LEINSTER 23-17 MUNSTER
Munster have not fared too well on their recent trips up to Dublin and, on a record-breaking day for Johnny Sexton, that trend continued.
Keith Earls got two tries for Munster but they were matched with a double from Leinster centre Rory O’Loughlin. With Sexton kicking 13 points [taking him past Felipe Contepomi’s record], the hosts got home with six points to spare.
Many eyes were on the back row battle between No.8s CJ Stander and Jack Conan but the opensides stood out. Tommy O’Donnell tackled like a Munster mad man while Josh van der Flier got our vote for man of the match with faultless, rabid display at the breakdown.
Van der Flier made only five carries and four meaty tackles but he was a menace at ruck-time and won his team a crucial turnover and a penalty, which Sexton slotted. Sean O’Brien missed the game with a calf issue and his provincial teammate has shown to Ireland coach Joe Schmidt how much he loves the heat of battle.
Munster had the early run of it but Keith Earls’ stunning try was chalked off after Chris Farrell’s looping, cut-out pass was rightly ruled to be of the forward variety.
So it was left scoreless after the quarter hour until O’Loughlin took advantage of a John Ryan slip and showed great strength and awareness to get the ball dotted down under the posts. Johnny Sexton converted but the scores were soon level at 7-7 when Ian Keatley intercepted a loose pass and rocketed away for the converted score.
Leinster were beginning to get great joy from Sexton’s high balls and cross-field kicks. The tactic caused constermation in the Munster backline and, after committing numbers to mop up one spillage, Leinster swept left and made their superior numbers count – Joey Carbery setting up O’Loughlin for his second.
Sexton landed an early penalty to make it 17-7 but a class Tommy O’Donnell line break on 48 minutes set Earls up to get the score he had been denied in the first half. JJ Hanrahan missed the conversion and Sexton then stretched the host’s lead to eight points when his penalty saw him become Leinster’s record, all-time points scorer.
Both sides dipped into their reserves and Munster switched around their backline. When Josh van der Flier forced a penalty, on 55 minutes, Sexton added three more to his own points record and Leinster were well set heading into the final quarter.
While it was Munster that were chasing, it was Leinster that finished the game seeking more tries. Barry Daly came close in the corner and Sexton over-cooked another cross kick but few were complaining that the bonus point was not claimed.
There are big battles ahead and both sides will be the better for this fiercely contested match but, following their third loss here in six months, Munster will be happy to see the back of the Aviva Stadium for a while.
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