MUNSTER WILL HEAD into the November break with just one win from their opening five URC games, but they could have few complaints about the outcome of this one at Thomond Park.
Clayton McMillan’s men never really raised a gallop on a frustrating night and will head into the break with just a win over the Bulls and a draw against Ulster to show from the opening segment of games.
Sharks scored the only try of the opening half to lead 5-3 at the break with both sides struggling in the wet conditions, making continuous handling errors just when an opening seemed on.
Munster enjoyed 61% possession in the first half but failed to make that count where it mattered most, despite several promising positions with penalties to the corner.
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However, time and again the opportunity was lost with cheap turnovers, and it was the Sharks who looked sharper in attack, not least when teenage sensation Zekhethelo Siyaya was in possession.
The 19-year-old fullback struck to set up the opening score after countering from deep and his chip created havoc with the bounce deceiving JJ Hanrahan and then Ben O’Connor for out-half Gianni Lombard to pounce and score. He failed to add what should have been an easy conversion.
Edwin Edogbo is tackled by Vincent Tshituka. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Siyaya looked set to double the lead after 24 minutes when he again broke and chipped but knocked the ball dead off his thigh as Munster scrum-half Ben O’Donovan was rewarded for his chase.
Early Munster forays into the red zone yielded nothing with handling errors, but they continued to enjoy plenty of possession with number eight Brian Gleeson impressing, while Jack O’Donoghue and Fineen Wycherley also won some hard turnovers.
But the Munster lineout was sloppy and when they won a penalty just before the break, they opted for the posts and Hanrahan duly obliged to leave them two points adrift at the interval.
The tight battle continued in the third quarter with neither side getting on top, with Munster tighthead Kieran Brookes and Sharks loosehead Ox Nche enjoying a great battle in the scrum.
But the Springbok was lucky to escape with just a yellow card after 57 minutes for a high hit on Jeremy Loughman, who was without the ball.
The Durban side though wrapped up the win while down to 14 men, with Emile van Heerden stealing a lineout from a throw from Lee Barron, on for his first action of the season, with Nick Hatton breaking through. While he was stopped by O’Connor, replacement Ivan van Zyl was on hand to score in the right corner.
Lombard added the conversion from the right touchline to make it 15-3 going into a final quarter where Munster never looked like staging a comeback.
Scorers for Munster:
Penalty: JJ Hanrahan
Scorers for Sharks:
Tries: G Lombard, I van Zyl
Conversion: Lombard
Penalty: Lombard
Munster: Ben O’Connor; Shay McCarthy, Gordon Wood, Alex Nankivell, Rob Russell; JJ Hanrahan (Charlie O’Shea 63), Ben O’Donovan (Jake O’Riordan 55-58, 70); Josh Wycherley (Jeremy Loughman 46), Marnus Van der Merwe (Lee Barron 60), Kieran Brookes (Michael Alaalatoa 57); Evan O’Connell (Edwin Edogbo 46), Fineen Wycherley; Sean Edogbo (v 46), Jack O’Donoghue, Brian Gleeson (Gavin Coombes 46).
Sharks: Zekhethelo Siyaya; Edwill van der Merwe, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Ethan Hooker, Jaco Williams; Gianni Lombard, Jaden Hendrikse (Ivan van Zyl 59); Ox Nche, Ethan Bester (Esethu Mnebelele 62), Hanro Jacobs (Thomas du Toit 50); Jason Jenkins (Stephan Lewies, 52, Cameron Dawson 62), Emile van Heerden (Darrien Landsberg 63); Tinotenda Maverse (Vincent Tshituka 52), Manu Tshituka, Nick Hatton.
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Sorry Munster lose to Sharks in drab Thomond Park affair
Munster 3
Sharks 15
MUNSTER WILL HEAD into the November break with just one win from their opening five URC games, but they could have few complaints about the outcome of this one at Thomond Park.
Clayton McMillan’s men never really raised a gallop on a frustrating night and will head into the break with just a win over the Bulls and a draw against Ulster to show from the opening segment of games.
Sharks scored the only try of the opening half to lead 5-3 at the break with both sides struggling in the wet conditions, making continuous handling errors just when an opening seemed on.
Munster enjoyed 61% possession in the first half but failed to make that count where it mattered most, despite several promising positions with penalties to the corner.
However, time and again the opportunity was lost with cheap turnovers, and it was the Sharks who looked sharper in attack, not least when teenage sensation Zekhethelo Siyaya was in possession.
The 19-year-old fullback struck to set up the opening score after countering from deep and his chip created havoc with the bounce deceiving JJ Hanrahan and then Ben O’Connor for out-half Gianni Lombard to pounce and score. He failed to add what should have been an easy conversion.
Siyaya looked set to double the lead after 24 minutes when he again broke and chipped but knocked the ball dead off his thigh as Munster scrum-half Ben O’Donovan was rewarded for his chase.
Early Munster forays into the red zone yielded nothing with handling errors, but they continued to enjoy plenty of possession with number eight Brian Gleeson impressing, while Jack O’Donoghue and Fineen Wycherley also won some hard turnovers.
But the Munster lineout was sloppy and when they won a penalty just before the break, they opted for the posts and Hanrahan duly obliged to leave them two points adrift at the interval.
The tight battle continued in the third quarter with neither side getting on top, with Munster tighthead Kieran Brookes and Sharks loosehead Ox Nche enjoying a great battle in the scrum.
But the Springbok was lucky to escape with just a yellow card after 57 minutes for a high hit on Jeremy Loughman, who was without the ball.
The Durban side though wrapped up the win while down to 14 men, with Emile van Heerden stealing a lineout from a throw from Lee Barron, on for his first action of the season, with Nick Hatton breaking through. While he was stopped by O’Connor, replacement Ivan van Zyl was on hand to score in the right corner.
Lombard added the conversion from the right touchline to make it 15-3 going into a final quarter where Munster never looked like staging a comeback.
Scorers for Munster:
Scorers for Sharks:
Munster: Ben O’Connor; Shay McCarthy, Gordon Wood, Alex Nankivell, Rob Russell; JJ Hanrahan (Charlie O’Shea 63), Ben O’Donovan (Jake O’Riordan 55-58, 70); Josh Wycherley (Jeremy Loughman 46), Marnus Van der Merwe (Lee Barron 60), Kieran Brookes (Michael Alaalatoa 57); Evan O’Connell (Edwin Edogbo 46), Fineen Wycherley; Sean Edogbo (v 46), Jack O’Donoghue, Brian Gleeson (Gavin Coombes 46).
Sharks: Zekhethelo Siyaya; Edwill van der Merwe, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Ethan Hooker, Jaco Williams; Gianni Lombard, Jaden Hendrikse (Ivan van Zyl 59); Ox Nche, Ethan Bester (Esethu Mnebelele 62), Hanro Jacobs (Thomas du Toit 50); Jason Jenkins (Stephan Lewies, 52, Cameron Dawson 62), Emile van Heerden (Darrien Landsberg 63); Tinotenda Maverse (Vincent Tshituka 52), Manu Tshituka, Nick Hatton.
Referee: Ben Connor (Wales).
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Munster Rugby Union sharks Thomond Park United Rugby Championship URC