A DOMINANT FIRST-HALF display saw Munster secure a bonus-point win over the Dragons, a six-try performance sending them up to seventh in the URC table and back into the playoff spots.
Five first-half tries in a scintillating attacking display proved to be crucial. Munster’s backline was decimated by injuries after the break, allowing the Dragons to add a number of scores which ultimately made the contest seem more competitive than it was.
To say Munster were rampant in the first half would be an understatement. Their fun started with a Diarmuid Kilgallen finish in the corner inside three minutes, deft hands from Shane Daly and Tom Ahern setting up the score.
Advertisement
Gavin Coombes went close to adding a second minutes later after Billy Burns’ lovely pass across a decoy opened the gap, only for the TMO to say the grounding was short. The Dragons did hold up a maul inside the 22 to give the allusion of solidity, but once Munster found their second there was no let up.
Kilgallen was again involved in the build-up, Munster flooding runners at individual defenders to cause chaos. Burns picked out Coombes to get into the 22, the number eight drawing the last defender before sending Alex Kendellen over.
From the following kick-off, Munster were in again. Daly broke out wide and threw an audacious, basketball-style pass over the head of the defender. Kendellen slowed up to wait for support, drawing the full-back before sending O’Connor over for a score on his first senior start.
Rinse and repeat from the resulting restart. Munster again broke from deep, this time Daly and Farrell exchanging passes as the latter’s beautiful, no-look, one-handed effort sent the wing into the corner. Lloyd Evans prevented the score with a high tackle. Penalty try. Yellow card. Bonus point within 20 minutes.
A fifth try was added shortly before half time, Dian Bleuler powering through a few would-be tacklers to mark his last appearance for the club in style.
The first score after the break was, mercifully, a Dragons one. Evans cut through a Munster backline which was forced to reshuffle after Farrell’s injury, before tighthead Chris Coleman barrelled over from close range.
Normal service resumed on 54 minutes. Bleuler won a scrum penalty, which was followed by another infringement which Tony Butler kicked into the corner. The resulting maul saw John Hodnett barge over the line.
Backline injuries then decimated Munster’s bench – pack with six forwards – and their flow in the final quarter. Daly and Ethan Coughlan both picked up head knocks, while Burns limped off. Munster were forced to put Kilgallen at centre with forwards Hodnett and Jack O’Donoghue on either wing.
No surprise, then, that the Dragons had the late upper hand. Harry Wilson and Dane Blacker both scored after gaps appeared in the Munster midfield. That was that from a scoring point of view, the final margin failing to reflect Munster’s true dominance.
Dragons scorers:
Tries: Chris Coleman, Harry Wilson, Dane Blacker
Conversions: Lloyd Evans (1 from 2), Will Reed (1 from 1)
Munster scorers:
Tries: Diarmuid Kilgallen, Alex Kendellen, Ben O’Connor, Penalty Try, Dian Bleuler, John Hodnett.
Conversions: Billy Burns (3 from 4), Tony Butler (1 from 2)
Dragons: Huw Anderson; Rio Dyer, Aneurin Owen (captain), Harri Ackerman (Harry Wilson, 37 HIA), Jared Rosser; Lloyd Evans (Will Reed, 69), Morgan Lloyd (Dane Blacker, HT); Rodrigo Martinez (Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths 10), Brodie Coghlan (James Benjamin, 51), Chris Coleman (Paula Latu, 62); Joe Davies, Ryan Woodman (B Langton-Cryer); Shane Lewis-Hughes, Dan Lydiate, Taine Basham (George Young, 5).
Yellow card: Lloyd Evans (20)
Munster: Ben O’Connor; Shane Daly (Paddy Patterson, 51 HIA), Tom Farrell (Tony Butler, 25), Rory Scannell, Diarmuid Kilgallen; Billy Burns (Brian Gleeson, 57), Ethan Coughlan (Danny Sheehan, 65); Dian Bleuler (Kieran Ryan, 69), Diarmuid Barron, Oli Jager (John Ryan, 43); Fineen Wycherley (Evan O’Connell, 61), Tom Ahern; Jack O’Donoghue (captain), Alex Kendellen (John Hodnett, 51), Gavin Coombes.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
40 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Munster slay Dragons with explosive first-half show
Dragons 19-38 Munster
Nathan Johns reports from Rodney Parade
A DOMINANT FIRST-HALF display saw Munster secure a bonus-point win over the Dragons, a six-try performance sending them up to seventh in the URC table and back into the playoff spots.
Five first-half tries in a scintillating attacking display proved to be crucial. Munster’s backline was decimated by injuries after the break, allowing the Dragons to add a number of scores which ultimately made the contest seem more competitive than it was.
To say Munster were rampant in the first half would be an understatement. Their fun started with a Diarmuid Kilgallen finish in the corner inside three minutes, deft hands from Shane Daly and Tom Ahern setting up the score.
Gavin Coombes went close to adding a second minutes later after Billy Burns’ lovely pass across a decoy opened the gap, only for the TMO to say the grounding was short. The Dragons did hold up a maul inside the 22 to give the allusion of solidity, but once Munster found their second there was no let up.
Kilgallen was again involved in the build-up, Munster flooding runners at individual defenders to cause chaos. Burns picked out Coombes to get into the 22, the number eight drawing the last defender before sending Alex Kendellen over.
From the following kick-off, Munster were in again. Daly broke out wide and threw an audacious, basketball-style pass over the head of the defender. Kendellen slowed up to wait for support, drawing the full-back before sending O’Connor over for a score on his first senior start.
Rinse and repeat from the resulting restart. Munster again broke from deep, this time Daly and Farrell exchanging passes as the latter’s beautiful, no-look, one-handed effort sent the wing into the corner. Lloyd Evans prevented the score with a high tackle. Penalty try. Yellow card. Bonus point within 20 minutes.
A fifth try was added shortly before half time, Dian Bleuler powering through a few would-be tacklers to mark his last appearance for the club in style.
The first score after the break was, mercifully, a Dragons one. Evans cut through a Munster backline which was forced to reshuffle after Farrell’s injury, before tighthead Chris Coleman barrelled over from close range.
Normal service resumed on 54 minutes. Bleuler won a scrum penalty, which was followed by another infringement which Tony Butler kicked into the corner. The resulting maul saw John Hodnett barge over the line.
Backline injuries then decimated Munster’s bench – pack with six forwards – and their flow in the final quarter. Daly and Ethan Coughlan both picked up head knocks, while Burns limped off. Munster were forced to put Kilgallen at centre with forwards Hodnett and Jack O’Donoghue on either wing.
No surprise, then, that the Dragons had the late upper hand. Harry Wilson and Dane Blacker both scored after gaps appeared in the Munster midfield. That was that from a scoring point of view, the final margin failing to reflect Munster’s true dominance.
Dragons scorers:
Munster scorers:
Dragons: Huw Anderson; Rio Dyer, Aneurin Owen (captain), Harri Ackerman (Harry Wilson, 37 HIA), Jared Rosser; Lloyd Evans (Will Reed, 69), Morgan Lloyd (Dane Blacker, HT); Rodrigo Martinez (Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths 10), Brodie Coghlan (James Benjamin, 51), Chris Coleman (Paula Latu, 62); Joe Davies, Ryan Woodman (B Langton-Cryer); Shane Lewis-Hughes, Dan Lydiate, Taine Basham (George Young, 5).
Yellow card: Lloyd Evans (20)
Munster: Ben O’Connor; Shane Daly (Paddy Patterson, 51 HIA), Tom Farrell (Tony Butler, 25), Rory Scannell, Diarmuid Kilgallen; Billy Burns (Brian Gleeson, 57), Ethan Coughlan (Danny Sheehan, 65); Dian Bleuler (Kieran Ryan, 69), Diarmuid Barron, Oli Jager (John Ryan, 43); Fineen Wycherley (Evan O’Connell, 61), Tom Ahern; Jack O’Donoghue (captain), Alex Kendellen (John Hodnett, 51), Gavin Coombes.
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Dragons Munster Rugby United Rugby Championship URC