Munster Rugby made work hard for first URC win of the season

MUNSTER Rugby scored their first win of their United Rugby Championship campaign, but failed to pick up a try bonus point, in edging past an improving Zebre Parma side 21-5 before an official attendance of 6,485 at Musgrave Park on Saturday evening.

While Munster will be relieved to have recorded their first success of the league season, following earlier defeats to both Cardiff Blues and the Dragons, the provinces players, coaches and supporters will feel more than a degree of frustration at their inability to claim a five point haul from this contest.

Munster failed to register a single point for the final 55 minutes of the game, the home side's endeavour and industry undone by some poor handling errors and general lack of accuracy.

Munster failed to build momentum in the game, despite a very encouraging start. The home side hit the front on eight minutes with the first of two tries from hooker Niall Scannell. Out-half Ben Heay also added the extras for 7-0.

Much of the first half was stop-start in nature and took a total of 55 minutes to play.

Prop Keynan Knox then burrowed his way over the home side second's try on the evening on 17 minutes with Healy's conversion making it 14-0.

After Jack O'Donoghue had a try chalked off by the TMO, Scannell struck for his second try of the game on 25 minutes, with Healy's conversion making it 21-0.

It seemed only to be a matter of time as to when Munster would strike for the bonus point try, especially given the pressure the line-out was imposing on the visitors, but a fourth touchdown never arrived.

Munster maintained their 21-0 advantage until half-time, but the only points in the second 40 minutes came from a try for Zebre replacement Pani on 43 minutes.

The fare in the second half was scrappy as neither side could build any meaningful phases of possession.

Limerick winger Conor Phillips made his senior debut for the province as the Young Munster player was one of four Academy players who featured.

The second half saw experienced prop Stephen Archer join the fray from the replacements' bench to earn his 250th cap for the province. 

History was then made in the 74th minute when 18-year-old Ruadhan Quinn become the youngest ever player to line out in a competitive fixture for Munster in the professional era when sprung from the bench.

Old Crescent RFC player Quinn featured for Crescent College Comprehensive in their 2022 Munster Schools Senior Cup success.

Highly-rated Academy lock Edwin Edogbo was another to make a big impact in the game off the bench, having being introduced for a second Munster appearance following his debut last week.

Munster Rugby: Mike Haley, Conor Phillips, Malakai Fekitoa, Dan Goggin, Patrick Campbell, Ben Healy, Craig Casey; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, Keynan Knox, Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne, Jack O’Donoghue, Peter O’Mahony (CAPT), Jack O’Sullivan. Replacements: Scott Buckley, Jeremy Loughman, Stephen Archer, Edwin Edogbo, Ruadhan Quinn, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery, Rory Scannell

Zebre Parma: Richard Kriel, Pierre Bruno, Erich Cronjé, Enrico Lucchin (CAPT), Jacopo Trulla, Tiff Eden, Alessandro Fusco, Juan Pitinari, Giampietro Ribaldi, Ion Neculai, Gabriele Venditti, Leonard Krumov, Davide Ruggeri, MJ Pelser, Taina Fox-Matamu, Replacements: Luca Bigi, Luca Rizzoli, Matteo Nocera, Joshua Furno, Iacopo Bianchi, Nicolò Casilio, Franco Smith Jr, Lorenzo Pani.

Referee: AJ Jacobs (South Africa)