WATCH: Munster Rugby stun South Africa XV to record historic win at Pairc Ui Chaoimh

MUNSTER Rugby created history when downing a South African Select XV side 28-14 before a sell-out crowd of 41,400, a record attendance for a rugby game in the province, at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork on Thursday night.

Munster outscored the visitors by four tries to two, dotting down three times in the opening half, to stun their opponents.

The South Africa Select XV coach Mzwandile Stick included 14 capped Springbok players in his squad for the game, an indication of how impressive a victory this was for the players and the Munster Rugby backroom team

This was the first time in the professional era that Munster Rugby faced a South African touring side, with the last encounter taking place in 1970.

In windy but unseasonably mild conditions, Munster made the perfect start after entering the pitch to the sound of Limerick band The Cranberries and Zombie.

The home side, seeking their first win against South African tourists at the fourth time of asking, scorched over for the game's opening try in the third minute.

Centre Antoine Frisch created the opening with a delightful offload in midfield to Ben Healy. The out-half then fed winger Shane Daly who outpaced the visitors' defence to score in the right corner.

The sell-out crowd Pairc Ui Chaoimh crowd erupted as one. 

Out-half Healy then landed the touchline conversion for good measure as Munster Rugby built a useful 7-0 advantage.

@SimonZebo’s 1st half try with the assist from Ben Healy #MUNvSAA #MunsterInThePáircpic.twitter.com/r5dd31ODOr

— Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) November 10, 2022

That advantage didn't last long, however, as South Africa 'A' with 14 capped Springbok players in their squad hit back with a try of their own in the 12th minute after a period of good pressure.

Out-half Johan Goosen put full-back Aphelele Fassi clear and he duly raced over before dotting down. Goosen added the extras to tie the score at 7-7.

The see-saw nature of the game continued in the second quarter and now it was Munster's turn to exert pressure inside the opposition '22.

The home side forced a couple of penalties, but turned down a kick at the posts for a potentially greater reward.

And fortune favoured the brave and faithful on this occasion. New signing Kiran McDonald did superbly to claim possession at the back of the line-out. 

That early Shane Daly try

#MUNvSAA #MunsterInThePáircpic.twitter.com/Con8FLV7lU

— Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) November 10, 2022

With referee Dickson playing advantage to the home side Healy threw a beautifully weighted pass out to Simon Zebo who dotted down in the left corner.

Munster's out-half also added the extras and the home side's lead was out to 14-7 as the swirling rain became heavier.

The complexion of the game grew even more favourable for Munster shortly before half time when they struck for their third try of the evening and this time it was the forwards turn to get in on the act.

From a brilliantly-executed driving maul, hooker Diarmuid Barron crossed the whitewash. The on-form Healy dissected the uprights once again and Munster were 14 points to the good at 21-7.

WHAT A TRY!

WHAT A START TO THE SECOND HALF!

Magic from Patterson, Healy and Haley!#MUNvSAA | #MunsterInThePáirc | @Munsterrugby pic.twitter.com/Ny2tV7bztq

— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) November 10, 2022

Crucially, Munster managed to repel one final onslaught from South Africa A just before half-time. Some cracking defence from the home side kept the visitors at bay, before Munster forced a turnover and fly kicked the ball downfield.

The half-time whistle sounded and the Munster players were given a standing ovation as they made their way into the dressing room. A 40 minutes to remember, but job only half done.

Munster will have been anxious to start the second half as they finished the first. And this they succeeded in achieving as the rain continued to fall.

Just four minutes after the restart full-back Mike Haley raced onto Healy's neatly placed grubber kick before touching the ball down. A fourth successful conversion from the former Glenstal Abbey Munster Schools Senior Cup winning captain had Munster in dreamland, leading 28-7.

Munster survived a scare in the 56th minute when the visitors thought they had gotten over for a second try on the night through Suleiman Hartzenberg.

However, the winger was judged to have brushed the touchline with his boot as he dived over.

However, South Africa continued to ask question of the Munster defence and the pressure saw replacement prop Liam O'Connor sin-binned for illegally wheeling the scrum.

The visitors made their numerical advantage tell when, with Munster under pressure in the scrum, Notshe picked up and drove over.

Replacement Lombard landed the straight forward conversion and Munster's advantage was cut to 14 points with 18 minutes remaining.

However, Munster had done enough to create history in front of their delighted fans.

SCORERS: Munster Rugby: Shane Daly, Simon Zebo, Diarmuid Barron, Mike Haley try each, Ben Healy four cons. 

South Africa Select XV: Aphelele Fassi, Ruan Nortje try each, Johan Goosen, Gianni Lombard con each.

MUNSTER RUGBY: Mike Haley; Shane Daly, Antoine Frisch, Rory Scannell, Simon Zebo; Ben Healy, Paddy Patterson; Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron, Roman Salanoa; Edwin Edogbo, Kiran McDonald; Jack O’Donoghue (Capt), John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Patrick Campbell for Zebo (injured, 53 mins), Niall Scannell for Barron, Liam O'Connor for Wycherely, Keynan Knox for Salanoa (all 55 mins), Alex Kenedellen for Coombes (57 mins), Josh Wycherley for Hodnett (61-71 mins), Malakai Fekitoa for Frisch, Cian Hurley for Edogbo (both 63 mins), Neil Cronin for Patterson (72 mins).

SOUTH AFRICA XV: Aphelele Fassi (Sharks); Suleiman Hartzenberg (Stormers), Henco van Wyk (Lions), Cornal Hendricks (Bulls), Leolin Zas (Stormers); Johan Goosen (Bulls), Herschel Jantjies (Stormers); Ntuthuko Mchunu (Sharks), Joseph Dweba (Stormers), Thomas du Toit (C) (Sharks); Jason Jenkins (Leinster); Ruan Nortje (Bulls); Phepsi Buthelezi (Sharks), Elrigh Louw (Bulls), Jean-Luc du Preez (Sale Sharks). Replacements: Grant Williams (Sharks) for Jantjies, Dan du Preez (Sale Sharks) for Nortje (both 45 mins), Andre-Hugo Venter (Stormers) for Dweba (48mins), Gianni Lombard (Lions) for Goosen (60 mins), Sanele Nohamba (Lions) for Fassi (75 mins).

REFEREE: Karl Dickson (England)