LAST UPDATE | 16 Feb

Scarlets 7

Munster 42 

SCARLETS 7 – 42 MUNSTER

Rob Cole reports from Parc y Scarlets

A BRACE OF first half tries from Gavin Coombes laid the foundation for another big Munster win that moved them up five places in the United Rugby Championship table as they got their title defence back on track.

While the visitors were always in firm control, when new Wales centre Joe Roberts went through the midfield defence like a knife though butter10 minutes into the second half it was suddenly game on at 14-7.

The Scarlets might have been down on their luck, boasting only two league wins this season, but they offered spirited resistance and were up for a shock after Roberts had scored.

But when push came to shove, the cool head of Conor Murray guided Munster through a tricky few minutes before they produced a real sting in the tail of the game, running in four tris in the final quarter.

The last time the two teams had met, it was Munster who came out on top in a 12 try thriller that saw both teams score six times in a 49-42 home win in Cork. Munster had won on their previous visit on their last league visit to Parc Y Scarlets, 49-13.

This time they ran into much stiffer opposition and had to be at their best in defence in the early exchanges after Dan Jones, celebrating his 150th game, had kicked the home side deep into enemy territory. The drive may not have been perfect, but from a penalty for side-entry, hooker Niall Scannell took the tap five metres out and No 8 Coombes, who was named as the man of the match, was able to barrel his way over.

Joey Carbery added the extras and 12 minutes later did the same again when Coombes struck for the second time. It stayed at 14-0 up to the break.

Two line out losses in the home 22 initially cost Munster any chance of adding to their score at the start of the second half. Then in the 50th minute out of nowhere Joe Roberts, the centre released from Warren Gatland’s Six Nations squad, went clean through the middle of the Munster defence before racing 40 metes to the line to score.

Charlie Titcombe added the conversion and all of a sudden it was game on. Not for long, though, as Murray picked out his forwards for drive after drive and the brave home side into brutal submission.

Four tries flowed in the final quarter as normal service was resumed. Jack O’Sullivan got the first, Sean O’Brien made the running for Tom Ahern to bag the next and then the wing got one himself.

Finally, Shay McCarthy was set free for try No 6 – all of which were converted by Carbery.

 Scorers:

• Scarlets: Try: J Roberts; Con: C Titcombe.

• Munster: Tries: G Coombes 2, J O’Sullivan, T Ahern, S O’Brien, S McCarthy; Cons: J Carbery 6.

SCARLETS: J McNicholl; T Lewis, J Roberts (S Evans 66), E James, I Nicholas; D Jones (C Titcombe 50), A Hughes (E Jones 50); K Mathias (W Jones 50), E Swart, H O’Connor (S Wainwright 41), A Craig, S Lousi (captain, J Price 62), J Taylor (T Leatherbarrow , D Davis, V Fifita (H Thomas 66)

MUNSTER: M Haley; S O’Brien, A Frisch, A Nankivell (R Scannell 68), S Daly (S McCarthy 70); J Carbery, C Murray (E Coughlan 48-52, 67); J Loughman (J Wycherley 50), N Scannell (E Clarke 68), O Jager (J Ryan 53) T Ahern, RG Snyman (F Wycherley 42-44, 54) R Quinn (J O’Sullivan 42), A Kendellen (captain), G Coombes

Referee: Ian Kenny (Scotland)