United Rugby Championship: Leinster Victorious Over Munster 26-12
The old maxim of American Football, “If it’s not being coached, it’s being allowed”, encapsulates Munster’s disorganised approach to the game. Earlier in the season, they gave away two tries to Connacht within the first 20 minutes, followed by Zebre bagging two within the first 26 minutes. The aim at Croke Park, playing against Leinster, should undoubtedly have been to rectify this issue.
Despite this, Munster seemed taken aback by Leinster’s early aggression. Surely, they were expecting the tournament’s leading team to make a powerful entrance. Nevertheless, they appeared caught off-guard.
From the moment Caelan Doris took down Stephen Archer three minutes in, triggering James Lowe to score the first try, Munster constantly found themselves on the back foot. On an important night with a huge crowd, Leinster rose to the moment in a way that eluded Munster.
Leo Cullen’s team didn’t just outmuscle Munster – they played with an urgency and determination that gave their opponents no time to compose themselves. As Lowe made a quick tap-and-go near Munster’s line after 11 minutes, Munster found themselves in disarray after losing successive lineouts.
Not too long after that, trailing 0-14 behind, Jack Crowley rushed to a loose ball in Munster’s 22, only to find himself facing a Leinster onslaught. He was less knocked down and more obliterated by an onslaught led by Lowe, leading to a penalty for holding on.
While it’s difficult to fault Crowley for conceding the penalty given the lack of support and threat of a try, the absence of Munster players was glaringly notable. The real point of contention wasn’t just Leinster’s overwhelming presence but Munster’s notable absence. It does beg the question – what exactly was their plan?
In the end, Crowley merely stalled the unavoidable. With a skillful corner penalty kick from Ciaran Frawley, Leinster strategically executed a play from the lineout allowing Huge Keenan to sail unscathed towards the goal. All of this happened with less than 15 minutes on the clock, marking an early end to the game.
Eventually, Munster regained their bearings and impressively outdid Leinster in the remainder of the game, scoring 12-5. Conquering Leo Cullen’s side has proven to be no easy task even if you’re contending at their level throughout the full 80 minutes. Giving them a head start only heightens the impossibility of the situation. Munster urgently need to rid themselves of this detrimental pattern.