Dragons 16 Munster 26:Munster showed Eddie O'Sullivan's men the way with a thrilling second-half comeback to beat the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade last night.
Munster started badly and trailed by 16 points after the half-hour mark, but they bounced back in emphatic style to record their first victory on Welsh soil since November 2005.
Outhalf Paul Warwick was the star of the show with 16 points, all scored in the final 20 minutes to give Declan Kidney's men a 100 per cent start to their Celtic League season. Warwick slotted three long-distance penalties before sealing the match with an intercepted try in injury-time.
The Dragons had settled quicker and had taken the lead through replacement scrumhalf Wayne Evans' try on 23 minutes.
Aled Thomas extended the home side's advantage with 11 points from the boot but the hosts couldn't handle the second-half fightback from the former European champions.
Munster were without 13 players because of World Cup commitments after the late call-up of prop Tony Buckley to O'Sullivan's squad in contrast to Newport's five. Darragh Hurley came in for his first appearance of the season, with Federico Pucciariello switching from loose to tighthead prop.
Munster made the breakthrough on the stroke of half-time when Ian Dowling scored in the right corner after taking Kieran Lewis's pass.
Munster emerged in the second half full of confidence and Holland crashed over to put them in serious contention. Warwick, who had struggled in the conditions, now had the wind at his back and slotted over three kicks from distance. His injury-time try from his own half sealed the victory.
DRAGONS: M Thomas; G Wyatt, R Gomer-Davies, A Smith, R Mustoe; A Thomas, A Williams; H Gustafson, S Jones, R Thomas; L Charteris (capt), A Hall; D Lydiate, J Bearman, R Parks. Replacements: W Evans for A Williams (7 mins); G Maule for Smith (33 mins); J Ringer for Lydiate (55 mins); S Black for Gustafson (56 mins); P Sidoli for Hall (60 mins); N Fitiseamanu for Bearman (65 mins); B Daly for Jones (78 mins)
MUNSTER: S Payne; I Dowling, K Lewis, L Mafi, A Horgan; P Warwick, T O'Leary; D Hurley, D Fogarty, F Pucciariello; M Melbourne, M O'Driscoll; B Holland, A Foley (capt), N Ronan. Replacements: J Coughlan for Holland (50 mins); R Tipoki for Lewis (56 mins)
Referee: N Paterson (SRU).
