Benetton 16 Munster 18
JJ Hanrahan kicked an 82nd minute drop goal to rescue victory for a below par Munster as Benetton came within seconds of their first Pro14 win of the season.
Tries from Darren Sweetnam and Niall Scannell had Munster 12-0 ahead after 10 minutes, but the Italians bossed the remainder of the game and Leonardo Sarto looked to have wrapped up a deserved win with his side’s second try eight minutes from time.
But after a disappointing display against Leinster last weekend, Hanrahan showed brilliant composure off the bench and kicked the winner for Munster, who stretch their lead at the top of Conference B to 15 points.
Munster had gotten off to the dream start in Italy, and their third-minute try was a mixture of fortune and decisive finishing. Benetton will feel unlucky to have conceded a try from Mike Haley’s chip over the top, which deflected off Jayden Hayward, hit the corner flag before being pounced on by Sweetnam.
Their second try seven minutes later put in them total control, when Nick McCarthy’s offload sent Niall Scannell over for a try, which Ben Healy converted.
It looked easy for Munster with a 12-0 lead to their name after 10 minutes and when prop Marco Riccioni was sinbinned they were handed another boost. But it was the hosts that immediately lifted their efforts and three minutes after the yellow card they scored their first try when Angelo Esposito crossed in the corner.
Seven minutes from the interval Josh Wycherley was penalised for a ruck infringement and Tomasso Allan clipped over the simple penalty to give Benetton eight unanswered points during the sinbinning.
And the misery continued for Munster just before the break when Riccioni won a breakdown penalty and Allan’s kick reduced the interval deficit to 12-11.
After a dominant opening 10 minutes, Johann van Graan would have been annoyed with the slip-off in his side’s performance and their ill-discipline before half-time and after the restart Munster struggled to gain a foothold in the game again.
The loss of Gavin Coombes to a head injury assessment saw Tommy O’Donnell’s arrival and it coincided with an improvement in Munster’s play. Healy added to his side’s lead from the tee when a Benetton tackler failed to roll away, but in general the Italians were dominant at the breakdown.
A brilliant break through a ruck on halfway by Federico Ruzza went unrewarded as Benetton failed to retain possession just before the hourmark, but after Haley’s saving tackle on the left, Benetton struck eight minutes from time when Sarto scored in the corner, only for Hanrahan to slot the added-time winner.
Scorers: Benetton – Tries: A Esposito, L Sarto; Pens: T Allan 2. Munster – Tries: D Sweetnam, N Scannell; Con: B Healy; Pen: B Healy; Drop goal: JJ Hanrahan
Munster: M Haley; L Coombes, D Goggin, R Scannell, D Sweetnam; B Healy, N McCarthy; J Wycherley, N Scannell, S Archer; F Wycherley, B Holland (C); J O'Donoghue, C Cloete, G Coombes.
Replacements: T O'Donnell for G Coombes (46 HIA); J Loughman for J Wycherley (52); K O'Byrne for N Scannell (58); J Ryan for Archer (58); JJ Hanrahan for Healy (58); D de Allende for Sweetnam (61); T Ahern for F Wycherley (70).
Benetton Rugby: J Hayward; A Esposito, J Riera, I Brex, T Benvenuti; T Allan, C Braley; T Gallo, T Baravalle, M Riccioni; I Herbst, F Ruzza; M Barbini (c), M Zuliani, T Halafihi.
Replacements: T Pasquali for Zuliani (30-34); C Els for Baravalle (52); E Snyman for Herbst (52); G Pettinelli for Halafihi (52); N Quaglio for Gallo (55); L Petrozzi for Braley (58); L Sarto for Esposito (61); A Sgarbi for Zuliani (71).
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR).
