Leinster took the spoils at Thomond Park as they edged out Munster 8-13 in a very close encounter on a bitterly cold night in Limerick.
A second half Munster comeback where Munster outscored Leinster 8-6 wasn’t enough as Leo Cullen’s charges gained revenge for the Croke Park reversal earlier this season.
It was all Leinster in the first five minutes and after 20+ phases for the visitors in Munster’s 22, Edwin Edogbo and Gavin Coombes combined brilliantly to hold up Josh van der Flier after Michael Ala’alatoa tackled the Ireland international.
Unfortunately for Munster, they conceded a penalty on their own put in from the resulting scrum which Harry Byrne kicked into the corner. From the resulting maul, van der Flier peeled away and crashed over for Leinster’s opening try which Byrne converted to give Leo Cullen’s side a 0-7 lead after seven minutes.
Munster responded with a maul which rumbled towards the Leinster line but unfortunately for the Thomond Park faithful, James Ryan and Joe McCarthy combined to sack the maul legally as Leinster cleared their lines from a scrum.
The next 25 minutes were played out in the middle of the field with Munster producing some excellent work in defence and at the breakdown which saw Clayton McMillan’s side having a couple of chances to convert in the Leinster 22 but for inaccuracies to let Munster down.
Munster were never in real danger of conceding for the remainder of the first half and they went into the sheds at the break with just a seven point deficit.
It was a quiet enough start to the second half with a Munster defensive set leading to a scrum. Munster won a scrum penalty and kicked to the Leinster 22 where unfortunately a Munster attack broke down.
Leinster extended their lead in the 53rd minute when Byrne knocked over three points after Tadhg Beirne was pinged for swimming up the side of a maul.
Munster replied straight away when Tom Ahern won the ball back from the kick-off and after a few phases Paddy McCarthy was penalised for an illegal clearout. Jack Crowley sent the ball between the posts to register Munster’s first points of the game.
At the 58th minute mark, Byrne added another three points for Leinster after Munster fell foul of an accidental offside.
With 10 minutes remaining, Munster got a deserved try when Crowley drew in some Leinster defenders before passing the ball to Dan Kelly. The powerful centre had enough pace to make it to the try line to get Munster’s first try. Unfortunately for Munster, Crowley’s conversion was wide but Clayton McMillan’s side were within five points of their rivals.
With the clock in the red, Munster mounted one last promising attack but unfortunately the ball went to deck in the tackle with Leinster managing to kick the ball dead to signal the end of the game.
BKT URC Round 8 Round-up
John Ryan made his 250th appearance for Munster.
Munster secured a losing bonus point from tonight’s match.
Munster Rugby: Mike Haley; Shane Daly, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams (Kelly 57′); Jack Crowley, Craig Casey (Patterson 72′); Michael Milne (Loughman 56′), Lee Barron (D Barron 55′), Michael Ala’alatoa (Ryan 56′); Edwin Edogbo (Kleyn 50′), Tom Ahern (Wycherley 67′); Tadhg Beirne (C), Jack O’Donoghue (Hodnett 67′), Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Jeremy Loughman, John Ryan, Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley, Paddy Patterson, Dan Kelly, John Hodnett.