MUNSTER MAINTAINED THEIR lead at the top of the Pro12 with a stylish bonus point win on a night when they were clinical throughout.
Dragons had no answer to another top class performance by Rassie Erasmus’ men despite being without so many internationals.
A rampant Munster side had the bonus point in the bag by half-time after a superb display which blew the Dragons away.
An early exchange of penalties between Tyler Bleyendaal and Dorian Jones suggested a tight match but at the end of the opening half Munster were out of sight by 31-10 and Dragons were temporarily down to 14 men.
Jaco Taute got Munster moving with his first try after 14 minutes and then Andrew Conway finished after Bleyendaal intercepted inside his own 22.
Taute grabbed his second 12 minutes from the interval after another sustained bout of pressure as Munster continued to be clinical in everything they did.
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Tommy Dickson / INPHO
Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO
Hooker Sam Hobbs got over for a Dragons try after a good drive from a lineout three minutes from the break.
But Munster wrapped up the bonus point on the stroke of half-time through a penalty try when a pass from Duncan Williams to Dan Goggin in the left corner was deliberately knocked on, with Dragons’ full-back Carl Meyer receiving a yellow card before Bleyendaal made it five kicks from five.
Replacement hooker Elliott Dee pulled back a try for the Welsh just before the hour when replacement Munster lock Darren O’Shea was in the bin for a shoulder charge.
However, Munster responded and a break by Rory Scannell set in train a sustained bout of pressure which was finished from close range by loosehead Dave Kilcoyne, with Bleyendaal’s sixth kick of the night making it 38-17.
And Munster had the final say when Ronan O’Mahony sprinted through to score in the final play, with Bleyendaal making it seven from seven with the conversion.
Munster scorers
Tries: Jaco Taute (2), Andrew Conway, penalty try, Dave Kilcoyne, Ronan O’Mahony Penalties: Tyler Bleyendaal [1 from 1] Conversions: Tyler Bleyendaal [6 from 6]
Dragons scorers
Tries: Sam Hobbs, Elliott Dee Penalties: Dorian Jones Conversions:Dorian Jones [2 from 2]
Tommy Dickson / INPHO
Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO
MUNSTER: Andrew Conway (Dan Goggin ’32); Darren Sweetnam (Francis Saili ’55), Jaco Taute (Abrie Griesel ’73), Rory Scannell, Ronan O’Mahony; Tyler Bleyendaal, Duncan Williams; Dave Kilcoyne (Pete McCabe ’71), Rhys Marshall (Kevin O’Byrne ’59), Stephen Archer (Brian Scott ’56); Jean Kleyn (Conor Oliver ’40), Dave Foley (Darren O’Shea ’25); Dave O’Callaghan, Tommy O’Donnell, Jack O’Donoghue.
DRAGONS: Carl Meyer; Adam Hughes, Tyler Morgan, Adam Warren (Sam Beard ’61), Pat Howard; Dorian Jones (Angus O’Brien ’61), Tavis Knoyle (Sarel Pretorius ’61); Sam Hobbs (Thomas Davies ’63), Rhys Buckley (Elliott Dee ’52), Brok Harris (Lloyd Fairbrother ’63); Matthew Screech (Nick Crosswell ’53), Rynard Landman; Ollie Griffiths, Nic Cudd (Harrison Keddie ’69), Lewis Evans.
Taute and Bleyendaal star as Munster run riot in Cork to maintain Pro12 lead
Munster 45
Newport Gwent Dragons 17
MUNSTER MAINTAINED THEIR lead at the top of the Pro12 with a stylish bonus point win on a night when they were clinical throughout.
Dragons had no answer to another top class performance by Rassie Erasmus’ men despite being without so many internationals.
A rampant Munster side had the bonus point in the bag by half-time after a superb display which blew the Dragons away.
An early exchange of penalties between Tyler Bleyendaal and Dorian Jones suggested a tight match but at the end of the opening half Munster were out of sight by 31-10 and Dragons were temporarily down to 14 men.
Jaco Taute got Munster moving with his first try after 14 minutes and then Andrew Conway finished after Bleyendaal intercepted inside his own 22.
Taute grabbed his second 12 minutes from the interval after another sustained bout of pressure as Munster continued to be clinical in everything they did.
Hooker Sam Hobbs got over for a Dragons try after a good drive from a lineout three minutes from the break.
But Munster wrapped up the bonus point on the stroke of half-time through a penalty try when a pass from Duncan Williams to Dan Goggin in the left corner was deliberately knocked on, with Dragons’ full-back Carl Meyer receiving a yellow card before Bleyendaal made it five kicks from five.
Replacement hooker Elliott Dee pulled back a try for the Welsh just before the hour when replacement Munster lock Darren O’Shea was in the bin for a shoulder charge.
However, Munster responded and a break by Rory Scannell set in train a sustained bout of pressure which was finished from close range by loosehead Dave Kilcoyne, with Bleyendaal’s sixth kick of the night making it 38-17.
And Munster had the final say when Ronan O’Mahony sprinted through to score in the final play, with Bleyendaal making it seven from seven with the conversion.
MUNSTER: Andrew Conway (Dan Goggin ’32); Darren Sweetnam (Francis Saili ’55), Jaco Taute (Abrie Griesel ’73), Rory Scannell, Ronan O’Mahony; Tyler Bleyendaal, Duncan Williams; Dave Kilcoyne (Pete McCabe ’71), Rhys Marshall (Kevin O’Byrne ’59), Stephen Archer (Brian Scott ’56); Jean Kleyn (Conor Oliver ’40), Dave Foley (Darren O’Shea ’25); Dave O’Callaghan, Tommy O’Donnell, Jack O’Donoghue.
DRAGONS: Carl Meyer; Adam Hughes, Tyler Morgan, Adam Warren (Sam Beard ’61), Pat Howard; Dorian Jones (Angus O’Brien ’61), Tavis Knoyle (Sarel Pretorius ’61); Sam Hobbs (Thomas Davies ’63), Rhys Buckley (Elliott Dee ’52), Brok Harris (Lloyd Fairbrother ’63); Matthew Screech (Nick Crosswell ’53), Rynard Landman; Ollie Griffiths, Nic Cudd (Harrison Keddie ’69), Lewis Evans.
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland).
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Guinness PRO12 Munster Report Newport Dragons