URC: Munster 45 Dragons 14
Munster head coach Graham Rowntree said he will continue giving young players an opportunity because they are driving the standard among the URC champions in the absence of the World Cup players.
And with Rowntree confirming that Joey Carbery, who is due to undergo surgery on a wrist injury this week, is set to be out for the next few months, academy players such as Tony Butler are set to get more gametime.
The Ennis native produced an accomplished performance in his first start at outhalf, while another former underage hurling star, Cork’s Ben O’Connor, made his debut off the bench.
And yet another promising young hurler, Tipperary native Brian Gleeson, crossed for his first Munster try as they got back to winning ways in Musgrave Park after surprisingly being held to a draw in Treviso the previous week.
“It was challenging and we have got to get more accurate in what we are doing but it’s great the way the young men are driving things at the moment,” said Rowntree.
“We are a long way off being a perfect version of ourselves. But it was important we came through that game, 17-7 at half-time and it was a bit sticky, and it was all of our own making.
“But then we powered away in that third quarter, the young guys, particularly those coming off the bench, performed really well.”
Rowntree said there will be plenty of opportunities for players to stake a claim in a hectic season while he is hoping that Calvin Nash, who scored two tries on Saturday, will recover from a knock in time for next Friday’s trip to play Ulster in Belfast.
But he said he’s thrilled with the way the younger players are leading the way in the absence of the World Cup stars and he believes it will be hugely beneficial to Munster in the future.
“The young players are driving the standards. It is all coming from below, the young men are driving the standards and they are pushing the older men around them.
“We will have to see how a few knocks come through, people like Calvin, see how they come through in the next few days as we have a short week and we are up to Belfast.
“He’s been good for us in the past 18 months and he was really sharp for us in this one and hungry. But we will have to see how he comes through in the next couple of days.
Munster dominated from the outset and were well on their victory when Nash crossed for their third try after just 23 minutes.
Dragons, who came to Cork without 20 players, including seven Welsh internationals who were on duty in Cardiff against the Barbarians, suffered another blow after just two minutes when full-back Angus O’Brien went off injured.
Munster raced into a 17-0 lead after 23 minutes as Rory Scannell, Gavin Coombes and Nash crossed for tries.
Dragons, to their credit, regrouped and finished the half strongly. Replacement scrumhalf Dane Blacker chipped for Welsh under-20 skipper Ryan Woodman to collect and score. Will Reed’s conversion from the left made it 17-7 at the break.
A patient build-up produced the bonus-point try after 48 minutes with Edwin Edogbo making inroads before his equally promising lock partner Tom Ahern stretched to score for the second week in a row. Rookie outhalf Butler converted to make it 24-7 and really all that remained to be decided was the margin of victory.
They pushed on from there, with Irish scrumhalf Craig Casey scoring before Irish U-20 Gleeson got his first try for Munster.
The champions crossed for their second try when Nash scored after a grubber from Jack Crowley, who had just come on for the impressive Butler, popped up nicely for him.
The only downside for the champions was the injury Nash suffered in scoring, and they also conceded a try in the final play to replacement prop Aki Seiuli. But this was an impressive showing in Cork from the champions.
SCORERS – Munster: Tries: C Nash (2), R Scannell, G Coombes, T Ahern, C Casey, B Gleeson. Cons: T Butler (4), J Crowley.
Dragons: Tries: R Woodman, A Seiuli. Cons: W Reed (2).
MUNSTER: S Daly; S O’Brien, A Nankivell, R Scannell, C Nash; T Butler, C Casey; K Ryan, D Barron, J Ryan; E Edogbo, T Ahern; J O’Donoghue (capt), A Kendellen, G Coombes. Replacements: P Patterson for Casey (55 mins), B Gleeson for Edogbo (55), S Buckley for Barron (64), B O’Connor for Daly (64), J Crowley for Butler (67), R Quinn for O’Donoghue (69), M Donnelly for K Ryan (70), S Archer for J Ryan (70).
DRAGONS: A O’Brien; C Baldwin, S Hughes (capt), J Dixon, A Hewitt; W Reed, R Williams; R Jones, B Roberts, L Yendle; J Davies, G Nott; R Woodman, J Benjamin, T Basham. Replacements: D Blacker for O’Brien (2 mins), E Rosser for Baldwin (55), N Evans for Yendle (64), B Langton-Cryer for Nott (64), A Seiuli for Jones (67), B Coghlan for Roberts (67), A Owen for Reed (68), G Young for Benjamin (73), Yendle for Evans (77).
Referee: San Grove-White (Scotland).
