Munster 13
Edinburgh 14
MUNSTER BEGAN LIFE under Anthony Foley with a dispiriting 14-13 Guinness Pro12 defeat to Edinburgh at Thomond Park.
The home side’s performance was littered with handling errors, while the Scots won a worryingly high percentage of the collisions. Forced offloads, poor decisions, weak breakdown work and a lack of line speed will be among the points Foley picks apart in his review.
Whether or not this week’s report furore had an impact on the Munster preparation and mindset is impossible to prove, but this was a disjointed start to life for the southern province and their all-Irish coaching staff.
John Ryan was pinged at the first scrum of the evening to allow Tom Heathcote to open the scoring in the third minute, and the out-half doubled that lead shortly after when Munster came offside 35 metres from their tryline.
The province’s opening 15 minutes or so was rusty in the extreme as they coughed up possession at the breakdown and through handling errors, while referee Leighton Hodges struggled to get the scrum functioning.
The home side finally progressed into the Edinburgh 22 on the 20-minute mark, but opted against going for the posts after strong carries from CJ Stander and Shane Buckley had led to a penalty. A knock-on from the maul after kicking to touch added to the sense of frustration.
Heathcote was wide with his third effort at goal, after Duncan Williams was penalised for slapping the ball down. Shortly after, blindside flanker Tomas Leonardi was yellow carded for a tip tackle on Simon Zebo, allowing Munster territorial and numerical advantage.
The result was a 35th-minute try for CJ Stander, who stretched out his right arm to dot down following a strong Munster maul in the left-hand corner. Keatley missed the chance to put Foley’s men in front for the first time, pulling his conversion wide.
[image alt="Simon Zebo" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2014/09/simon-zebo-25-630x441.jpg" width="630" height="441" caption="Simon%20Zebo%20showed%20his%20attacking%20quality%20in%20bursts." class="alignnone" /end]
Edinburgh almost immediately replied with a Tim Visser try, but Hodges and his TMO correctly ruled it out for a forward pass from Sam Beard. However, Heathcote was able to extend the Scots’ lead to 9-5 with another penalty on the stroke of half-time.
Munster burst out of the traps in the second half, with a scintillating Simon Zebo break taking them to within metres of Edinburgh’s tryline, where Hamish Watson cynically killed the ball and joined Leonardi in the bin. Despite the two-man advantage, Munster failed to maul over from five metres out, instead conceding a penalty themselves.
After their exit strategy malfunctioned, Munster conceded a try in the 48th minute, Edinburgh fullback Jack Cuthbert getting on the end of Beard’s clever grubber kick to touch down. Heathcote’s missed conversion left the score at 14-5 in the Scots’ favour.
Munster’s response was a sustained period of territory in the visitors’ 22, a passage that ended with Stander bursting over for his second try. Improved ruck speed allowed Munster onto the front foot, and the South African did the rest from close-range.
Keatley missed the conversion again, but his 69th-minute penalty drew Munster to within a single point.
A missed tackle from Zebo almost allowed Edinburgh in for a second try with time running out and momentum fully shifted back in the Scottish side’s favour, although the scramble defence came up with a turnover.
Keatley had a late, late chance to win it for Munster with a 42-metre penalty, but his effort drifted right and wide. In truth, the victory would have been stolen.
Munster scorers
Tries: CJ Stander [2]
Penalties: I Keatley
Edinburgh scorers
Tries: J Cuthbert
Penalties: T Heathcote [3]
MUNSTER: Ronan O’Mahony (Ivan Dineen ’41); Andrew Conway, Johne Murphy, Andrew Smith, Simon Zebo; Ian Keatley, Duncan Williams (Cathal Sheridan ’72); John Ryan, Kevin O’Byrne (Duncan Casey ’47), BJ Botha (Stephen Archer ’76); Donncha O’Callaghan (capt.), Billy Holland (Dave Foley ’52); CJ Stander, Sean Dougall (Tommy O’Donnell ’52), Shane Buckley.
Replacements not used: Alan Cotter, Johnny Holland.
EDINBURGH: Jack Cuthbert (Nick McLennan ’69); Dougie Fife, Sam Beard, Andries Strauss (Phil Burleigh ’52), Tim Visser (Rory Sutherland ’75); Tom Heathcote, Sean Kennedy (Sam Hidalgo-Clyne ’69); Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford (capt.) (James Hilterbrand ’61), John Andress (WP Nel ’52); Fraser McKenzie, Ollie Atkins; Tomas Leonardi (YC ’33) (Mike Coman ’66), Hamish Watson (YC ’41), Cornell Du Preez.
Replacements not used: Ben Toolis.
Referee: Leighton Hodges [WRU].
Attendance: 13,428.
A disaster. Foley has had a proper ‘mare since he took over. Awful team selection again tonight. You won’t win much with Billy Holland and O’Callaghan as your second row. And as for big Duncan Williams – God love us. Tiny crowd again, fans are beginning to give up.
Playing a winger at full back and a full back on the wing
You can add Murphy to that list too.
Very fickle fans if they’re giving up after one game in.
Keatley is just not good enough. Munster really need to spend some money. Shocking display tonight.
Get in a Peter Grant or perhaps a katrikilas. They would blossom in Munster Heineken cup rugby.
The point about the tiny crowd is the most important one here. Who would have thought that Munster would have such fairweather ‘fans’.
When you see Duncan Williams, johnnie murphy, billy Holland, sean dougal and Leighton hodges on the pitch together you no its going to be a long night
Just not good enough anymore plain and simple !!!
The worst thing happened to Munster was loosing penny
Shocking! Lost too much ball in rucks, too many basic errors, leaderless on the pitch and looked to be out muscled…
Whoever is in charge of the camera work in TG4 needs to be fired! Couldn’t see what was going on at the start of the second half.
Not a good night for Munster rugby.
For the love of god, Murray, please don’t do an in depth analysis piece on this, I might kill myself. That performance was absolutely shocking.
Really expected the team to lay down a marker tonight. Everything that went on in the week was enough of a reason, not to mind the fact that it was his first game and its at home.
Zebo needs to stop running sideways and learn how to tackle!
Zebo was hardly at fault I thought he was 1 of the better players (alot worse then him tonight) although he did miss a tackle towards the end which was pretty bad
Why was the game played behind closed doors?
The turn out was very bad for the curtain raiser to the new season for Munster, especially as it was axel’s first home game. Thought it would have been a much bigger occasion. One game doesn’t make a season of course but really thought tonight’s game was going to be a big event. Ah well thanks to the grace of god I’m a Leinster fan.
Duncan Williams =
There was a poo emoticon at the end of that. You know, the blank space works just as well. Awful.
I turned on TG4 for 10 mins and switched off again. Tired of watching second string teams play in the pro12. This is the first weekend of the competition. The organisers should want to grab viewers but after that why bother. Cannot blame the fans for not turning up. The same bolloxology of crouch touch engage (aka time to switch channels) is still around. Poor handling and zero pace. Why would you bother watching? It is meant to be entertainment.
IRFU Player Welfare policy tied Foleys hands in alot of his selections.. mind you starting Williams ahead of Sheridan is a puzzler
True but Munster just aren’t producing players through the academy! Leinster and to a lesser extent Ulster have been a conveyor belt of up and coming talent over the last 5 years. What has Munster produced in the last few years?
The playing population is pretty much the same demographic so the problem in Munster has to lie in the academy staff; as much as I love Munster I’m gonna say it: a 100% rookey training staff won’t help things…
Least that side to side nonsense is gone.
Delighted for stander
Yea, because they played so much better tonight.
When they’re filling in the latest version of the school report, the teachers might consider having somebody take a look at the teachers. I think strength and fitness and some skill work would be better than writing amateuerish comments on a report card.
Its going to be a long school year for the customers and nobody wants to throw money away buying tickets for that rubbish.
Much to do. Plenty of time to do it.
At lest Penny’s teams knew how to own the ruck area
At least Penny’s teams got to two H. Cup semi finals…
Sorry have to do this, you know because sport and all that #axelout
Honestly, what a disaster , no one at match , and no one there really cared , rugby rubbish , munster with no half backs , terrible
I feel it was a wrong step for Munster but now that he is there at least get behind your team. This is a World Cup season and we need our players playing with confidence. Unfortunately what’s happening at Munster and ulster is a huge disaster but it can be put right. Can’t see the European cup visiting ireland anytime soon but we do have a chance next sept/oct. Agree though that considering once upon a time 1.5 million people where in thomand in 78 to about. 6000 tonight. First game. Home game too. Too many fair weathers.
Have you ever been to a game? The majority of the crowds are from around the province. How can you expect people to turn up to Limerick for a game on Friday night from Cork, Waterford or Kerry? Allied to the fact that people are cutting back on games too and saving cash for the European games. They should be holding these games in Musgrave when it’s open again instead of playing in what looks like a dead crowd. Of course the crap standard doesn’t help either. How Duncan Williams is a pro player….standards have dropped big time.
Not a positive start, however I’m still optimistic.
Foley out. That’s all I have to say.
Very disappointed with ruck efficiency, especially clean out and ball presentation. In Williams defence he got a lot of messy slow ball. Some of the back play looked good. Worrying out muscled up front.
To be fair a hooker on a training contract, a 2nd choice prop. A debutant back rower. Was never going to be easy.
To put it into context this is nowhere near the worst performance ive seen. There were a few positives out there tonight.
Especially losing to a team that had 14 men for 20 minutes and conceding a try during on of those cards
Pro 12 is a training ground for Heineken cup – glorified friendlies
Watch Glasgow and leinster tomorrow night and you’ll see its not glorified friendlies at all, two of the best teams in the competition. Don’t know why munster had such a bad team out tonight albeit leinster and Glasgow aren’t at full strength but the teams they each will put out Is a lot better quality than what was on show tonight without taking anything away from a great result for Edinburgh.
Thought The Hino was consigned to history???
Leinster lost as well – results that are unthinkable in the Heineken cup happen regularly in the pro am 12 – how many scots or Welsh sides get to the last 8 of the h cup?
Murray, you had an article a few days ago describing how Munster intended to increase their attendances by having family zones outside the stadium. That’s fine and all, but ultimately if what goes on on the pitch is rubbish then that’s where we’ll lose fans. There was a decent attendance there last night but I wonder how many fans will think twice about coming next time after viewing that error ridden and disjointed performance?
Also, Duncan Williams should not be a professional rugby player.
Foley you need an out half ASAP and stop playing players out of position. It looked like tonight you’re not interested in the pro 12 and experimenting
Excuse me but does anyone else see a major problem in the scrum, this is where the foundation for good performances comes from and the Scottish team were lower then Munster and had total control in that area. Munster need to look more cohesive and joined together when scrummaging. My u14 second team could have held their own against that pack in the scrum last night.
It looked a lot like many Irish representative teams over the decades, trying to do flash stuff but it comes apart because somebody can’t pass two yards.
All round not good enough but why is Duncan Williams there? He is useless. Wat good is a scrum half that can’t pass the fn ball. It’s a disgrace that he is in the squad, he is not up to the standard and I can’t see him getting any better. Fn joke
Commercial and politcal naivety by axel. 1ST match with new management team at home ,supporters would want to see best available players. Subject to irfu guidelines. with solid experience and continuity to give us our best options for a win .. so a mediocre team is announced with newbies. No wonder attendance was low. That shows lack of respect to supporters and opposition. No surprise that our arse was handed back to us by Edinburgh.
Its essential to rotate and develop players but just not on the first match after such a major change. Axel and the old farts in the boardroom need to remember that munster only exists through its supporter base and last night needed to refect that else fringe support will drift and cash and sponsors will shrink . Its a new world lads, ppl initiated hc demise saw the end of any pretence around old values . This is business. the customer is king Strike 1.