RUNAWAY WINNERS
Munster struggle early on but bounce back to claim easy victory over Blues at Thomond Park
MUNSTER mined 14 points from a second half sin-binning as they put Cardiff Blues away for a 39-16 PRO14 win.
John Ryan and JJ Hanrahan both touched down while Cardiff prop Taufa’ao Filise was in the bin, before Hanrahan sealed the province’s bonus point and Robin Copeland also scored against his former club.
After the game, Munster director of rugby Rassie Erasmus claimed he doesn’t know the identity of his successor and is adamant the province’s contract offer to Simon Zebo is ‘really competitive.’
Cardiff had put the news of their own head coach Danny Wilson’s end-of-season departure behind them to lead 16-13 at half-time, young fly-half Jarrod Evans firing over four place-kicks − including the conversion of Josh Turnbull’s 23rd-minute try.
However, Munster went up a couple of gears after the break to put last week’s disappointing result in Glasgow behind them. They dominated the scrum and man-of-thematch Ian Keatley, who had converted Conor Murray’s first half try, finished with 14 points thanks to six successes out of seven.
The 21-year-old Evans was successful with a penalty to punish a Darren Sweetnam offside. However, a second scrum penalty had Munster, who welcomed back their three Lions, sensing blood.
An overthrown lineout thwarted the province initially, but a bulldozing carry from Jaco Taute got their attack firing, CJ Stander and Rory Scannell carrying up close before Murray reached out for the base of the right post. Keatley converted for 7-3.
Jack Roberts’ debut for the Blues lasted only 14 minutes, while his opposite number Taute also left the field injured a few minutes later.
Nick Williams locked onto two successive breakdown balls to win penalties, the second one thumped through the posts by Evans from outside Munster’s 10-metre line.
Cardiff retook the lead with a Willis Halaholo-inspired try, his bouncing pass seeing Tom James threaten on the left before the Kiwi centre then connected with Steve Shingler to send Turnbull over, wide on the right. Evans added a sweetly-struck conversion for a 13-7 buffer.
Olly Robinson was unfairly pinged at the breakdown, allowing Keatley to make it a three-point game. Yet, the surefooted Evans swiftly replied from halfway. A Keatley penalty, following an Andrew Conway surge, was Munster’s only score from a bout of late pressure before half time, the province lacking patience with the try-line in sight.
The scrum was the centrepiece of the third quarter, the Blues leaking four set piece penalties close to their own line. Tighthead Filise was responsible for two of them and he was promptly carded.
The expected Munster try did not come immediately, but the hosts hammered back with seven speedy phases, the end-product being Ryan’s well-taken 51st-minute score.
Replacement Hanrahan then marked his return in red after two years in Northampton, trailing an outstanding midfield break from Scannell to score close to the posts.
Erasmus was impressed: ‘He came on and slotted in really well. He played at full-back which was nice. It gives you another option to think about for the tough games coming up against Leinster and in Europe.’
At 27-16, Munster had the game well within their grasp, and Alex Wootton almost teed up a fifth try before Copeland plunged over in the 67th minute, rewarding Chris Farrell’s initial run and Murray’s clever cut down the blindside.
Excellent passing from Murray and Keatley invited Hanrahan to scamper away from Blaine Scully and complete his brace in the left corner. After Keatley’s only missed kick, Cardiff went in search of a consolation try but Scully and James were both stopped short of the whitewash.
Afterwards, Erasmus repeated that he does not know who will replace him in the Munster hotseat. After 36-year-old Dave Wessels chose to join Melbourne Rebels, the spotlight has turned to South Africa assistant coach Johann van Graan, who will arrive before the end of December, according to reports.
‘I know people speculated and said it was Dave Wessels, now they are talking about Johan van Graan,’ Erasmus told RTÉ Sport. ‘I know there are more names I saw, so I’m not 100 per cent sure who the last person is, but they are all quality.’
The coach also addressed the speculation about Zebo moving to Pau, or another French club, when his contract expires at the end of the season.
‘We really want to keep him. At this stage he is the guy to make that decision. We made him a really competitive offer.
‘If I was him, it is would certainly be an offer I would really consider. At this stage he is the guy to make that decision.’