Munster 33 Ospreys 0
Munster moved to the top of the Pro12 standings with a resounding bonus-point triumph over Ospreys at Musgrave Park.
Prop Dave Kilcoyne crashed over in each half, while Darren Sweetnam, Ronan O’Mahony and Robin Copeland also touched down for the home side who earned a third bonus point win of the season and their third win in a row.
If Joe Schmidt was looking on from Chicago he will have been thrilled to see Kilcoyne put in a powerful display at loose-head, while Munster captain Peter O’Mahony looked sharper and his lineout work and breakdown skills put Ospreys under huge pressure.
It must be noted that this was an Ospreys side that was weakened in comparison to the teams that we have seen so far this season. They started without 12 of their squad due to international duty, while such was the pressure their squad was under that they had to name five front-row forwards among the replacements.
Whatever the team they named this was just their third defeat of the season, and all three of them have some away to Irish opposition.
The early stages of this game saw both teams go to the boot more often than not in search of territorial advantage, and that was a battle the home side seemed to edge, with Duncan Williams and Sweetnam almost breaking clear as they chased their own chip-throughs.
But considering Munster lined up with a second-row partnership that has never played together before for the province, it was their defensive lineout that set them on the road to early tries.
The opening try came on nine minutes when Niall Scannell managed to gather an overthrown lineout on the Ospreys 22. Ronan O’Manohy came close in the right corner, but a couple of phases later Kilcoyne burrowed through a hole carved by Andrew Conway’s smart rucking.
Belyendaal’s conversion from the right was immaculate – but five minutes later his second conversion from the touchline was even better.
Again the Ospreys lineout malfunctioned under the pressure of Peter O’Mahony at the front, and after Ronan O’Mahony was stopped just short again, quick ball and a sharp pass from Duncan Williams sent the sideline-hugging Sweetnam over in the corner.
There was certainly chances for Munster to expand on that lead before the interval, but they failed to protect the ball on a few occasions in attack, while they were guilty of conceding a couple of penalties on the front foot too.
At the other end the closest Ospreys came to a score was three minutes from the break when Josh Matavesi kicked a penalty to the corner. But yet again they failed to gather clean lineout possession – Darren O’Shea spoiled this time – while some smart work on the ground from Jack O’Donoghue eventually saw Munster clear their lines.
Munster were good value for that 14-0 lead at half-time, but Ospreys had a couple of chances to get on the scoreboard in the first ten minutes of the second-half, but yet again their lineout faltered, before Tommy O’Donnell’s crunching tackle in defence denied Eli Walker on the second occasion.
And 14 minutes into the half, Munster secured the win when Ronan O’Mahony got the try his bright play deserved. It was a poor pass from Matavesi to Keelan Giles that gave him the chance, but the winger did well to get his foot to the ball and he cantered in for the score and a 19-0 lead.
Bleyendaal finally showed his human side as his conversion dropped to the right – his unlucky 13th attempt after 12 straight successes – but it never looked like a crucial miss.
And ten minutes from time Kilcoyne crashed over from close range for his second to clinch a deserved five-point haul for Munster.
Scorers – Munster: D Kilcoyne (2), D Sweetnam, R O’Mahony, R Copeland tries; T Bleyendaal 4 cons.
Munster: A Conway; D Sweetnam, J Taute (I Keatley 33), R Scannell, R O’Mahony (A Wootton 70); T Bleyendaal, D Williams (A Griesel 75); D Kilcoyne (P McCabe 72), N Scannell (R Marshall 66), S Archer (B Scott 70); D O’Shea, R Copeland; P O’Mahony (J Madigan 72), T O’Donnell (C Oliver 63), J O’Donoghue.
Ospreys: D Evans (D Howells 33-ht); K Giles, B John (D Howells 63), A Beck (J Spratt 57), E Walker; J Matavesi, T Habberfield (B Leonard 59-66, 75); P James (G Thomas 55), S Parry (H Gustafson 71), D Arhip (M Fia 46); L Ashley, A Beard (R Jones 75); R McCusker, O Cracknell, J Bearman (S Otten 63).
Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR).
