Cardiff 20 Munster 13
Take one under new management? Not quite what Graham Rowntree’s script demanded.
Much of the chatter surrounding Munster’s new coaching ticket centred on Rowntree’s understanding - and therefore reintroduction - of the province’s identity, with the likes of Mike Prendergast and Denis Leamy there to reaffirm traditional strengths of old while bringing with them skills learned in Paris and D4.
Perhaps time will bring that to pass, but the hallmarks of the Munster way deserted this crop in round one of the United Rugby Championship, Cardiff taking advantage with a 20-13 victory at the Arms Park.
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The breakdown excellence, lineout skulduggery and strong set of fringe forward carries that were a hallmark of Munster even during the recent trophyless years all failed to materialise long enough for a winning performance on Saturday afternoon. Cardiff did a job on the Munster attacking breakdown as Ray Lee-Lo and Thomas Young - son of director of rugby Dai - led the way with counterrucks and jackals aplenty, Munster time and again guilty of under-resourcing breakdowns.
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Jack O’Donoghue did pilfer one Cardiff lineout against the head but otherwise Munster failed to cause regular disruption while suffering malfunctions on their own throw.
Throw into that a series of basic errors, Malakai Fekitoa’s first touch in red was to spill forward approaching contact, though he wasn’t the only one guilty of such an offence, and it is a testament to Munster’s fringe defence that they actually spent periods of this match in the lead, let alone in touch of their hosts.
Errors abounded, but the cardinal sins came during Cardiff’s two first half tries. Less than four minutes in, Fineen Wycherley initially did well to watch Max Llewellyn’s feet to scrag him to ground. Only he could not hang onto the centre once on the deck, leaving open a gap big enough for a run to the line to open the scoring.
The second costly error came after two Ben Healy penalties had put Munster briefly ahead, the visitors slowly building their way into the game and seeing more of the ball after having as little as 36 per cent possession early in the first half.
Cardiff shot back just before the break, Llewellyn again causing problems with a hard inside line off the back of a lineout, though the miscommunication between Niall Scannell, Alex Kendellen and Josh Wycherley to let him through will no doubt lead to questions in the video review. Christian Dacey ran the support line to finish off the simple two-vs-one score with only full-back Shane Daly to beat.
Daly himself was a large reason why Munster stayed in touch in the second half, his speed when tracking back allowing him to drag Young into touch after the flanker won the race to a bouncing ball in the Munster backfield.
For all Taulupe Faletau’s ability to beat defenders with his power, footwork and deft handling, Cardiff lacked an incisive second half touch once Munster regrouped. The wall of red jerseys around the fringes was more than capable of dealing with one-off runners, John Hodnett and Jean Kleyn coming up with breakdown turnovers of their own to briefly stem the tide on the floor.
Munster’s lone try with ten minutes to go gave them brief hope of following Leinster’s lead in escaping with a somewhat undeserved opening round win. After debutant Antoine Frisch latched onto Fekitoa’s carry nicely to set up a first phase gain, Jack O’Sullivan picked cleverly past a disorganised line to power into the 22. Phases later, the number eight finished the move he started from close range, though, O’Donoghue was fortunate not to be pinged for a reckless clear beyond the ball.
Cardiff responded with a sumptuous backline move that send Josh Adams haring into the 22, Jack Crowley doing well to take him to deck. A penalty in front of the posts allowed Evans to kick the hosts back into the lead before the deserved win was secured in the dying stages as Lee-Lo sucked in two defenders before beautifully offloading to send Summerhill over in the corner.
Evans’ missed conversion from out wide kept Munster in losing bonus point range, probably a fair reward for some of their defensive resilience, though the litany of other basic failings leaves the new ticket with plenty on their plate.
Scoring sequence
4 mins: Llewellyn try 5-0; 17 mins Healy penalty 5-3; 31 mins Healy penalty 5-6; 38 mins Dacey try, Evans conversion 12-6; Half-time 12-6. 63 mins: O’Sullivan try, Crowley conversion 12-13; 69 mins: Evans penalty 15-13; 78 mins: Summerhill try 20-13.
Cardiff: Liam Williams; A Summerhill, R Lee-Lo, M Llewellyn, J Adams; J Evans, T Williams; R Carré, K Dacey, D Lewis; J Turnbull (capt), S Davies; J Botham, T Young, T Faletau.
Replacements: R Priestland for Liam Williams (20 mins), L Belcher for Dacey (57 mins), L Timani for Young (65 mins), U Halaholo for Llewellyn, D Arhip for Lewis (both 70 mins), M Screech for Davies (74 mins).
Not used: R Barratt, Lloyd Williams.
Munster: S Daly; C Nash, C Farrell, M Fekitoa, L Coombes; B Healy, P Patterson; J Wycherley, N Scannell, K Knox; J Kleyn, F Wycherley; J O’Donoghue (capt), A Kendellen, J O’Sullivan.
Replacements: J Hodnett for Kendellen (22-32 mins HIA), Hodnett for Kendellen (half-time), R Salanoa for Knox (53 mins), D Barron for Scannell, D Kilcoyne for J Wycherley, J Crowley for Healy (all 55 mins), A Frisch for Farrell (60 mins), T Ahern for F Wycherley (70 mins).
Not used: N Cronin.
Referee: M Adamson (Scotland).
