Kiwi analysts loudly praise Munster effort

NEW Zealand media outlets were loud in their praise for Munster’s heroic efforts on Tuesday night.

Wynne Gray of the New Zealand Herald said the 18-16 score at the end led to visible relief among the All Blacks: “They clawed their way back but it was slow, tortuous progress with the level of relief very visible when Rokocoko took the chance for victory near the end.”

Jim Kayes of the New Zealand Dominion Post paid tribute to the atmosphere in Thomond Park on Tuesday, particularly when Munster’s four New Zealanders performed a haka: “The noise made the din from 82,000 at Croke Park last week sound like a lullaby.

“Yet the crowd dropped to an awed silence for the All Blacks’ response. And then at last the game began — and what a game it was.

“It had everything — tries, big hits, drop goals and penalties, nice breaks, mistakes, dodgy calls and sweet passes. And those at the ground loved every minute of it.

“The All Blacks might have won, but the Red Army weren’t too upset. The All Blacks were back at Thomond and it had been worth the wait.”

Kayes likened the atmosphere to the famous game 30 years ago: “This was a match that did every tall tale around the 1978 game proud. It was tough rugby, played with passion and roared on by an incredibly noisy crowd.

“Pharmacies will do a massive trade in lozenges tomorrow because the 26,000 at the new Thomond Park, built over the site of the famous 1978 win, yelled themselves hoarse today.

“They cheered or booed for everything — kicks, passes, dropped ball and nifty touches. They loved the second half punch up but not as much as Munster line breaks, or All Blacks getting tackled and penalised.”

Wynne Gray pointed out that: “The reality was that a professional international rugby side should always torpedo the local hopes.

“Munster were the top club side in Europe winning nine of their last 10 matches but no matter their pedigree they were still a club combination and should not have been in the same class as the midweek All Blacks. And so it came to pass.

“But what a struggle.

“There were two sides to the match analysis which may go on for another 30 years as the bars and clubs in Limerick disgorge their theories about the match.”

Adding New Zealand were “erratic, ill-disciplined and gave every indication they were spooked by Munster”, Gray pointed out: “The best verdict you could prise out of a local was a gallant but close defeat. Those people envisaged Munster hanging on all game, whereas it was the All Blacks in that role for the bulk of the match... the All Blacks were suckered into scatterball rugby, flinging the ball wide too often where they offered easy tackling practice for the feverish Munstermen.”