Munster Rugby suffer defeat to Gloucester in final pre-season fixture

MUNSTER Rugby suffered a 33-19 defeat to Premiership side Gloucester in the second of their pre-season fixtures in front of an attendance of 4,497 at Virgin Media Park in Cork on Friday night.

The English visitors laid the foundation for this victory in the opening half after which the Cherry and Whites enjoyed a significant 33-12 advantage. The visitors racked up five tries in the opening 40 minutes courtesy of Charlie Atkinson, Ollie Thorley, Max Llewellyn, Afo Fasogbon and George Barton.

The ease with which the visitors crossed the whitewash will have frustrated the Munster coaching team.

The home side had two tries of their own in the opening period through Liam Coombes, who was unfortunate to pick up an early injury in the game which forced him off, and a second five-pointer from Ruadhan Quinn.

There was just one further try in the second half as both sides rung the changes. Scrum-half Jack Oliver scored that try on his first senior start for the province.

Gloucester made no fewer than 13 changes in personnel at half-time, while Munster gave a run-out to no fewer than 30 players in all during the course of the fixture.

This was a second defeat for Munster in pre-season fixtures following their narrow reverse at the hands of Bath at The Rec last weekend.

Munster start their United Rugby Championship campaign in two weeks' time with an interprovincial fixture against Connacht at Thomond Park on Saturday, September 21, 5.30pm.

Gordon Wood made his first Munster appearance off the replacements bench in the game. In doing so, the talented footballer followed in his father Keith and grandfather, also Gordon, in wearing the red of Munster at senior level.

For one of Munster new signings, lively South African winger Thaakir Abrahams, it was an impressive first start for Munster.

Academy back-row forward Seán Edogbo made his first Munster appearance off the bench.

MUNSTER RUGBY: Mike Haley; Liam Coombes, Shane Daly, Seán O’Brien, Thaakir Abrahams; Billy Burns, Jack Oliver; Josh Wycherley, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Gavin Coombes, Fineen Wycherley; Ruadhán Quinn, Alex Kendellen, Jack O’Donoghue (Capt). Replacements used: Diarmuid Barron, Scott Buckley, Eoghan Clarke, Jeremy Loughman, John Ryan, Ronan Foxe, Conor Ryan, Jack Daly, Seán Edogbo, Luca Cleary, Tony Butler, Tom Farrell, Bryan Fitzgerald, Gordon Wood, Patrick Campbell.

GLOUCESTER RUGBY: George Barton; Christian Wade, Max Llewyllyn, Charlie Atkinson, Ollie Thorley; Gareth Anscombe, Tomos Williams (Capt); Jamal Ford Robinson, Jack Singleton, Afo Fasogbon, Freddie Clarke, Ruan Ackermann, Ciao James, Harry Taylor, Zach Mercer. Replacements used: Ciaran Knight, Gareth Blackmore, Alfie Petch, Freddie Thomas, Deiane Gwynne, Jack Clement, Caolan Englefield, Jack Reeves, Louis Hillman-Cooper, Matt Ward, Morgan Adderly-Jones, George Knowles, Lewis Ludlow, Charlie Chaoman.

REFEREE: A Cole (IRFU)