Munster scored seven tries in a hectic 49-42 win against the Scarlets, and although their win keeps their drive for a top-four finish in the BKT United Rugby Championship on course, this was the rare occasion where the night belonged to one man.
Almost 17 months to the day since a recurrence of his anterior cruciate ligament against the same opposition, RG Snyman's second-half introduction for the impressive Jean Kleyn brought the house down, the loudest roar of the night in front of an 8,008 sellout at Musgrave Park.
The 28-year-old's played 17 minutes in his long-awaited return, just his fifth appearance for the province since joining in the summer of 2020, after back to back ACL tears have seen him in the rehab room for the majority of his time at the province.
He found himself involved in a chaotic final quarter, when poor Munster defence made the game far closer than it needed to be, but even the sight of him in the red jersey will be enough to keep the fans warm for three more weeks until their next outing against Glasgow Warriors back at Thomond Park on 24 March. Snyman’s name on the teamsheet will no doubt shift a few more tickets.
The province will head into the final three games of the regular season well placed in the play-off spots, but the manner of their second-half performance, in which they conceded five tries and allowed the Scarlets pick up two bonus points will be hugely frustrating to the coaching team.
The win was blotted by their second-half defence, but their first-half attack continued to impress.
Calvin Nash and Shane Daly looked dangerous every time they got the ball, sharing three of the first-half tries, while Antoine Frisch continued to impress, with his dancing feet setting Patrick Campbell over to score inside three minutes, the first of five Munster tries in the opening half as they brought a 35-7 lead into the break.
Paddy Patterson's impressive season continued with a try, while Nash got his second of the game in the final quarter, while Gavin Coombes was again on the scoresheet for his 12th of the season.
Munster got off to the perfect start when Campbell got the opening try of the game inside three minutes.
Rowntree's side were comfortable in possession and moving through the phases, with big carries from Daly, Salanoa and Coombes, before some quick hands from Carbery saw them move the ball wide to Frisch. The centre was able to accelerate to the edge of the defence, sucking in two defenders before unleashing Campbell down the touchline, and the full-back ran in to score from 40 metres, Carbery converting to make it 7-0.
On 10 minutes, they almost had another try when Kleyn lost control of the ball as he reached out to score, but it didn’t matter. Sixty seconds later, a beautiful inside ball from Patterson to Nash sent the winger through the middle of the Scarlets defence, sprinting over from the edge of the 22, with Carbery again converting to make it 14-0.
Munster lead Scarlets 14-0 after 20 minutes at Musgrave Park. Here's the home side's second try, which came from Calvin Nash.#RTERugby #MUNvSCA pic.twitter.com/AvFskNaCkR
— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) March 3, 2023
The Scarlets had won six in a row coming into this game, but there was a gulf between the sides in the opening quarter. Munster were moving the ball at ease, a looping offload from Fekitoa sending Daly into space, while a darting inside ball from Josh Wycherley to Coombes saw them break towards the 22, only for Fineen Wycherley to overrun the final pass.
Once again though, they made up for the missed opportunity in an instant, and after recovering possession and getting back within striking distance, it was simple hands from Carbery and Nash which saw Daly score their third try in the left corner.
Carbery’s conversion made it 21-0 with just 24 minutes played, and after the Scarlets conceded a penalty from the restart, it was 28-0 within seconds, Patterson sprinting unopposed through the middle after some hard carrying from Fekitoa and O’Donoghue.
On first viewing, it looked like the scrum-half had knocked the ball on when he’d received his pass from Josh Wycherley, but the officials seemed satisfied it went backwards and the try, Munster’s bonus-point score, stood.
The Scarlets hardly crossed into the Munster half in the opening half hour, but they finally produced some class on 34 minutes with a well-worked try for centre Joe Roberts.
Kleyn and Salanoa had initially combined for an excellent turnover in their own 22, but after Carbery’s clearance missed touch, the Welsh side ran it back, and after Johnny Williams broke into the 22, some quick handling allowed Roberts touch down in the corner.
Sam Costellow’s conversion brought it back to 28-7, but normal service was resumed before the break, when Munster got their fifth, Daly breaking through some tame tackling to weave his way under the posts to score. Carbery’s flat pass had put the wing through a gap in the defence, and the out-half's fifth conversion from five made it 35-7 to close out the half.
Having started the game like a train, Munster were sluggish in the early stages after the break, and saw their lead trimmed to 35-14 when Vaea Fifita took advantage of a slow covering defence to break through the middle after an inside pass by Sione Kalamafoni.
To their credit, Rowntree's side went right back down the pitch to restore their 28-point advantage, Coombes inevitably touching down after a series of tight phases, his 12th try of another prolific season. A sixth Carbery conversion made it 42-14, with then out-half making way for Jack Crowley shortly after.
The game began to get messy, and on 55 minutes Munster went to sleep in possession in their own 22, allowing Kalamafoni pick up the ball and race through for a third Scarlets try, once again converted by Costellow, which made it 42-21.
With 20 minutes to play, the gap was cut to just 14-points; second row Sam Lousi taking advantage of more weak defence on the fringe of the ruck to touch down under the posts, and Costellow’s latest conversion made the scores 42-28, ensuring the visitors would have a bonus-point at the very least to bring back to Wales.
Munster fans welcome back RG Snyman after his lengthy absence. #RTERugby #MUNvSCA pic.twitter.com/VdCU8WCVdJ
— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) March 3, 2023
Munster needed a spark, and they got it with the introduction of Snyman on 63 minutes, which brought Musgrave Park to its feet. And after working their way back down to the 22 following a penalty, Crowley and Daly combined to send Nash in under the posts for his second try of the night, the conversion from Crowley making it 49-28 with 13 minutes to play.
The gunslinging continued into the final 10 minutes, Gareth Davies finished off a breakaway try with 10 minutes left to cut Munster's lead back to 14 points, and on 76 minutes a Tom Rogers try, converted by Costellow made it 49-42, adding a losing bonus-point to the Scarlets' haul.
Munster: Patrick Campbell; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Malakai Fekitoa, Shane Daly; Joey Carbery, Paddy Patterson; Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron, Roman Salanoa; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O'Donoghue (capt), John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Mark Donnelly, Keynan Knox, RG Snyman, Alex Kendellen, Ethan Coughlan, Jack Crowley, Jack O'Sullivan.
Scarlets: Johnny McNicholl; Tom Rogers, Joe Roberts, Ioan Nicholas, Steff Evans; Sam Costelow, Dane Blacker; Kemsley Mathias, Shaun Evans Sam Wainwright; Vaea Fifita, Sam Lousi; Josh Macleod (capt), Dan Davis, Sione Kalamafoni.
Replacements: Taylor Davies, Steff Thomas, Javan Sebastian, Morgan Jones, Carwyn Tuipulotu, Gareth Davies, Dan Jones, Johnny Williams.
Referee: Ben Blain (SRU)
