Gritty Munster test Aussies

Munster 16 Australia 24

A one-sided first half saw the Wallabies turn over leading 24-6 but the home side held the visitors scoreless in the second while helping themselves to two well worked tries.

It didn’t help Munster’s cause that they went into the game without six key players, Keith Earls and Gerard Slattery (St Munchins), the PBC pair Tim Kennelly and Richard McCarthy and Rory O’Connor (Rockwell), all required by the Ireland A side for Saturday’s clash with the tourists at Donnybrook. Neilus Keogh of UCC was out through injury. Furthermore, they got off to a disastrous start when Australia ran in early tries by scrum-half Ben Lucan and full-back Christian Lealiifano, the first of which was converted by out-half Quade Cooper.

The Aussie pack, in which John Afu at number eight and blind side flanker Ben McCalman were outstanding, claimed quality possession and the speedy backs ran hard and straight. Further tries followed from winger Peter Betham and Lealiifano.

Cooper landed another conversion and all Munster could manage was a couple of penalties by CBC full-back Peter O’Sullivan.

The visitors looked good for 35 minutes yesterday and not so good after a stern half-time team talk by Munster coaches Paul Barr, Tommy Crowe and Peter Scott combined with a few astute substitutions helped to change the complexion of the game. They were pushed on to the back foot for most of the final 20 minutes as the Munster forwards, among whom Ben Rowley (Ard Scoil Ris and Garryowen),Andrew O’Driscoll (PBC and Bandon) and the captain Shane O’Sullivan of CBC wereoutstanding throughout, took command and the backs used the possession reasonably well.

Consistent pressure finally told on 55 minutes when Rockwell substitute Eoghan Grace, who made quite an impact on hisintroduction, got over in thecorner and after Aussie flanker Chris Harkins was sin binnedfollowing a mild flare-up,Shannon centre Michael Kinsella nipped in smartly for the second try.

So Munster honour wassalvaged and the Wallabies,deserving winners that theyundoubtedly were, departed knowing they had been in a match.

AUSTRALIA - C. Lealiifano (Victoria); L. Rosengreen (New South Wales), A. Barrett (NSW), B. Gillespie (Queensland), P. Betham (NSW); Q. Cooper (Queensland), B. Lucas (Queensland); J. Salvi (Australian Capital Territory), J. Egan (Northern Territory), G. Warren (Queensland), D. Linde (Queensland), S. Wykes (NSW), B. McCalman (NSW), C. Harkins (ACT), J. Afu (Queensland). Replacements: R. Kellam (NSW) for Gillespie and B. Daley (Queensland) Salvi, 60 mins; M. Schwagger (NSW) for Cooper and B. Vaaulu (Queensland) for Barrett, 62.

MUNSTER - P. O’Sullivan (CBC); M. O’Driscoll (Rockwell), B. Dennehy (PBC), M. Kinsella (Shannon), E. Torrie (Newtown); R. O’Sullivan (Crescent), J. Crowley (Clonakilty); J. Carton (UCC), A. O’Driscoll (PBC and Bandon), B. Rowley (Ard Scoil Ris and Garryowen), C. McNamara (St Munchins and Garryowen), P. Murphy (CBC), R. Allen (PBC), S. Hassett (St Munchins), S. O’Sullivan (CBC) capt.

Replacements: W. Staunton (Garryowen) for Torrie half time; R. O’Neill (CBC) for Rowley 43 mins; E. Grace (Rockwell) for Hassett 48; J. Power (PBC) for O’Driscoll 58; P. Rowley (St Munchins) for Crowley and B. McNamara (St Munchins) for Carton 60; M. Sherry (Ard Scoil Ris and Garryowen) 62.

Referee: P. Haycock (Leinster).