URC: Benetton 15 Munster 45
This was the sort of fixture which used to be a formality for Munster, but not any more. Times have changed.
With 19 wins and a draw from their previous 23 games against the Treviso side, Munster had not lost this clash in 13 years. The Italians undoubtedly have improved, but the rate of deterioration in the Irish province’s fortunes has been much greater.
But Munster did all that was required of them in this one to carve out a seven tries to two win which takes them back into the top half of the table after results elsewhere this weekend saw them drop to ninth before kick-off.
“We were sitting ninth coming into the game so we needed a big win and get a good points differential as well,” said man-of-the-match Alex Nankivell.
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He set the tone from the outset, and alongside the likes of Jack Crowley and Tadhg Beirne, in front of a sizeable Munster following, they were good value for their 19-3 interval lead.
Shane Daly was assured at fullback and his good touchfinder down the left led to the opening try after seven minutes. Benetton messed up their own lineout and Munster pounced with Nankivell providing the key pass wide for Calvin Nash to sprint down the right wing to score. Crowley landed a superb conversion from the touchline.
He was off target with a penalty from 45 metres as Munster tried to build a lead, but the pressure eventually told and Tom Farrell pushed the lead out to 12-0 after 17 minutes after Nankivell again supplied the key pass in midfield.
Benetton opted for the posts with a 27th-minute penalty after tighthead Michael Ala’alatoa was pinged and Jacob Umaga made no mistake with the kick to cut the gap to 12-3.
But Munster finished the half strongly. They were patient in the build-up, moved the ball well through the hands and Crowley and Daly varied their some decent kicks which kept Benetton penned back.
Munster made the possession count six minutes from the break. They went to the left corner with a penalty which Beirne won and several forays later finished with Gavin Coombes squeezing over for his 54th try for the province. Crowley added the extras to lead 19-3 at the interval.
Good work from scrumhalf Alessandro Garbisi and Tommaso Menoncello put Umaga away for Benetton two minutes after the restart, but Nankivell got back to nail him a few metres short of the line.
Munster countered and quick thinking from scrumhalf Craig Casey secured a 50:22 and they made the possession count, again keeping the ball in tight and stretching the defence and Tom Ahern got over after Nash did extremely well to hold a pass with one hand.
That pushed them 26-3 ahead and secured the try-scoring bonus point before the hosts hit back and replacement tighthead Bautista Bernasconi scored from close range after they had worked the ball infield after going to the left corner. Umaga converted to cut the gap to 16.
But Munster wrapped up the game four minutes later. Crowley, with penalty advantage, measured his crosskick to precision for Alex Kendellen to collect in the left corner and skip inside former Munster player Matt Gallagher to score their fifth try.
Another brilliant break from Nankivell in midfield set up Munster’s sixth try against a wilting home defence and when Nash was stopped in the right corner, they recycled with Nankivell again making crucial metres before Beirne scored and Crowley converted.
Munster made the task difficult for themselves in the final quarter. Crowley picked up a yellow card and was soon followed to the bin by his halfback partner Casey for a deliberate knock-on.
But they defended the penalty superbly with just 13 men and cleared the lines as they did enough to disrupt Benetton’s attack.
Munster continued to press forward and Brian Gleeson, after executing the initial turnover, was on hand to finish the movement with their seventh try two minutes from the end, although there was still time for Alessandro Garbisi to get a consolation score at the death.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 7 MINS: Nash try, Crowley con 0-7; 17: Farrell try 0-12; 28: Umaga pen 3-12 34: Coombes try, Crowley 3-19; Half-time 3-19; 47: Kleyn try, Crowley con 3-26; 52: Bernasconi try, Imaga 10-26; 56: Kendellen try 10-31; 59: Beirne try, Crowley con 10-38; 78: Gleeson try, Crowley con 10-45; 80: Garbisi try 15-45
BENETTON: M Gallagher; L Lynagh, T Menoncello, M Fekitoa, P Odogwu; J Umaga, A Gabrisi; D Aminu, N Gasperini, M Gallorini; G Marini, F Ruzza; S Negri, M Lamaro, L Cannone. Replacements: A Izekor for Negri (20 mins), B Bernasconi for Gasperini, T Pasquali for Gallorini (both 46), R Favretto for Ruzza (48), I Nemer for Aminu (57), L Marin for Lynagh (61), J Kingi for Cannone, A Uren for Garbisi (both 68), Cannone for Fekitoa, Garbisi for Gallagher (both 75).
MUNSTER: S Daly; C Nash, T Farrell, A Nankivell, A Smith; J Crowley, C Casey; J Loughman, D Barron, M Ala’atatoa; J Kleyn, T Beirne; T Ahern, J Hodnett, G Coombes. Replacements: D Kelly for Farrell (24-41 mins), M Milne for Loughman (48), A Kendellen for Hodnett (50), L Barron for D Barron (57), E Edogbo for Kleyn, B Gleeson for Ahern (60), B O’Donovan for Coombes (68), Coombes for Daly, Kelly for Nankivell (both 73).
Yellow card: Crowley (63 mins), Casey (66).
Referee: B Whitehouse (WAL).
