O spreys …………..18pts
Penalties: Myler 2, 32, 37, 46, 64, 72
Munster …………10pts
Tries: Casey 55
Conversions: Crowley 56
Penalties: Crowley 6
STEPHEN Myler kicked all 18 points as the Ospreys became the first side to beat Munster this season.
There were some tremendous performance with former Wales U20s captain Jac Morgan making a mockery of Wayne Pivac‘s refusal to select him for his autumn squad. Discarded Wales prop Nicky Smith was also impressive as he helped destroy the Munster scrum.
Myler and Jack Crowley exchanged early penalties in what was a cagey opening ten minutes and Munster saw a driving lineout try disallowed with tighthead prop John Ryan caught offside.
The Irish province held the upper hand for much of the first half but the Ospreys defence forced them into a number of errors with young openside Morgan their standout player. It was Morgan’s charge towards the Munster try line forced the visitors to cynically kill the ball at the breakdown which resulted in Myler kicking the hosts into the lead.
The Ospreys scrum began to gain the upper hand with Smith impressing as he successfully shoved the Munster pack backwards at the set-piece.
One such effort resulted in an Ospreys penalty which allowed Myler to kick the hosts into a 9-3 lead at halftime from 45 metres out.
Munster made a sloppy start to the second-half conceding a penalty for a high tackle and spilling the ball twice within the first five minutes. And they conceded another penalty at the scrum which allowed Myler to make it a two-score game with another successful kick from 45 metres out.
The Ospreys had the bit between their teeth and were pushing for their first try but Ireland flanker Tadhg Beirne denied them with an excellent turnover.
And Munster hit back with a powerful driving lineout, which included 13 of their players, with scrum-half Craig Casey claiming the try. Crowley added the extras and Munster introduced Damian de Allende and Conor Murray – but the Ospreys pack refused to lie down with Myler kicking a further six points to clinch victory.
TEAMS
OSPREYS: Nagy 7; Cuthbert 7, Watkin 7, K Williams 8 (Hawkins 74, 5), Protheroe 7 (D Evans 46, 6); Myler 8, Webb 8 (Morgan-Williams 79); Smith 9 (G Thomas 61, 6), Taione 8 (Phillips 66, 6), Botha 7 (Henry 61, 6), B Davies 8, R Davies 8, Cross 8 (Regan 68, 6), Morgan 9, Roots 7 (Morris 56, 6)
MUNSTER: Gallagher 5, (De Allende 59, 5); Conway 6, Coombes 7, Goggin 6, Daly 6; Crowley 6 (Healey 65, 6), Casey 7 (Murray 59, 6); Loughman 6, Scannell 6 (O’Byrne 56, 6), Ryan 6 (Knox 53, 6), Kleyn 5 (Coombes 53, 5), F Wycherley 6 (J Wycherley 74, 5), Beirne 7, O’Mahony 6, O’Donoghue 6 (Hodnett 59)
REFEREE: Hollie Davidson (Sco)
ATTENDANCE: 5,678
Star man
Jac Morgan – Ospreys
