JJ provides rhythm

Munster 29 Zebre 3

From the high of a late Heineken Cup flourish last weekend, Munster’s opening quarter display was as flat as the reaction from that small crowd, but at least there was plenty of room for enthusiasm as the home side cranked up the pressure and reaped the dividends from a very decent second-half display that produced four tries, two of them from man of the match JJ Hanrahan.

The Kerry youngster was in top form and helped guide the Munster back division through a difficult spell up against a tight, unrelenting Zebre defence that often bordered on or over the offside line.