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John Hodnett runs in for his score. Tommy Dickson/INPHO
bloodless coup

Hodnett scores on debut as 10-try Munster crush Kings

Arno Botha claimed a hat-trick as Munster ran up their biggest ever win in the Pro14.

Munster 68

Southern Kings 3

JOHN HODNETT PRODUCED a stunning display on his debut as Munster ran riot against the Kings in Cork.

Hodnett, a key figure in the Irish U20 successes last year, crowned a memorable debut with a try after 49 minutes and was given a rousing reception when he went off in the final quarter.

Former Springbok Arno Botha crossed for a hat-trick as Munster ran in ten tries.

Munster laid down an early marker and opened up a 21-3 lead after 29 minutes as Kings were put to the sword.

Openside flanker Hodnett set up the opening try with a surging run which ended just short but earned a yellow card for Kings fullback Andell Loubster for not releasing.

Munster opted for the scrum and No.8 Botha broke from the base to score, with JJ Hanrahan adding the easy conversion.

Kings out-half Demetri Catrakilis pulled back a penalty but the reprieve was short-lived as Dan Goggin and Mike Haley combined to send Calvin Nash over in the right corner.

Hanrahan converted and then set up Botha for his second try after the Kings defence was again sucked in.

They secured the bonus point just before the break when Jack O’Donoghue chased a neat chip from Hanrahan and it bounced for him to burst through the weak challenge of Loubster and score, with the conversion making it 28-3 at the interval.

shane-daly-scores-a-try-despite-the-efforts-from-andell-loubser Shane Daly gets to the ball for the first of his tries. Tommy Dickson / INPHO Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO

Hodnett got Munster’s fifth try with another surging run and then dreadful errors in the Kings defence were punished as Neil Cronin and Shane Daly pounced for tries in a one-sided second-half.

JJ Hanrahan landed six from six conversions and in another nod to the future, Tipperary native Ben Healy replaced him and converted Daly’s try with his first kick.

Rory Scannell got Munster’s eighth try before Botha completed his hat-trick and Daly got in for his second try. A 10th for the Reds.

Scorers

Munster

Tries: Arno Botha (3), Calvin Nash, Jack O’Donoghue, John Hodnett, Neil Cronin, Shane Daly (2), Dan Goggin

Conversions: JJ Hanrahan 6 / 6, Ben Healy 3 / 4

Southern Kings

Penalties: Demetri Catrakilis 1 / 1

Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash (Rory Scannell ’56), Chris Farrell, Dan Goggin, Shane Daly; JJ Hanrahan (Ben Healy ’56), Neil Cronin (Nick McCarthy ’56); James Cronin (Jeremy Loughman ’60), Niall Scannell (Kevin O’Byrne ’60), John Ryan (Keynan Knox ’60); Fineen Wycherley (Gavin Coombes ’63), Billy Holland; Jack O’Donoghue, John Hodnett (Chris Cloete ’63), Arno Botha.

Southern Kings: Andell Loubser; Christopher Hollis, Sibusiso Sithole, Erich Cronje, Edmund Ludick; Demetri Catrakilis (Courtney Winnaar ’56), Stefan Ungerer (Josh Allderman ’56); Schalk Ferreira (Xandre Vos ’69), Jacques du Toit (Alandre van Rooyen ’56), Rossouw de Klerk (Ignatius Prinsloo ’56); Jerry Sexton, JC Astle (Aston Fortuin ’51); Lusanda Badiyana, Bobby de Wee (Thembelani Bholi ’40), Ruaan Lerm (Luyolo Dapula ’77).

Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia).

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