Irish side Munster held their nerve to score two unanswered second-half tries to win a slugfest 17-10 against the Emirates Lions in a difficult Vodacom United Rugby Championship game at Thomond Park on Saturday night.
With the Lions fighting hard to go into the halftime break 10-7 up, the home side upped their game on a night which both sides showed enterprise, but also were thwarted by their own handling errors, with the home side holding their nerve in the end.
It was a disappointing second half for the Lions, who you felt had missed a chance here to break South Africa’s duck in Limerick in the URC, as no SA team has ever beaten Munster at home.
With Munster losing coach Graham Rowntree, who inexplicably quit before the November international break, as well as missing several Irish internationals, it certainly was the best chance for the Lions to strike.
In the first half, it seemed they were on their way, silencing the partisan home crowd and putting in some fabulous runs of their own.
But time and again their good work was undone by handling errors, which ended up making the game error-strewn and a frustration to watch.
Munster were hardly any better, but had enough in their tank to down a Lions side that fought hard, but never had the firepower to win this game, severely denting the Joburg team’s ambitions to be a top-four side.
STRUGGLES WITH HANDLING
On a night where handling was never going to be a positive, the game called out for a 10 that could control the match and keep his side on the front foot. Unfortunately for the Lions Kade Wolhuter was nowhere near that player, and struggled in the conditions, missing sideline penalty kicks on more than one occasion for his team.
Wolhuter is still young and learning, and will therefore be prone to mistakes, but he wasn’t the only one to blame for the defeat, as there were few players who managed not to knock a ball on in a crucial attack.
But this Lions side is certainly getting better, although what they have in bravery, they lack in rugby nuance, and with a game-controlling 10 could easily be on the other side of the result.
Still, a losing bonus point will be a relief for them on a ground where they have perennially failed, even if they must live with “what could have been” as they head into their EPCR Challenge Cup away fixture.
The Lions' only try was a beauty though - coming after a turnover ball was sent to rising star Henco van Wyk, who not only accelerated through the first tackle, but then weaved in and out past four more, bouncing another off in the process, before being stopped short of the line and extending his arm over to plant the ball.
In all, this was the massive highlight on a poor, frustrating night and Van Wyk showed why he is so highly rated. With more performances like this, he could easily find himself in Green and Gold next international season.
OPPORTUNITY MISSED
Munster had scored early as the ever-dangerous Thaakir Abrahams finished off the opening 15 minutes of pressure in the Lions half by going in from close range after a massive shelling of the Lions' line.
Wolhuter’s penalty late in the half gave the Lions the lead, but it would be short-lived, as Shane Daly went over in the third minute of the second half to give his side a lead they wouldn’t relinquish again.
Daly’s try came as Wolhuter was down injured, and off turnover ball off a Lions attack. Abrahams, when he got the ball, held back long enough to draw the defence and put Daly away for the score.
Munster’s Alex Kendellen scored the final try, finishing off an attack that also started off another turnover, and it was enough to stop the Lions, whose desperation in the final 20 was only matched by their handling errors.
And so the match ended with a whimper and not a bang, and the Lions will always wonder, but never know, what an opportunity they missed.
SCORERS:
Munster - tries: Thaakir Abrahams, Shane Daly, Alex Kendellen. Conversion: Billy Burns.
Emirates Lions - try: Henco van Wyk. Conversion: Kade Wolhuter. Penalty: Wolhuter