Munster ride out storm and Stormers’ challenge for satisfying Thomond win

URC: Munster 10 Stormers 3

Not one that will stand up to repeated video viewing, nor even one that will be recalled fondly by a shivering crowd, but it was most definitely the kind of sleeves-rolled-up, gritty victory on a winter’s night that will be especially satisfying in the Munster dressingroom.

That it was something of a grudge match was also evident in some of the off the ball actions and verbal exchanges, and on a night when you wouldn’t have put the cat out, ultimately Munster persevered thanks in large part to a defiant second-half rearguard action.

And for all the class shown by Jack Crowley, in many ways they were indebted to the grit of the reserve Munster secondrow and huge performances by John Hodnett, who consistently beat the first tackler in a game of metres, and Gavin Coombes, who was immense in all he did and put in a mighty defensive effort.

Although the playing surface remained pristine and was in stark contrast to the awful, cut-up pitch at the DHL Stadium for last May’s Grand Final, on the night that was in it there was no chance that this rematch could reproduce anything like the same level of entertaining.

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Indeed, it was one of those nights when for much of the time things seemed simpler without the ball than with it. The heavy showers slanted in from the Mayorstone end of the ground diagonally from corner flag to corner flag, and even when they occasionally relented, the swirling wind never did.

On their revenge mission, and after a couple of defeats on their travels, the Stormers were certainly up for it. They had some joy with their kicking game, particularly when the they went to the air, and brought plenty of line speed, big hits and abrasiveness to their defensive efforts.

Playing with the capricious elements behind them, Munster had most of the territory, with Crowley surviving some buffeting to use the wind with his mixture of left- and right-footed kicks as well as bombs and lower raking kicks that invariably found grass.

The South African champions from two seasons ago also looked capable of wreaking some damage at scrum time, but their lineout was put under severe pressure by Peter O’Mahony and co, which forced a couple of steals and a crooked throw in the first-half.

It was after an O’Mahony steal, beating Ruben van Heerden in the air, and a strong carry over the gainline by Coombes that led to Van Heerden being pinged for not rolling away and Crowley landed the 15th-minute penalty.

After Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu missed a difficult 40-metre penalty, Munster produced their best spell of continuity. There were some nice lines by Edwin Edogbo and Shane Daly off nicely delayed short passes by Tadhg Beirne and Crowley, before Neethling Fouche’s tackle forced a spill from O’Mahony. Following this, he was backslapped unnecessarily by Adre Smith. Why do refs tolerate that nonsense?

But that individualistic Stormers threat was always there, and was evidenced by Leolin Zas taking a lovely counterattacking line from Warrick Gelant’s pas to beat one player and break clear, only for the bounce of the ball to beat him after his deft chip on the run.

Crowley covered the danger then, and as he subsequently pulled the strings the outhalf was caught with a shoulder to the neck by the Stormers’ midfield enforcer Ruhan Nel.

In any event, nearing half-time, Munster turned down the three and rolled the dice when Crowley found a good touch seven metres out from the 10-metre line and straight in front of the posts – for three points was no buffer in these conditions.

Two more penalties followed for collapsing mauls, and a yellow card for Fouche – although not for shunting his forearm into the face of a Munster player on the deck. Why do TMOs allow that nonsense?

Munster exacted full retribution as the pack turned to their time-honoured power play before Edogbo plunged under Evan Roos’s tackle to score. It was a good finish, and better still was right beside the posts, meaning Crowley’s conversion ensured they turned into the elements with a 10-0 lead.

Even so, O’Mahony did no reappear for the second half, albeit Jack O’Donoghue is neither a slouch nor a greenhorn at this stage, and rolled up his sleeves as all his team-mates did.

Even so, things looked a little ominous as the Stormers twice laid siege with 14 men, Van Heerden spilling when hit by O’Donoghue before Feinberg-Mngomezulu opened their account with a penalty.

Munster looked set to score after Hodnett and Coombes again made inroads off an attacking lineout, but Edogbo was held up just short before Willie Engelbrecht latched over the ball for the turnover.

Instead, the Stormers came calling again, cranking up the pressure ominously once more with a succession of close-range efforts against the Munster replacement frontrow who, to their huge credit, stayed in the fight.

Even then, critically Evan Roos was twice held up over the line, first by Crowley, with vital help to prevent the grounding by the alert Coombes. He held up his opposite number once more, which must have been enjoyable after Roos had earlier patted him on the shoulder while saying a few words.

When Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicked a wind-assisted penalty dead from inside halfway entering the last 10 minutes, it felt significant, and it was.

Munster largely saw out that final quarter away from danger, and one final defensive set ended with academy winger Shay McCarthy shooting up with a good defensive read and all-enveloping tackle to force a final spill from Roos.

A satisfying and fitting end.

SCORING SEQUENCE – 15 mins: Crowley pen, 3-0; 40: Edogbo try, Crowley con, 10-0 (half-time 10-0); 46: Feinberg-Mngomezulu pen, 10-3.

MUNSTER: Shane Daly; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Alex Nankivell, Shay McCarthy; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Scott Buckley, John Ryan; Edwin Edogbo, Tadhg Beirne; Peter O’Mahony (capt), John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Jack O’Donoghue for O’Mahony (h-t); Josh Wycherley for Loughman, Stephen Archer for Ryan (both 48 mins); Tom Ahern for Edogbo (54); Conor Murray for Casey (60); Alex Kendellen for Hodnett (69). Not used: Chris Moore, Rory Scannell.

STORMERS: Warrick Gelant; Ben Loader, Ruhan Nel, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Leolin Zas; Jean-Luc du Plessis, Paul de Wet; Sti Sithole, Joseph Dweba, Neethling Fouche (capt); Ruben van Heerden, Gary Porter; Willie Engelbrecht, Ben-Jason Dixon, Evan Roos.

Replacements: Adre Smith for Porter (7 mins); Brok Harris for Engelbrecht (43-48) and for Fouche (62); Andre-Hugo Venter for Dweba, Keke Morabe for Engelbrecht (both 54); Ali Vermaak for Sithole, Herschel Jantjies for De Wet (60), Angelo Davids for Du Plessis (66); Clayton Blommetjies for Loader (69).

Yellow card: Fouche (39-48 mins).

Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU).