Munster Rugby claim hard fought bonus point in URC defeat to Leinster

HOLDERS Munster Rugby came up short in their bid to make it back-to-back wins over Leinster at the Aviva Stadium in the United Rugby Championship when losing out 16-21 in a pulsating interprovincial derby played in front of a 49,246-strong crowd on Saturday evening.

Jack Crowley's 73rd minute goal helped Munster secure a deserved losing bonus point against their full strength rivals in a dramatic fixture.

Munster’s victory in last season’s URC semi-final had ended a run of four straight defeats to their fiercest rivals. It was the Munstermen’s first victory over Leinster at Aviva Stadium since 2014.

While disappointed to lose the latest fixture, albeit against a very strong Leinster line-up, Munster, minus several of their experienced senior players, including the likes of Peter O'Mahony, Jack O'Donoghue, Mike Haley, RG Snyman, Joey Carbery and Niall Scannell, will be encouraged from the showing of their young players in a high octane fixture.

Graham Rowntree's side won't have long to wait for a shot at avenging the result as the two provincial rivals go head-to-head at Thomond Park in the reverse fixture in just four weeks' time on St Stephen's Day.

For this round six fixture, Munster saw Jean Kleyn return for his first outing since winning the World Cup with South Africa, while prop Stephen Archer became the province’s most-capped player of all-time as he made his 269th appearance.

In the absence of the injured duo of Peter O'Mahony and Jack O'Donoghue, Tom Ahern made his first ever start in the back row for Munster.

The game was Simon Zebo’s seasonal bow and his first start at full-back for Munster since 2018. The 33-year-old made just four starts for the province last season.

Ireland duo Robbie Henshaw and Jack Conan make their first appearances of the season for Leinster, while the newly retired Johnny Sexton will be introduced to the packed crowd before the game.

Munster got off to the best possible start when striking for a spectacular try in the sixth minute. The returned Simon Zebo helped create the opening with a searing break up the right hand side of the pitch. The experienced full-back linked with Calvin Nash who in turn found Craig Casey and the scrum-half dotted down superbly in the corner.

For good measure, Jack Crowley nailed the conversion from the touchline for 7-0.

Four minutes later, Munster came within a whisker of adding a second try. Powerful carries from Crowley and Tadhg Beirne helped create the opening which saw Stephen Archer stopped just short of the tryline. Tom Ahern got agonisingly close to dotting down, but was held up and Leinster clear the danger with a goalline dropout.

Munster did add to their tally a few minutes later when Crowley slotted a straight forward penalty for 10-0.

Back came Leinster and following a bout of pressure deep inside the visitors' 22, back-row Jack Conan was stopped just short of the Munster line. However, Munster centre Rory Scannell was penalised for not rolling away and shown a yellow card.

However, composed Munster defence managed to keep the home side out and the champions succeeded in clearing their lines.

Munster then coughed up a disappointing try in the 26th minute when second-row Tadhg Beirne looked to off-load out of a tackle and the ball spilled loose for Leinster scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park to fly-kick the ball ahead before winning the race for the touchdown.

Replacement out-half Ciaran Frawley also added the extra to make it 10-7.

Leinster then hit the front with their second try in the 36th minute, after forcing another penalty deep inside the Munster half. Joe McCarthy claimed the line-out before hooker Dan Sheehan touched down following a well-executed maul. The home side's advantage was out to four points at 14-10, when Frawley duly added the conversion.

Eleven into the second half Munster reduced the deficit to a single point when Crowley converted another straight forward kick at goal to make it 14-13.

Minutes later after Munster were penalised for a deliberate knock-on, Leinster opted for a kick to touch. However, good defence from the visitors forced an error and replacement scum-half Conor Murray cleared the danger.

A brilliant defensive stand from Leinster then prevented Munster from scoring a try just after the hour mark as the visitors threatened to cross the whitewash for a second time on the evening.

Munster were penalised for their lack of cutting edge when Jordan Larmour evaded several poor tackle attempts before dotting down in the right corner in the 65th minute.

Frawley's successful conversion pushed the home side's advantage out to eight points at 21-13.

To their credit, Munster hit back and were rewarded for their industry and endeavour when Jack Crowley's 73rd minute penalty was on target, going over with the help of an upright. That score helped get the visitors within bonus point range at 21-16.

Munster threatened to score a dramatic come-from-behind win when Murray made a scorching break upfield. However, excellent defence firstly from Larmour and then Doris forced a penalty for the home side as the clocked ticked into the 79th minute.

SCORERS: Leinster Rugby: Jamison Gibson-Park, Dan Sheehan, Jordan Larmour try each, Ciarán Frawley three cons. Munster Rugby: Craig Casey try, Jack Crowley three pens, con. 

LEINSTER RUGBY: Hugo Keenan, Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose (Capt), Robbie Henshaw, Jimmy O’Brien, Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan (CAPT), Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris. Replacements: Ciarán Frawley for Byrne (injured six minutes), Ronan Kelleher for Sheehan, Michael Ala’alatoa for Furlong, Scott Penney for van der Flier (all 61 mins), Ross Molony for Ryan (68 mins), Jack Boyle for Porter, Ben Murphy for Gibson-Park (both 73 mins), James Culhane for Doris (80 mins).

MUNSTER RUGBY: Simon Zebo, Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly, Jack Crowley, Craig Casey, Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron (Capt), Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne, Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Shay McCarthy for Nash (22-30 mins), Conor Murray for Casey (51 mins), Dave Kilcoyne for Loughman (53 mins), John Ryan for Archer (57 mins), Alex Kendellen for Hodnett (62 mins), Shay McCarthy for Zebo (64 mins), Brian Gleeson for Kleyn (69 mins), Tony Butler for Scannell (73 mins).

REFEREE: Chris Busby (IRFU)