Rugby

Munster secure another victory over the Lions to wrap up stellar South Africa tour

Two bonus-point victories in as many weeks in South Africa leaves Graham Rowntree’s men in a healthy spot on the URC ladder

Simon Zebo of Munster in action against the Lions. Photograph: Deon van der Merwe/Steve Haag Sports/Inpho

Sat Apr 27 2024 - 18:32
URC: Lions 13 Munster 33

South Africa remains a very happy hunting ground for Munster as the champions backed up last weekend’s win over the Bulls with a bonus point triumph in Johannesburg.

Graham Rowntree’s men return to Ireland with ten points in the bag and with plenty of momentum to suggest they are going to make a strong defence of their URC crown in the coming weeks. Munster dished out a lesson in how to build a score to the Lions in the opening and went in at the break leading by 23-6 despite having only 41 per cent possession.

The champions made the most of what they created and crept into a 9-0 lead in the opening quarter as they opted for the posts rather than try go for the kill to the corner with three penalties.

Jack Crowley landed all three penalties from 35-40 metres on the right wing to build a healthy lead, and when the Lions opted for the right corner with three penalties, Munster defended superbly with the danger ending when skipper Tadhg Beirne executed a trademark jackal.

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No surprise then when Lions opted for the posts with their next penalty, with fullback Jordan Hendrikse getting them off the mark from 38 metres after 27 minutes.

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But Munster hit back. They went for the left corner after winning a scrum penalty near halfway. Peter O’Mahony collected the lineout and the drive was perfectly timed by the Munster pack with Jack O’Donoghue getting the touchdown and Crowley adding the extras to lead 16-3 after 34 minutes.

Hendrikse pulled back a penalty inside the 22 two minutes from the interval but Munster struck a telling blow with the clock in the red when Simon Zebo pounced as Lions tried to hack the ball clear and he somehow dribbled the ball three times before being taken out by Lions skipper Marius Louw.

Referee Craig Evans didn’t need to dwell watching the replay before awarding a penalty try and dishing out a yellow card to Louw as Munster took a commanding 23-6 lead into the break.

Lions should have reduced the margin while down a man but Hendrikse fluffed a penalty from 30 metres four minutes after the restart and they coughed up another try before their captain returned.

Munster worked the ball smartly off a scrum with Crowley and Zebo putting it wide before Gavin Coombes, just on the field, slipped it to Shane Daly to score in the left corner.

Both sides emptied their benches after that before Lions got over for a try when replacement hooker PJ Botha finished an eight-phase move with Hendrikse converting to make it 28-13.

Replacement flanker Ruan Venter had a try scratched for a double movement five minutes from time and then Munster countered and secured the bonus point, again using the set piece as the platform and after getting the drive off a lineout on the left, Coombes got over for the bonus point to seal a deserved win.

Scoring sequence: 5 mins: Crowley pen 0-3; 8: Crowley pen 0-6; 20: Crowley pen 0-9; 27: Hendrikse pen 3-9; 34: O’Donoghue try, Crowley con 3-16; 38: Hendrikse pen 6-16; 40: penalty try 6-23; Half-time: 6-23; 48: Daly try 6-28; 62: Botha try, Hendrikse con 13-28; 79: Coombes try 13-33. Full-time: 13-33

Lions: J Hendrikse; R Kriel, E Cronje, M Louw (capt), E van der Merwe; S Nohamba, M van den Berg; M Naude, J Visagie, R Dreyer; W Alberts, R Delport; JC Pretorius, E Tshituka, F Horn.

Replacements: A Ntlabakanye for Dreyer (48 mins), PJ Botha for Visagie (48), R Nothnagel for Alberts (52), R Venter for Tshituka (54), G Lombard for Kriel (59), JP Smith for Naude (64).

Munster: S Zebo; C Nash, A Frisch, S O’Brien, S Daly; J Crowley, C Murray; J Loughman, N Scannell, S Archer; RG Snyman, T Beirne (capt); P O’Mahony, A Kendellen, J O’Donoghue.

Replacements: C Casey for Murray (45 mins), G Coombes for O’Donoghue (47), T Ahern for O’Mahony (52), J Wycherley for Loughman (52-72), O Jager for Archer (59), M Haley for Zebo (66), J Carbery for Frisch (68), E Clarke for Scannell (68).

Referee: Craig Evans (Wales).

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