Rugby

Munster bring the fight but Leinster take the spoils at Thomond Park

Leinster continue winning streak with bonus-point win in Limerick

Munster’s Tom Ahern and Tadhg Beirne dejected after the final whistle at Thomond Park. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
Munster’s Tom Ahern and Tadhg Beirne dejected after the final whistle at Thomond Park. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
Johnny Watterson
Fri Dec 27 2024 - 21:51
URC: Munster 7 Leinster 28

When Munster coach Ian Costello was asked before the match began what characterised his side’s win over Ulster last week he answered, “character and fight.” By then ‘Stand up and Fight’ had not been played in Thomond Park but the message was clear what was needed against Leinster in round nine of the URC.

In the end, Munster were not without fight but the constant pressure from Leinster sapped energy and amounted to little with Leinster taking four tries to Munster’s one.

And the opening try came too easily. When Robbie Henshaw threw a forward ball to Tommy O’Brien after six minutes with the line at his mercy, Munster breathed a sigh of relief.

But Leinster won the scrum, Sam Prendergast kicked for an attacking lineout and Leinster’s bigger bodies hit the line. After Josh van der Flier and Ryan Baird had bumped up, Luke McGrath picked up the ball with a giant gap opening. The scrumhalf sailed in unopposed for the first score.

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Prendergast kicked for the conversion and after 10 minutes Leinster had taken a 0-7 lead.

But a high-energy Munster were far from winded and took the game to Leinster. When O’Brien was yellow carded at 21 minutes on the Leinster line after Scottish referee Sam Grove-White had spoken to captain Caelan Doris for infringing, Munster chose to tap and run.

For a while it looked like Leinster would break as they absorbed pressure before Tadhg Beirne threw himself over the line under the posts. It seemed then a deserved try had fallen Munster’s way, but heroic defending from Garry Ringrose had held the ball up and within seconds Leinster were up in the other half of the field.

On 32 minutes hooker Rónan Kelleher did as Munster had done and tapped with the big bodies that were defending their line minutes before pumping towards Munster’s posts.

Sam Prendergast scores for Leinster. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
Sam Prendergast scores for Leinster. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

Finally, McGrath whipped the ball out with Prendergast on a scything run inside the 22. With room to spare he ran in and under the posts to convert and make it 0-14.

It was not what Munster deserved going in at the break, but their inaccuracy at times had let them down.

However it didn’t show, and far from any signs of despondency Munster opened the second half at high tempo and Leinster were again backing off. A scrum penalty allowed them kick into the Leinster 22 and again they were probing the Leinster defence.

Three tap penalties later from Niall Scannell five metres out and Tom Ahern took on the ball at pace bursting through the blue wall. They had found their accuracy.

Munster were finally on the board with Billy Burns converting for 7-14 on 53 minutes, home confidence soaring.

Josh Van der Flier celebrates scoring Leinster's third try. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
Josh Van der Flier celebrates scoring Leinster's third try. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho

Leinster though were irrepressible and less than 10 minutes later were pushing Munster on their line. Just like that they had flipped the pressure and with Munster stretched, Joe McCarthy drove his way towards the posts.

Van der Flier was at his side to pick and go from yards out with no Munster body to lay a hand on him. Prendergast again converted and Leinster had reestablished their 14-point lead.

Munster did continue to fight but Leinster by then felt they had the resources to see out the match. As the bench started to empty, it looked more and more like Munster had given all they had and it just wasn’t enough on the night.

Leinster ended the match looking for more scores to strengthen their position at the top of the URC table and Munster looked out on their feet. Finally, it fell to the Leinster captain Doris to barge in for Leinster’s fourth try, momentum and strength taking him over the Munster line for the final time to bring it to 7-28.

The result leaves Leinster unbeaten this season in the URC and Champions Cup.

Scoring sequence – 10 mins: L McGrath try, S Prendergast con 0-7; 32: S Prendergast try, con 0-14; Half-time 0-14; 44: T Ahern try, B Burns con 7-14; 52: J van der Flier try, Prendergast con 7-21; 73: C Doris try, R Byrne con 7-28.

MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; Billy Burns, Ethan Coughlan; Dian Bleuler, Niall Scannell, Oli Jager, Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne (CAPT), Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes

Replacements: Eoghan Clarke for Scannell 21 mins; Scannell for Clarke 37 mins; John Hodnett for Wycherley 40 mins; Paddy Patterson for Coughlan 51 mins; John Ryan for Jaeger 54 mins; Tony Butler for Burns 65 mins; Brian Gleeson for Kendellen 64 mins; Clarke for Scannell 73 mins; Kieran Ryan for Bleuler 73 mins; Ben O’Connor for Haley 74 mins

LEINSTER: Jamie Osborne; Tommy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Jimmy O’Brien; Sam Prendergast, Luke McGrath; Jack Boyle, Ronan Kelleher, Rabah Slimani, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).

Replacements: Andrew Porter for Boyle 21 mins; Cian Healy for Slimani 52 mins; Fintan Gunne for McGrath 52 mins; Lee Barron for Kelleher 63 mins; Ross Byrne for Prendergast 63 mins; Scott Penny for van der Flier 72 mins; Jordan Larmour for Ringrose 73 mins; Brian Deeny for Ryan 74 mins

Yellow card: T O’Brien (22 mins).

Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU).

Johnny Watterson

Johnny Watterson

Johnny Watterson is a sports writer with The Irish Times

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