Munster too good for Ospreys

CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Munster were made to battle until the 85th minute before eventually securing all five points against a dogged Ospreys side in a 32-13 European Champions Cup Pool Four victory in Swansea.

Tries from prop Jeremy Loughman, wing duo Keith Earls and Andrew Conway as well as the late score from prop James Cronin meant the try bonus point as well as the victory would be heading back to Thomond Park.

Ospreys made a bright start as Munster strayed offside, with Luke Price opening the scoring with a simple penalty inside kicking range.

Munster flyhalf Tyler Bleyendaal hit back twice with successful penalty kicks of his own on 15 and 19 minutes before Price responded minutes later, making it 6-6 with a penalty from in front of the posts.

The Irish province continued to dominate and work the phases well, eventually finding Man of the Match Loughman who somehow found a way over the line at the foot of the posts for the first try.

It took Munster ten minutes at the start of the second half to get on the scoresheet again as Mike Haley worked the overlap, dragging the final man across before handing to Earls who did really well to stay in play and score Munster’s second try.

Confidence was clearly building in the Munster ranks and they moved further clear after some stunning hands from Loughman, this time playing the ball to the right side for Conway who showed his trademark blistering pace to get away from the chasing Ospreys men and score with ease.

Ospreys would not lie down though and after the Welsh region won a scrum penalty, Aled Davies cleverly darted his way through the Munster line and over for a score at the posts.

However, Munster were desperate for that try bonus point and it came in the 85th minute. They launched the attacking maul from a line-out five metres out and managed to power over the line with Cronin under a sea of red players over the ball.

Munster will now host Racing 92 next Saturday in Round Two while Ospreys travel to face defending champions Saracens.

The scorers:

For Ospreys:
Try: Davies
Con: Price
Pens: Price 2

For Munster:
Tries: Loughman, Earls, Conway, Cronin
Cons: Bleyendaal 3
Pens: Bleyendaal 2

Teams:

Ospreys: 15 Cai Evans, 14 Hanno Dirksen, 13 Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler, 12 Scott Williams, 11 Tom Williams, 10 Luke Price, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Morgan Morris, 7 Olly Cracknell, 6 Dan Lydiate (captain), 5 Lloyd Ashley, 4 Marvin Orie, 3 Ma’afu Fia, 2 Scott Otten, 1 Rhodri Jones,
Replacements: 16 Ifan Phillips, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Gheorghe Gajion, 19 Bradley Davies, 20 Sam Cross, 21 Aled Davies, 22 James Hook, 23 Kieran Williams

Munster: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Andrew Conway, 13 Chris Farrell, 12 Rory Scannell, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Tyler Bleyendaal, 9 Conor Murray, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Tommy O’Donnell, 6 Peter O’Mahony (captain), 5 Billy Holland, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 John Ryan, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 Jeremy Loughman,
Replacements: 16 Kevin O’Byrne, 17 James Cronin, 18 Stephen Archer, 19 Tadhg Beirne, 20 Arno Botha, 21 Alby Mathewson, 22 Sam Arnold, 23 Dan Goggin

Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant referees: Ian Tempest (England), Paul Dix (England)
TMO: Steve Terheege (England)

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Main photo: Musterrugby