Munster score bonus point win in Guinness PRO14 at Southern Kings

MUNSTER made it two wins from two at the start of the Guinness PRO14 season when scoring an emphatic 31-20 bonus point victory over Southern Kings at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth on Saturday afternoon.

Munster, impressive opening day winners over Dragons at Thomond Park last weekend, led their hosts 10-6 at half-time, thanks to a Mike Haley try and a conversion and penalty goal from the boot of JJ Hanrahan.

Johann van Graan's charges took a firm grip on the game in the second half after initially falling 10-13 in arrears, with three second half tries from Alby Mathewson, Fineen Wycherley and finally Arno Botha in the 70th minute.

The game saw a Munster debut off the replacements' bench for the province's new short-term signing, Australian forward Jed Holloway.

Munster’s only defeat in their last eight Guinness PRO14 fixtures remains their 9-24 loss to Leinster at the RDS Arena in
last season’s semi-final.

Munster’s record against South African opponents in the Guinness PRO14 is played seven, won seven.

The two side have now met on three occasions with Munster winning all three, including a 39-22
victory against Kings in at Outeniqua Park, George, in April 2018.

ISUZU SOUTHERN KINGS: Masixole Banda, Andell Loubser, Tertius Kruger, JT Jackson, Courtney Winnaar, Demetri Catrakilis, Stefan Ungerer, Juan Schoeman, Alandre van Rooyen, Pieter Scholtz, Jerry Sexton, Aston Fortuin, Lusanda Badiyana (C), Tienie Burger, Ruaan Lerm. Replacements: Jacques du Toit, Alulutho Tshakweni, Rossouw de Klerk, Bobby de Wee, Elrigh Louw, Josh Allderman, Sibusiso Sithole, Josiah Twum-Boafo

MUNSTER: Mike Haley, Darren Sweetnam, Dan Goggin, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly, JJ Hanrahan, Alby Mathewson, Liam O’Connor, Kevin O’Byrne, Stephen Archer, Darren O’Shea, Fineen Wycherley, Jack O’Donoghue, Tommy O’Donnell (C), Arno Botha. Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, James Cronin, Jeremy Loughman, Jed Holloway, Billy Holland, Neil Cronin, Tyler Bleyendaal, Chris Cloete

REFEREE: Dan Jones (Wales)