Leinster loss a bruising lesson for Munster

Rassie Erasmus knows his new Munster charges have much to put right. They are preparing for a tough European challenge in this season’s Champions Cup.

Munster kick off their pool campaign with potentially their toughest date in the group qualifying phase, a trip to French Top14 champions, Racing Metro. It will be a difficult pool to negotiate, with Glasgow Warriors and Leicester Tigers also lying in wait, and director of rugby, Erasmus, could have done without a 25-14 derby defeat to Leinster, in Dublin, last Saturday, which was compounded by the manner of the loss.

Munster failed to capitalise on long periods of possession and were outscored by their interprovincial rivals by three tries to two. Errant defending contributed to Erasmus’s woes, as did a James Cronin try, disallowed for a double movement. A missed tackle by Darren Sweetnam allowed an Isa Nacewa score in the corner in the first-half, while handling errors by Ronan O’Mahony and fly-half Tyler Bleyendaal teed up Leinster’s third try, for Jamieson Gibson-Park, after Munster failed to deal with a Robbie Henshaw kick over the top of their defensive line.