URC: Ospreys 10 Munster 26
The last time Munster came to Bridgend, back in 2001, 4,500 packed into Brewery Field as the likes of O’Gara, Stringer, Clohessy, Hayes and Galwey struggled their way past the locals in a 16-12 Heineken Cup victory.
Fourteen years on, with the Ospreys playing in the club ground at Brewery Field, rather than the football stadium in Swansea, Munster proved to be a slightly more attractive ticket, 4,715 looking for entertainment on the Saturday before Christmas. Sadly, it was in short supply, both sides lacking quality even if the scoreboard operator had more to do this time around.
Mike Prendergast backed up Peter Stringer on the bench on that October day 14 years ago. On Saturday, the attack he coaches was lateral and lacked the ability to break the line, passes too often thrown wide before required oomph closer to the ruck could be found. Not that it particularly mattered, three tries and a 16-point lead secured by the break.
Shane Daly crossed for the first on 17 minutes, claiming a clever pass from Gavin Coombes at the base of the ruck and diving over in the corner. The chance came somewhat from Daly’s threat earlier in the piece, a chip and chase leading to a collision with Max Nagy.
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For some reason unbeknown to all but him, the Ospreys fullback stuck out a right leg, tripping Daly on his way through to chasing the kick. Penalty, yellow card and lineout five metres out. Cue the opening score moments later, albeit that was the only damage Munster could muster playing against 14.
It wouldn’t be the first time those two came together, Daly winning a footrace to avoid Nagy grounding down the other end of the park after Mike Haley launched an attempted clearance into the midriff of Evradi Boshoff. The kicking display as a whole was indicative of the lack of quality, Reuben Morgan-Williams the worst offender when an attempted box-kick barely got off the ground and landed on top of an offside forward at the ruck.
Two tries in the final five minutes of the half added a bit of shine for Munster. Lee Barron, on at the half-hour mark for the injured Niall Scannell, got on the end of a maul which gathered momentum upon the intervention of centres Nankivell and Farrell. Jack Crowley then dove over from inches out to end the opening period.
A rare first half shining light for the visitors was the performance of Nankivell. Typically industrious when often carrying with scrappy ball, his defensive power was also on display. His ruck turnover metres from his own line ended the best Ospreys chance of the half.
The bonus-point score took eight minutes to find after the break. Nankivell was the spark, his bust and offload creating sufficient chaos for Haley to stroll over. The gap was narrowed by the hosts, Morgan Morris dotting down from close range as Munster penalties led to sustained pressure inside the 22. Jack O’Donoghue, after giving up an advantage before the try, saw yellow.
That was that as far as scoring was concerned. Barron was held up over the line looking for a second score off a rolling maul while Ospreys thought they might earn a late chance after Jack Walsh’s break, only for Munster to once again turn them over inside the 22.
After Friday night’s difficult win over Ulster, not to mention Munster’s own victory in Dublin earlier this season, Clayton McMillan’s side certainly have little reason to worry about any sort mismatch against Leinster next week. On the evidence of this Bridgend tune-up, though, one would imagine that neither province fears each other ahead of their festive showdown.
Scoring sequence – 11: Edwards pen 3-0; 17: Daly try, 3-5; 36: Barron try, Crowley con 3-12; 40: Crowley try & con 3-19; Half-time 3-19: 48: Haley try, Crowley con 3-26; 54: Morris try, Edwards con 10-26;
Ospreys: Max Nagy; Daniel Kasende, Evradi Boshoff, Owen Watkin, Keelan Giles; Dan Edwards, Reuben Morgan-Williams; Steff Thomas, Dewi Lake, Rhys Henry; Rhys Davies, Ryan Smith; James Ratti, Harri Deaves, Morgan Morris.
Replacements: Morgan Morse for Morris (5-18 mins, blood), Kieran Hardy for Morgan-Williams (HT), Tom Botha for Henry, Keiran Williams for Watkin (both 55), Morse for Deaves (57), Sam Parry for Lake (58), Jack Walsh for Boshoff, Cameron Jones for Thomas (both 63), Huw Sutton for Smith (77).
Yellow card: Nagy (16-26).
Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Paddy Patterson; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Michael Ala’alatoa; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue (capt), Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Lee Barron for Scannell (31 mins), Conor Bartley for Ala’alatoa and Edwin Edogbo for Kleyn (both 56), Michael Milne for Loughman, JJ Hanrahan for Crowley, John Hodnett for Coombes (all 65), Ethan Coughlan for Patterson (70), Tom Ahern for Wycherley (73).
Yellow card: O’Donoghue (53-63).
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
