Rugby

Pro 14: Munster stumble against Edinburgh at Murrayfield

Losing bonus point the only consolation on a cold night in Edinburgh

Munster’s JJ Hanrahan tackled by Fraser McKenzie and Jaco Van Der Walt of Edinburgh during the Guinness Pro 14 game at Murrayfield. Photograph: Gary Carr/Inpho

Fri Mar 16 2018 - 22:47

Edinburgh 12 Munster 6

Munster’s hopes of adding to their accumulation of points in the Guinness Pro14 Conference A were dashed at a bitterly cold Murrayfield but the salvaging of a losing bonus point provided some consolation.

Munster turned the game into trench warfare but Edinburgh were saved by two moments of expansionist rugby that yielded two magnificent tries scored by man-of-the-match Duhann van der Merwe.

For their part Munster threatened with powerful thrusts off the lineout and pile-driving rolling mauls but these were contained by a a home side that used its strong bench to telling effect in the latter stages of the game.

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From the whistle Munster were put under severe pressure and had to defend stoically as Edinburgh put pace into their game, but the home side’s inaccuracy at crucial moments provided respite for the visitors.

Then from a lineout Munster finally showed their hand with an effective peel and then a high kick that forced a penalty, converted by JJ Hanrahan.

Munster looked to build on their lead with another lineout move but this time the visitors were penalised at the breakdown on the Edinburgh 22. Minutes later after Edinburgh had been penalised Munster again lost the ball in the contact area.

Dan Goggin came on for the injured Alex Wootten and almost the immediately the replacement was involved in the action, taking a pass close to the Edinburgh line only to be bundled into touch.

If the game looked to be tilting towards Munster, then Edinburgh quickly scotched that notion. Sevens specialist Dougie Fife opted to run out of defence, the fullback’s searing break supported by Van der Merwe, who had the pace to make the try line giving Edinburgh a 5-3 half time lead.

Edinburgh looked hungry from the second half kick-off but the Munster forwards were able to swat off an attempt by the home pack to drive over the line. From the ensuing scrum Robin Copeland broke clear before putting in an expertly placed 40-metre kick.

A second penalty by Hanrahan restored Munster’s lead and when Edinburgh’s wing Jason Harries was shown the yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Copeland, the visitors had the advantage.

But in the event it was 14-man Edinburgh who grabbed the next points, the home side recovering from having another score chalked off by hammering at the Munster line before moving the ball wide for Van der Merwe to take his fellow South African Van der Welt’s long pass before stepping the defence for his second score.

This time Van der Welt succeeded with his conversion to put Edinburgh 12-6 ahead and they were able to run down the clock to record a vital victory.

EDINBURGH: D Fife; J Harries, M Bennett, C Dean, D van der Merwe; J van der Walt, S Hidalgo-Clyne; J Lay, N Cochrane, M McCallum; F McKenzie, B Toolis; M Bradbury, J Hardie, V Mata.

Replacements: N Fowles for S Hidalgo-Clyde (9 mins), S Berghan for M McCallum (46 mins), R Sutherland for J Lay ( 55 mins), C Fenton for N Cochrane (73 mins).

MUNSTER: S Zebo; D Sweetnam, S Arnold, R Scannell, A Wootton; J Hanrahan, J Hart; J Cronin, M Sherry, S Archer; J Kleyn, B Holland; J O'Donoghue, C Oliver, R Copeland.

Replacements: D Goggin for Wootton (30 mins); B Johnston for S Zebo (half-time); D Kilcoyne for J Cronin (49 mins), T O'Donnell for Oliver (52 mins), K O'Byrne for M Sherry, B Scott for Archer (both 68 mins),

Referee: B Whitehouse (Wales)

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