Cardiff Blues 25
Munster 18
MUNSTER PRODUCED A poor first half to lose further ground on Glasgow Warriors at the top of Conference A of the Guinness Pro14 after a 25-18 loss to Cardiff Blues.
The visitors never got started in the opening 40 as Macauley Cook, Lloyd Williams and Owen Lane all scored tries for the Blues. Jarrod Evans kicked two conversions and two crucial second-half penalties to send the province to defeat.
Tries in either half from Chris Cloete and Stephen Fitzgerald plus the boot of Ian Keatley got Munster back into it, but it was not enough despite Tyler Bleyendaal securing a losing bonus point with the final kick of the game.
Munster had a shocking first half, making basic errors which allowed the Blues to dominate.
Keatley missed a simple early penalty effort and that set the tone for a poor performance.
The home side then scored three tries in eight minutes to take total control.
From a lineout move, Ellis Jenkins’ long ball allowed Cook to open the scoring. Munster argued there had been both a Jenkins knock on and a forward pass in the build-up. They had a point, but the try was given.
Duncan Williams’ clearance kick was then charged down by Williams who scored the Blues’ second and Rey Lee-Lo kicked ahead from a scrum platform to give flying wing Lane a third try. Evans converted both scores.
Munster were shellshocked, but did at least respond before the break. Cloete was their scorer, peeling off the back of a lineout drive to go over the line.
Keatley kicked a penalty as Munster flew out of the blocks at the start of the second period and Blues hooker Matthew Rees was yellow carded for offside as the visitors hit back.
Fitzgerald dived over in the right corner to finish off a flowing team move and the conversion was added by the boot of Keatley to set up a four-point game.
The Munster comeback didn’t last. The Blues showed admirable restraint to respond to a tricky spell and buoyed by a series of replacements, they got back into things.
Evans kicked two penalties before Bleyendaal, on his return from injury, salvaged a late point for Munster.
Cardiff scorers:Tries: Cook, L Williams, Lane
Conversions: Evans [2]
Penalties: Evans [2]Munster scorers:
Tries: Cloete, Fitzgerald
Conversions: Keatley
Penalties: Keatley, Bleyendaal
CARDIFF BLUES: R Williams; Summerhill (Myhill 53-63), Smith, Lee-Lo, Lane; Evans, L Williams (T Williams 66); G Jenkins (capt) (Gill 61), Rees (Myhill 63), Filise (Lewis 55), Earle (Turnbull 61), Davies, Cook (Robinson 74), E Jenkins, N Williams.
Replacements not used: Shingler, Edwards.
MUNSTER: Fitzgerald; Sweetnam, Arnold, Scannell, O’Mahony (Zebo 56); Keatley (Bleyendaal 61), Williams (Hart 70); Kilcoyne (Cronin 54), Marshall (Sherry 62), Ryan (Archer 54), Grobler (Kleyn 54), O’Shea, O’Donoghue (capt), Cloete, Copeland (O’Callaghan 70).
Referee: Stuart Berry (South Africa)
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That Munster team should not be losing to that Cardiff team.
@The Irish Pain: also think the team hasn’t lost it’s way since Rassie left.
@The Irish Pain: ***has
And now we see why Keatley just isn’t of a good international standard. I understand he’s playing his best rugby this season but he isn’t at a high enough level for ireland or back up 10 to sexton. He wasn’t to blame for munster losing but he was anonymous for most parts and is still prone to errors at crucial times.
@Anthony Davoren: keatley issue is playing with that moron dunc the muppet.
@Shougeki: cool the jets with the abuse.
@The Irish Pain: yeah , no need for personal abuse but the half backs, all of them bar Murray obviously are sub standard if munster have any high end ambition going forward !!
@The Irish Pain: I dont mean to demean him as a man, and apologies if it came across as abuse but he has no right to be playing professional rugby. I honestly reckon sometimes we would be better off fielding 14 than having “dunc the bunk” on the pitch. He is dreadful. Only munster player i have thought would be better of they picked a randomer from the crowd.
@Shougeki: Best Fans In The World TM (c)
@Shougeki: keatley is just simply USELESS. He wouldent even make a school team & a Coward as well
@Murf: and Shougeki: You pair are an embarrassment to your club and Irish rugby
@Shougeki: Agree totally – reminds me of Tomas O’Leary, only worse.
@Causasua: he reminds you of a player selected to tour with the Lions having been a crucial member of a Grand Slam winning side?
As long as we persevere with Williams we are going nowhere. He is clearly not up to standard which poses the question what are his connections to the top of Munster rugby????? Useless against Zebre two weeks ago and the same tonight. Wouldn’t get near the starting line up of any other pro 14 team.
Dreadful.
@Munsterman: it was worse than dreadful!!!!
10 changes didn’t help. But 9 & 10 were very poor. Keatley’s kicking was shocking in the first half. Understandable that he’s released from Carton! Williams kicked all day to absolutely no effect, apart from gifting Cardiff a try & continuously giving them back possession. Poor leadership on the pitch. Game plan did not work for 75% of the game. Our panel is v weak as shown when our internationals are away.
@Paddy Murphy: panel is strong, it’s literally our halfbacks are the problem.
@thesaltyurchin: Bleyendaal is quality but you need a better 9 than Williams or Hart for sure.
You cant win rugby matches if you have a poor 9/10 , they contributed to 14 pts by errors
We should have killed them off when they had rees in the bin. Fair duce to Williams for his contribution but seriously we definitely have better scrum halves in the munster academy. Thought he slowed the game way down which played into Cardiffs hands at a time we should have killed them. We got 1 point when 5 points were there for the taking
@Kenneth O Connor: What’s the story with James Hart? only getting 10 mins in game like this suggests he’s not rated at all
@Sean Mannion: last time he got a run he was worse than Williams. We need Strings 2.0 (kid a Connacht with a bullet pass)
@Sean Mannion: yeah, what is the story with Hart? Can anybody comment – is Willians a better option or what’s happening there?
Dreadful watching. Really unimaginative tactics and sloppy execution, still trying to maul win games, and with the same problems at 9 and 10 as 5 seasons ago its no wonder we can’t create anything outside, glad Keatley can crack a wry smile when it puts another one out on the full (are we allowed to talk about how crap he can be again now or still a no go?) at least Williams is gone at the end of the season, you could make a cup of tea in the time he has at the back of a ruc, and it’s still not enough. Ref way off on Cronin, Cardiff deserve the win tho. Least we got a losing bonus I suppose.
@thesaltyurchin: where have you seen that Williams is gone at the end of the season?
@Jim Demps: Word on the street.
@thesaltyurchin: didn’t he sign a new contract recently?
@thesaltyurchin: whats the story with james hart?
@Johnny A: Slept with the wrong persons wife presumably!
@thesaltyurchin: I thought he signed a new contract
@thesaltyurchin: Williams has a new 2 yr contract
So incredibly blunt in attack it’s ridiculous. There’s not the slightest bit of creativity there at all, which lead to them constantly kicking the ball away. No evidence of back moves or anything. Dreadful. The defense in the first half was also shocking.
Williams not good enough. Poland did well last week when he came on. Harte also not at the races. Keats is a confidence player, one wheel comes off they all come off. Not one of his better games but others didn’t cover themselves in glory either. Ref had a howler too though. Missed knock on for 1st try and awarded penalty against Cronin for a legit steal. 10 points. Did I say Williams isn’t good enough.
People need to manage their expectations a little bit. Sure we should be beating Cardiff but these blips happen in a season. Especially when you’ve changed your head coach mid season. There has been a huge amount of turmoil over the last 2 years and for me the players have been doing exceptionally well given all that has gone on. For me a successful season will be making a semi in the champions cup and the same in the pro 14. Anything beyond that will be a great season. From there van graan can build during the off season.
Duncan Williams masterclass