Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
REDS EMERGE FROM STORM
Bite allegations mar stirring comeback win at fortress Thomond
MUNSTER weathered the Storm to secure a second bonus point victory over South African opposition at Thomond Park in the space of seven days.
But the visitors left a bitter taste in Limerick with the claim that Reds hooker Niall Scannell was bitten on the leg.
Referee Andrew Brace told Munster skipper Peter O’Mahony that there was no video footage of the alleged incident, though it will be looked at again by the citing officer.
“Niall reported that to Pete on the pitch, the referee had a look at it, they couldn’t see any evidence of it, but we’ll go through the right channels,” said coach Johann van Graan. “He will be (examined), any player who reports anything to medical team will be looked at.”
The night ended on a high for the Munster crowd – 10,723 fans were present – as RG Synman scored his first try for the province in only his second game back after an ACL injury.
Munster racked up five tries – all scored by forwards – with Jack O’Donoghue grabbing a brace.
It was far from plan sailing early on as the Stormers, beaten by Benetton last week, comfortably found holes in Munster’s cover. Rory Scannell’s try-saving tackle only delayed the inevitable, with a superb five-man move finished by Warrick Gelant after eight minutes.
Having already missed a penalty,
Manie Libbock was off-target with the conversion. But the visitors added a second try on 20 minutes when Ruhan off-loaded to Leolin Zas, who raced in.
This time Libbok nailed the conversion from near the touchline, only to butcher a certain five-pointer soon after when he ignored a two-man overlap to try his luck under the posts.
O’Mahony denied him with a vital tackle but soon after Earls kicked out on the full to keep the pressure on Munster and Gelant’s penalty made it 15-0.
Crucially,
Munster got their vital lifeline just before the break when the Stormers coughed up a ruck penalty in midfield.
Carbery kicked deep into the 22 and his forwards took turns to attempt to punch their way over. O’Donoghue succeeded and Carbery added the extras. Belatedly, Munster were only getting started. Stormers lock Salmaan Moerat was sinbinned two minutes into the second half for a deliberate knock-on and five minutes later Jean Kleyn burrowed over against the side he left five years ago to move to Limerick. CarNel bery’s conversion left Munster just one point adrift – and they moved four ahead in the 51st minute with Niall Scannell driven over from a lineout.
Carbery missed the conversion attempt and then hit the post with his next effort after O’Donoghue barrelled over as Munster took advantage of another textbook lineout maul.
Snyman and Simon Zebo were introduced before Tim Swiel’s penalty for the Stormers made it a six-point game.
But Synman, the massive Springbok, added the fifth try in the 68th minute – and Carbery’s replacement Ben Healy converted, before finishing with a long-range penalty.
MUNSTER: Tries: O’Donoghue 2, Kleyn, N Scannell, Snyman. Cons: Carbery 2, Healy. Pens: Healy.
STORMERS: Tries: Gelant, Zas. Con: Libbok. Pens: Gelant, Swiel.