Leinster shut down Munster again to take bonus point win from Thomond
2 April 2022; James Lowe of Leinster dives over to score his side's fourth try despite the tackle of Craig Casey of Munsterduring the United Rugby Championship match between Munster and Leinster at Thomond Park in Limerick. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
Leinster once again won the bragging rights over old rivals Munster as they extended their lead at the top of the United Rugby Championship table with a bonus-point win in Limerick.
Munster had not beaten Leinster in the league since an ill-tempered 26-17 victory at Thomond Park in December 2018 but finally got over the winning line after six successive defeats, including two PRO14 semi-finals and last season’s final, with a 27-3 win 11 months ago at the RDS in the Rainbow Cup. Yet this was a rivalry that reverted to recent type as Leo Cullen’s side left Thomond Park with maximum points having outscored the hosts by four tries to one, their ability to shut down the men in red on the gainline and at the set-piece proving the telling difference.
Two tries from wing James Lowe and scores from captain on the night Garry Ringrose and right wing Jimmy O’Brien took Leinster past Munster, for whom Damian de Allende gained a consolation second-half try and fly-half Joey Carbery kicked four penalties and a conversion on a perfect night off the tee while opposite number Ross Byrne was five from seven to return the same 14-point tally.
Once again the onus had been on Munster to catch up on league leaders Leinster. With four games to go they were eight points adrift of top spot but had second-placed Ulster in their sights following the northern province’s second consecutive loss in South Africa earlier in the day.
It was Munster who started brighter on a clear but chilly Limerick evening, Jason Jenkins making the most of his first Munster start after an injury-hit first and only season with some strong carrying. Leinster’s ability to pounce on and then punish mistakes was soon in evidence, though, Ross Byrne kicking the first points of the game on 10 minutes after their efficient multi-phase play tempted the home side offside.
Carbery responded with a long-range penalty two minutes later only for Leinster to then hit back with the opening try, their phase play once again reaping rewards as Munster committed more numbers to the breakdown and left gaps in their defensive line out wide, Jamison Gibson-Park shifting the ball wide left at the right moment to allow captain Garry Ringrose to steal in for five points.
Byrne missed the conversion and Carbery hit back with his second penalty to make it a two-point game at 8-6 and the rest of the opening period was a nip and tuck affair, Byrne’s two successful penalties bookending another pair from his opposite number to leave the visitors with a 14-12 half-time lead.
The feeling that Leinster had more in the tank and the third quarter proved the case admirably. It had been underscored when Leo Cullen sent on Ireland’s Triple Crown-clinching front row of Dan Sheehan, Cian Healy and Tadhg Furlong six minutes into the second half in anticipation of a scrum inside Munster territory and the men in blue promptly launched a strike play that ended in a try for James Lowe to edge the visitors further in front at 19-12.
Munster were struggling to stay on terms as Leinster continued to enjoy dominance and the concession of another penalty invited fly-half Byrne to make amends for his second missed conversion, his kick pushing the lead to 22-12 on 55 minutes.
Then came another hammer blow for the home side, also launched off a scrum but executed to perfection through backline hands as the ball was fed from Byrne through Ringrose, Henshaw and Lowe in midfield to release right wing Jimmy O’Brien. He still had work to do and he did so really well, evading thre tackle of Chris Cloete to finish in the right corner, with Byrne’s conversion stretching Leinster’s lead to 29-12.
Only then did we see Munster come alive, as the first period of concerted pressure inside the Leinster 22 produced a desperately needed try from Damian de Allende on 62 minutes, Carbery’s conversion giving his side a lifeline at 29-19 at the start of the final quarter. There was another boost for the home support at the introduction of Keith Earls on 71 minutes following his recovery from a hamstring injury that had sidelined the veteran wing for the Six Nations.
Yet Munster were being pinned in their own half by Leinster pressure and time was running out. Indeed, the pressure eventually told, Lowe grabbing the try bonus point with his second of the night and Leinster’s fourth on 74 minutes as Munster were once again stretched to breaking point. Byrne’s touchline conversion was taken against the backdrop of Munster supporters heading for the exits, the missed kick making little difference to departing home fans on another sorry night at the hands of their fiercest rivals.
M Gallagher (B Healy, 59); C Nash (K Earls, 71), C Farrell, D de Allende, S Daly; J Carbery, C Murray (C Casey, 59); J Loughman (J Wycherley, 68), N Scannell (D Barron, 55), S Archer (J Ryan, 55); J Jenkins (T Ahern, 55), F Wycherley; P O’Mahony - captain, C Cloete, G Coombes (A Kendellen, 28).
H Keenan; J O’Brien, G Ringrose – captain, R Henshaw (C Frawley, 59), J Lowe; R Byrne, J Gibson-Park (L McGrath, 63); E Byrne (C Healy, 46), J Tracy (D Sheehan, 46), M Ala’alatoa (T Furlong, 46); D Toner (R Molony, 50), J Dunne (J Murphy, 50); C Doris (M Deegan, 74), J van der Flier, J Conan.
Christophe Ridley (England)
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