kick-off 2.30pm) – live on TG4, Premier Sports and URC.tv
Leinster v Ulster, Aviva Stadium, Dublin (kick-off 5pm) – live on TG4, Premier Sports and URC.tv
Glasgow Warriors v DHL Stormers, Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow (kick-off 7.35pm) – live on Premier Sports and URC.tv
Semi-finals
Munster/Ospreys v Glasgow Warriors/DHL Stormers
Vodacom Bulls/Benetton v Leinster/Ulster
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