Munster claim first away win in the URC

Munster bested Scarlets, 42-7, to secure their first away win in the URC this season. Munster led 14-0 at the break, after a double from Gavin Coombes before blitzing the Welsh region with four tries to one in the second half. 

RG Snyman in action on his return to Munster

Going into this game the two sides were desperate for a result, both having won only one of their last four URC outings. Against a depleted Scarlets side, Munster were able to field a strong team for an international window, bolstered by the return of RG Snyman, Mike Haley, and Joey Carbery. This experience showed, with Scarlets unable to cope with Munster’s second-half surge.  

Scarlets started well, dominating the opening 10 minutes in both possession and field position. Due to some strong maul defence and dark arts from Ahern however, nothing materialised from this early period of dominance. Munster struck back in the 11th minute, with Gavin Coombes barging over from a metre out, an action he will surely look to patent at this stage. Scarlets reacted well and following a moment of madness from Sean O’Brien, who needlessly conceded a penalty for throwing the ball away, they found themselves on Munster’s five-metre line. Scarlets’ lineout goes awry after what one can only assume was an egregious miscommunication, gifting possession back to Munster. The Limerick side had no such execution issues, eventually leading to an almost identical Coombes try in the 24th minute. His second of the game and his 42nd try in 88 games for the province.  

Munster has been criticised for their second-half performances throughout the season, outscoring only three sides during the latter period. While Scarlets opened the scoring of the second half with a brilliant solo effort from Joe Roberts in the 50th minute, Munster’s bench was too strong for the home side, running in four tries in the final quarter. Jack O'Sullivan and Tom Ahern dotted down in quick succession of one another, followed by Sean O’Brien and the young flyer, Shay McCarthy, in the closing minutes. Carbery kicked six from six from the tee to round off a five-point performance from the Munster men.  

Munster moves from 11th to ninth in the URC table, still hunting for a playoff spot while the Scarlets drop one spot to 14th. Both will be looking ahead to vital fixtures in the coming weeks as they strive to reach the top eight, to book their ticket to the quarterfinals. 

By Christopher Benn

Scoring sequence:  

11 mins: Coombes try, Carbery con; 24: Coombes try, Carbery con;  

Half-time: 14-0; 

50: Roberts try, Titcombe con; 62: O’Sullivan try, Carbery con; 66: Ahern try, Carbery con; 73: O’Brien try, Carbery con; 77: McCarthy try, Carbery con. 

Full time: 42-7. 

Munster: M Haley; S O’Brien, A Frisch, A Nankivell; S Daly; J Carbery, C Murray; J Loughman, N Scannell, O Jager; T Ahern, RG Snyman; R Quinn, A Kendellen (c), G Coombes.  

Replacements: E Clarke, J Wycherley, J Ryan, F Wycherley, J O’Sullivan, E Coughlan, R Scannell, S McCarthy. 

Scarlets: J McNicholl; T Lewis, J Roberts, E James, I Nicholas; D Jones, A Hughes; K Mathias, E Swart, H O'Connor; A Craig, S Lousi (c); J Taylor, D Davis, V Fifita.  

Replacements: Harry Thomas, Wyn Jones, Sam Wainwright, Jac Price, Teddy Leatherbarrow, Efan Jones, Charlie Titcombe, Steff Evans.