OSPREYS ARE GROUNDED
SCULLY Munster make it ten wins from ten games
TOP seeds and reigning champions Munster are coming back to Thomond Park next Saturday night to play for a place in this season’s final.
Graham Rowntree’s side came alive in the competition from February on and last night’s home victory over Ospreys in front of the 14,072 attendance made it 10 wins from their last 10 games for the Reds.
Next up in Limerick will be either Glasgow Warriors or Stormers, who face off in Scotstoun tonight, and if Munster can find a way to get over the line again the carrot is staying at home for the final this year – having had to go to Cape Town 12 months ago.
Visitors
Rowntree and his players won’t be getting ahead of themselves as the visitors, who came into form at the end of the regular season to squeeze into the play-offs, caused plenty of problems.
Predictably, Toby Booth’s side gave everything in a bid to overturn the odds but, ultimately, their opponents – inspired by skipper Tadhg Beirne’s barnstorming display – had too much quality.
There was an electrifying start to the contest when, after probing deep into Ospreys territory in the opening moments, Munster scored the opening try after 90 seconds.
So often the lightning conductor, Simon Zebo dived over after Peter O’Mahony, Antoine Frisch and Gavin Coombes combined.
Zebo did the rest, beating flying Keelan Giles on his outside.
Yet the visitors – and Giles – struck back in the fifth minute with an exhilarating score of their own.
Reuben Morgan-Williams’ deft chip was picked up and offloaded by Owen Watkin, Morgan Morris fed Giles and he evaded Frisch’s tap-tackle attempt to score.
Both tries were converted and it was all square, but only until the 18th minute.
Munster piled on the pressure and when Tom Botha infringed at the ruck,
Jack Crowley kicked down the line.
Beirne rose for Niall Scannell’s throw and hooker
Scannell broke off the driving maul to get over the tryline. Crowley knocked over the conversion, and after Scannell went close again off a lineout maul, ref Hollie Davidson warned Ospreys about further infringements as she awarded a penalty. Crowley slotted over for a 17-7 lead.
The Reds were happy to go in at the break with that advantage intact as Ospreys fired into the attack and went to the corner with a series of penalties.
But having been in some difficulty early on, Munster’s scrum came up with a big penalty win against the head and close to their own line in the 39th minute. Not surprisingly, the win was celebrated like a try.
Denied
The hosts almost added a third try early in the second half when Coombes and Beirne were denied from close range, and more opportunities followed off a free but the Reds couldn’t find a way through Ospreys’ resolute defence.
The visitors continued in that vein, digging in and keeping their hopes alive despite wave after wave of Reds attack.
That was until Munster’s front row did the business again – winning another scrum against the head just 10 metres from the Ospreys line.
Caught
Skipper Beirne and Crowley wasted no time in pointing to the points and Munster’s lead was up to 13 points with 22 minutes remaining.
Another successful Crowley penalty soon followed, with Huw Sutton caught on the wrong side, and the hosts were well on their way.
S Zebo (M Haley 54), C Nash, A Frisch (T Butler 70), S O’Brien, S Daly, J Crowley, C Casey (C Murray 59); J Loughman (J Ryan 63), N Scannell (D Barron 47), S Archer (O Jager 47) , RG Snyman, T Beirne, P O’Mahony (J O’Donoghue 47), J Hodnett (A Kendellen 63), G Coombes.
M Nagy (H Houston 71), L Morgan, O Watkin, K Williams, K Giles (L Scully 79), O Williams, R Morgan-Williams (L Davies 70); N Smith (G Thomas 54), D Lake (S Parry 61), T Botha (R Henry 54), J Ratti, H Sutton (V Sekekete 71), J Morgan, J Tipuric, M Morris (M Morse 75).