Butler shines as five-try Munster topple physical Argentina second-string

Munster's star man on the night, Tony Butler, scores a try. Pic: Tom O'Hanlon/Inpho

Munster 31 Argentina XV 28

Munster notched another victory over international opposition when they saw off an ambitious Argentina XV side in style on Saturday night.

Missing six international players and with a lengthy injury list, Munster fielded three debutants and two first-time starters in a matchday squad including a sprinkling of academy youngsters and were full value for their five tries in an entertaining match up with the Pumas’ second string.

Fly-half Tony Butler starred with two well-taken tries, following scores from Evan O’Connell and then Gavin Coombes before Sean O’Brien finished the game off with a 68th minute try as Munster went toe to toe with a physical and expansive touring side featuring three Test-capped players.

Argentina had opened the scoring after dominating early possession and territory on 18 minutes through one of their internationals, centre Faustino Sanchez Valarolo, converted by fly-half Julian Hernandez with O’Connell’s reply coming from the restart.

Sean O'Brienbreaks away from Estanislao Pregot of Argentina XV on his way to scoring his side's fifth try. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Butler nudged Munster in front to the delight of the 15,054 crowd as collected an overthrown attacking lineout at speed and rounded full-back Tobias Wade to score in the corner as the home side took a 10-7 lead into the half-time break.

Coombes’ try on 45 minutes stretched the lead with Butler’s first conversion of the night taking it 17-7 but the Argentine’s response was quick, their maul securing a try for hooker Leonel Oviedo on 50 minutes. 

Hernandez’s conversion closed the gap to 17-14 but back came Munster, despite losing scrum-half Paddy Patterson to a yellow card three minutes later. 

Butler filled in at number nine and it was his snipe down the blindside of a ruck which broke open the visiting defence soon after his side went a man down, captain Jack O’Donoghue and Ben O’Connor, with an offload, combining to feed the supporting Butler to grab his second of the night and then nail his touchline conversion.

Max Clein and Luke Murphy joined starter Conor Ryan from the bench for their Munster debuts but it was far from a procession for the home side as capped Puma wing Santiago Pernas scored his team’s third of the night on 64 minutes, the conversion making it a three-point game, only for O’Brien’s reply converted by Butler to open another 10-point lead, just enough to make Wade’s 80th minute converted try a consolation.

MUNSTER: M Haley (B O’Connor, 26); D Kilgallen (JJ Hanrahan, 64), F Gibbons, S O’Brien, S McCarthy; T Butler, P Patterson (J O’Riordan, 59); J Wycherley (M Donnelly, 59), L Barron (M Clein, 59), R Foxe (K Ryan, 59); C Ryan, E O’Connell (F Wycherley, 68); J O’Donoghue (captain), R Quinn (L Murphy, 67), G Coombes.

Yellow card: P Patterson 49-59 

ARGENTINA A: T Wade; S Pernas, L Gea Salim (B Farise, 64), F Sánchez Valarolo, M Soler; J Hernandez, A Sugasti (E Pregot, 64); M Medrano (D Correa, 64), L Oviedo (J M Vivas, 64), F Moreno (O Filippa, 64); L Simes (J P Bernasconi, 59), F Albrisi (J P Bernasconi, 26-36 - HIA); N D'Amorim, A Bildosola, JC Perez Rachel (captain).

Replacements not used: L Colidio, A Fraga.

Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia).