Munster hang on to edge out Crusaders in Cork

Two first-half tries from man of the match Gavin Coombes had given the URC champions a leg up against the tourists playing for the first time in Europe and under the guidance of new head coach and former Munster boss Rob Penney, the home side taking a 14-7 interval lead after Mitch Drummond had got the South Islanders back in the game with try just before the break.

The visitors hit back with a brilliant finish from All Blacks centre Dallas McLeod on 65 minutes, the try converted by Rivez Reihana, only for Munster to reply through substitute hooker Scott Buckley, Joey Carbery’s third conversion of the game restoring the home side’s seven-point lead at 21-14.

Yet the Crusaders made it clear they had not left New Zealand for a holiday, and attacked in waves as the clock ran down, finally making a breakthrough with the clock past 80 minutes with replacement lock Jamie Hannah scoring from a five-metre maul, only for Reihana’s last-kick conversion to drift across the face of the posts and hand Munster victory in front of 40,855 supporters.

It was Munster who dominated the early stages, playing all the rugby as they retained the ball, went through the phases and probed the Crusaders defence, with Joey Carbery pulling the strings with a lively performance at fly-half.

The Crusaders, playing their first pre-season game as part of their first European tour, a two-game set against Munster and Bristol Bears next week, were defending well having been denied possession.

Wing Sean O’Brien was denied an opening try in the left corner when tackled just short of the line on 10 minutes and within the next four minutes former Wales and Lions full-back Leigh Halfpenny saved the day for the Kiwis with a covering slide to cut off a penetrating grubber kick from Munster’s Maori All Black Alex Nankevill.

Yet Munster stuck to their task and were rewarded for their time in the visitors’ 22 when Gavin Coombes struck from close range on 15 minutes, powering through the Crusaders last line from an unstoppable low position.

Carbery nailed the wide-left conversion and though full-back Shane Daly was held up over the line soon after, Coombes struck again on 32 minutes after Crusaders captain and lock Quentin Strange was yellow-carded for slapping the ball out of scrum-half Ethan Coughlan’s hands on halfway.

Carbery kicked to the corner and Munster eked out another penalty from the subsequent lineout drive. Unsurprisingly they went to their maul once more when handed a second chance and after a couple of darts for the tryline, Coombes stepped up and finished the job.

Carbery kicked the conversion to put Munster 14-0 up but Crusaders narrowed the gap shortly before half-time, their number nine Mitch Drummond completing a beautiful attacking move, converted by Taha Kemara to make it 14-7 to the home side at the interval.

Munster started the second half as they had the first, in control but could not convert that dominance into further points in the third quarter despite making all the running while remaining resolute when Crusaders did advance beyond the halfway line.

That became more frequent as the game entered its final 20 minutes and Munster’s defence finally cracked as the Super Rugby champions threatened down the left, one-cap All Black centre Dallas McLeod doing all the hard work to beat three home tackles and score in the corner, the conversion from replacement fly-half Rivez Reihana levelling the scores at 14-all with 15 minutes to play.

That still did not dull Munster’s ambition, the URC champions hitting back through replacement hooker Scott Buckley, against from close range, on 69 minutes, Carbery restoring the lead to seven points at 21-14.

Blowing leads had been the recent hallmark of Munster performances in both the URC and Champions Cup and the sell-out crowd will have had a collective feeling of deja-vu when their side granted Crusaders access through a penalty on halfway on 75 minutes, and again two minutes later, inviting a kick to touch that also brought an increase in decibels from the stands, supporters desperate to see their team home.

It did not stop the threat as the Crusaders maintained the pressure but Munster held firm, driving the New Zealander’s away from their 22 time after time before the clock ticked past 80 minutes, at least until one final dart in overtime and a penalty in the visitor’s favour in front of the posts.

Crusaders feinted for a tap and go, then kicked to the corner and this time they got what they wanted through their driving maul, replacement lock Jamie Hannah. It still needed the conversion to tie the game from inside the right-side tramlines and the responsibility fell once more to Reihana. His effort drifted across the posts as the City End terraces began to celebrate, followed by the entire stadium.

Crusaders heads dipped, Munster players leapt for joy and the province’s proud record against touring sides was enhanced a little further with the second win at the home of the Cork GAA following the November 2022 victory over South Africa A.

MUNSTER: S Daly; S O’Brien, A Frisch, A Nankivell, S McCarthy; J Carbery, E Coughlan; J Wycherley, E Clarke, S Archer; G Coombes, F Wycherley; R Quinn, A Kendellen - captain, J O’Sullivan.

Replacements: S Buckley, M Donnelly, J Ryan, K Nowak, J Daly, D Okeke, N Cronin, T Butler, R Scannell, C Hogan.

CRUSADERS: L Halfpenny; C Fihaki, L Aumua, D McLeod, M Springer; T Kemara, M Drummond; G Bower, G Bell, O Franks; Q Strange - captain, T Cahill; D Gardiner, T Christie, C Grace.

Yellow card: Q Strange 32-42 Replacements: I Moananu, K Sykes-Martin, S Calder, J Hannah, C Lio-Willie, N Hotham, R Reihana, R Crotty, J Southall, H Murray 

Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU)