Misfiring Munster fall to disappointing defeat to Dragons in URC

MISFIRING Munster Rugby have opened their BKT United Rugby Championship season with back-to-back defeats to Welsh regions after suffering a disappointing 23-17 reverse at the hands of the Dragons at Rodney Parade.

The Dragons, who did not win a single home fixture in the URC last season, had been thumped 44-6 by Edinburgh in their opening game in the competition this season.

Munster had won their last eight fixtures against Dragons prior to kick-off since the Welshmen’s 22-6 win at Rodney Parade in December 2015.

However, the visitors can have no complaints about this loss as they turned in a display that was predominantly lacklustre, littered with mistakes and hampered by poor discipline.

Munster Rugby have now slipped to four straight BKT URC defeats since beating Cardiff in Cork at the end of April. It is the first time that Munster have lost four in succession in the Championship since 2004.

The Dragons only previous victory over an Irish province since 2017 was 35-22 against Connacht in Galway in October 2021.

After a disappointing opening half an hour after which they trailed by 12 points, 3-12, Munster rallied with two tries to lead by two points, 17-15 at half-time.

However, the Irish province failed to register a single point in the second period as the Dragons claimed the spoils thanks to a Rio Dyer try in their 71st minute, while a late penalty goal from the boot of former Munster out-half JJ Hanrahan sealed the win for the Welsh region.

It was the second successive weekend that Munster had suffered an away defeat to Welsh opposition in the URC following their reverse at the hands of Cardiff eight days ago.

Munster looked in a serious spot of bother when trailing 3-15 with little more than five minutes remaining in the half at Rodney Parade.

The province's former out-half Hanrahan had slotted five penalties by that stage. Munster's sole reply was an early penalty goal from the boot of play-maker Ben Healy.

Munster's revival was sparked in the 36th minute when Healy made an excellent break which stretched the Dragons cover and Simon Zebo then taken out by a high tackle. Scrum-half Craig Casey cleverly took a quick tap and after the ball was recycled prop Stephen Archer dotted down from close range.

Healy duly converted to reduce the home side's lead to five points, 15-10.

Things got better for Munster on the stroke of half-time when striking for their second try after Dragons winger Rio Dyer had been shown a yellow card for his high tackle on Zebo.

Healy darted over for the visitors second try from Casey's pass after well-executed Munster maul. The out-half duly converted to bring his points tally for the opening 40 minutes to 12 and ensure Munster enjoyed a two-point lead at the break, 17-15.

However, that late Dyer try and Healy's sixth successful kick at goal saw the home side seal a deserved win.

Dragons RFC: Angus O’Brien, Rio Dyer, Sio Tomkinson, Jack Dixon, Ashton Hewitt, JJ Hanrahan, Rhodri Williams; Aki Seiuli, Bradley Roberts, Lloyd Fairbrother, George Nott, Will Rowlands (CAPT), Sean Lonsdale, Taine Basham, Ross Moriarty. Replacements: Elliot Dee, Rob Evans, Chris Coleman, Ben Carter, Aaron Wainwright, Lewis Jones, Max Clark, Jordan Williams

Munster Rugby: Mike Haley, Keith Earls, Malakai Fekitoa, Dan Goggin, Simon Zebo, Ben Healy, Craig Casey, Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O'Donoghue, Peter O’Mahony (CAPT), Jack O'Sullivan.        Replacements: Scott Buckley, Liam O’Connor, Keynan Knox, Edwin Edogbo, Tadhg Beirne, Paddy Patterson, Joey Carbery, Liam Coombes.

Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)