Van Graan happy with start as Munster kick-off campaign with a win

Munster hit the new ground running last night as they won their opening pre-season game on Musgrave Park’s freshly installed playing surface to defeat Declan Kidney’s London Irish 32-28.

Johann van Graan’s first close season as head coach since succeeding Rassie Erasmus last November got off to a flying start on a modified 3G pitch in Cork that produced nine tries, five of them to the home side on a night of entertaining, high-tempo rugby.