Valiant Munster Rugby come up short against All-Blacks XV in Thomond Park try-fest

A VALIANT effort from Munster Rugby wasn't enough to prevent an All-Blacks XV from recording an exciting 38-24 victory in their entertaining international rugby fixture played in front of a sold-out attendance of 26,267 at Thomond Park on Saturday evening.

The New Zealanders outscored their hosts by six tries to four in an absorbing contest, with the outcome very much in doubt until the final minutes. 

Munster, who trailed by just two points with less than five minutes remaining, were hit with two breakaway tries late on as the visitors closed out victory.

In a week which saw the shock departure of head coach Graham Rowntree on Tuesday, Munster players and supporters can be very proud of their battling display against opposition who included four full All-Blacks in their starting line-up and two more on the replacements bench.

Munster will now switch their focus firmly onto finding Rowntree's replacement, while the players and coaches get a well deserved break before the focus switches to the resumption of the URC at the end of the month and the Lions visit to Thomond Park.

This was the tenth meeting of the province and a New Zealand representative side, dating all the way back to 1905, when The Original All Blacks came to Limerick and won 33-0, captained by Irish-born Dave Gallagher.

All-Blacks XV Head coach Clayton McMillan, who previously worked with Munster's John Ryan and Alex Nankivell at the Chiefs, included four fully-capped New Zealand internationals in his starting line-up, with another two named on the bench.

The starters included full-back Shaun Stevenson, loosehead prop George Bower, scrum-half Finlay Christie and centre Quinn Tupaea.

Munster Rugby turned down a good opportunity to open the scoring in the 14th minute when opting for a kick to touch off a penalty award just outside the visitors' '22.

The line-out ended up on the '22, however, and Munster failed to capitalise on the favourable field position as the All-Blacks cleared their lines.

The first try did not arrive until 23 minutes however, with AJ Lam crossing from close range to open the scoring and Harry Plummer adding the extras from the tee for 7-0.

Five minutes later they doubled their advantage as Chay Fihaki crossed out on the right-hand side, with Plummer converting.

Despite those early body blows, Munster regrouped and hit back. The home side turned down a kick at goal, instead opting for another kick to the corner with Rory Scannell finding a good touch. Munster won the line-out and retained possession impressively, with the home side building a succession of phases, showing good patience.

The home side's centre Tom Farrell eventually found full-back Mike Haley who powered his way over the tryline from close range. Thomond Park erupted.

Rory Scannell was off target with the conversion, but Munster had reduced the deficit to nine points, 5-14.

And Munster were right back in the contest on the stroke of half-time. From another kickable penalty Munster against opted for touch and fortune favoured the brave.

Munster won the line-out, with captain Diarmuid Barron setting the maul. The ball was recycled and as the Munster pack powered their way towards the tryline, their progress was halted illegally.

Japanese match referee Takehito Namekawa awarded a penalty try to the home side and brandished a yellow card to All-Blacks XV number four Isaia Walker-Leawere.

Munster trooped off to the dressing room with a pep in their step and the loud cheers of the home supporters ringing in their ears.

However, despite starting the second half with 14 players, it was the visitors who accounted for the next points. Munster had a reprieve in the 42nd minute when the TMO chalked off a try for flanker Du'Plessis Kirifi for an earlier knock-on.

However, the relief was short-lived as hooker Brodie McAllister touched down off the back of a well-executed maul. Harry Plummer added the conversion for good measure and a 21-12 lead.

To their credit, Munster responded resolutely, striking for their third try of the game with a well-executed maul again the source of joy.

Diarmuid Barron and Tom Ahern played integral roles before the ball was slipped to flanker John Hodnett who showed great strength to power over. 

Scannell was off target with the conversion attempt, but the visitors lead was down to four points, 17-21.

The see-saw nature of the battle continued as the New Zealanders struck for their fourth try of the game as centre Quinn Tupaea pounced on a crossfield kick to score for 26-17.

Once more Munster responded with centre Tom Farrell crashing over to score their fourth try which replacement out-half Tony Butler converted to leave just two points in it, 24-26.

Munster sprang 20-year-old Limerick forward Evan O'Connell from the replacements' bench for his senior debut with the province soon after. It was a proud moment for his family who are steeped in Limerick, Munster and Ireland rugby.

Munster strained every sinew in a bid to gain the score which would put them ahead. 

However, their hopes off pulling off another famous win over New Zealand opposition were finally ended when the clinical visitors struck for two late tries through a Harry Plummer intercept and finally winger Kini Nahol.

SCORERS: Munster Rugby: Pen try, Mike Haley, John Hodnett, Tom Farrell try each, Tony Butler con. All-Blacks XV: Harry Plummer try, four cons, AJ Lam, Chay Fihaki, Brodie McAllister, Quinn Tupaea, Kini Naholo try each.

MUNSTER RUGBY: Mike Haley; Shay McCarthy, Tom Farrell, Rory Scannell, Diarmuid Kilgallen; Billy Burns, Ethan Coughlan; John Ryan, Diarmuid Barron (Capt), Stephen Archer; Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern; Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Ruadhán Quinn for O'Mahony (half-time), Kieran Ryan for John Ryan, Tony Butler for Burns (both 52 mins), Niall Scannell for Barron (55 mins), Patrick Patterson for Ethan Coughlan (56 mins), Evan O’Connell for Ahern (61 mins), Ben O'Connor for McCarthy, Ronan Foxe for Archer (both 71 mins). 

ALL-BLACKS XV: Shaun Stevenson; Chay Fihaki, AJ Lam, Quinn Tupaea, Kini Naholo; Harry Plummer, Finlay Christie; George Bower, Brodie McAllister, George Dyer; Isaia Walker-Leawere, Fabian Holland; Oliver Haig, Du'Plessis Kirifi (capt), Devan Flanders. Replacements: Ruben Love for Fihaki (46 mins), Xavier Numia for George Bower, Marcel Renata for Dyer (both 51 mins), Bradley Slater for McAllister (59 mins), Corey Kellow for Flanders, Noah Hotham for Christie, Naitoa Ah Kuoi for Holland (all 66 mins), Josh Jacomb for Stevenson (72 mins).

REFEREE: Takehito Namekawa (Japan)