Two late tries secured a well-deserved 38 – 24 win for the All Blacks XV against Munster in a unique fixture played at Thomand Park in Limerick.
Scoring two tries in the closing minutes of the match to add some gloss to the scoreline, the visitors, who were guided masterfully by flyhalf Harry Plummer, showed just how lethal they were, scoring a few sublime long tries.
Whilst Munster will be frustrated with the ending to the fixture, they will be proud of their effort following a challenging week for the Irish province, which parted ways with head coach Graham Rowntree on Tuesday afternoon.
As ever, the Munster faithful were full of voice throughout the contest as their side came within a whisker of adding another major chapter to their remarkable history.
Here are three key takeaways from the match.
Peter O’Mahony is still Munster’s spiritual leader
Just months removed from a tense contract negotiation with the only side he has ever known, Munster icon Peter O’Mahony remains a key figure for the men in red. Taking the lead by chatting with referee Takehito Namekawa, who was initially rewarded with the All Blacks XV, O’Mahony swung the pendulum in his team’s favour. Guiding the Munster pack to a much-needed penalty try to close the first half with the home side trailing by just two points, O’Mahony sprinted to the changing rooms. His willingness to get stuck in with a blatant disregard for his own well-being galvanised his troops and further cemented his place as the greatest Munster player of the last generation. Whatever the future may hold, there can be doubt that Peter O’Mahony is everything Munster strives to be.
Time to back the young guns
In contradiction to the above point, Munster’s next generation of talent showed this evening that now is the time to back youth. Starting with Evan O’Connell (nephew of Paul), who entered the fray and immediately won a turnover. The former Ireland U20 captain is so similar to his uncle in many ways and has all the makings of a future Munster captain. Standing at 6’8″, O’Connell is a prototypical secondrow who has already proven at the underage level that he can dominate the physical exchanges. Away from the lock, backrow Ruadhan Quinn is another former U20 star who has taken to the senior level like a duck to water. Watching him bounce through a heralded New Zealand backrow like a road bowl flying down a West Cork lane was a sight to behold. At scrumhalf, young Ethan Coghlan is a like-for-like challenger for Craig Casey over the coming seasons, whilst flyhalf Tony Butler looked more assured and, quite frankly, better than Billy Burns when he came on. Crucially in the front row, Kieran Ryan and Ronan Foxe, who certainly have plenty of learning ahead of them, both showed glimpses that they have the potential to become top-notch front rankers. Outside of this group, Diarmuid Kilgallen has the potential to be an Irish international and was a masterful signing, whilst the likes of Brian Gleeson, the Edogbo brothers Edwin and Sean, Patrick Cambell, Ben O’Connor and Shay McCarthy are ready to step up.
A weight lifted
Now, a few days removed from the shocking parting of ways with Graham Rowntree, Munster played like a team that had the weight off their shoulders. Whilst rumours swirl about why Rowntree departed, what was clear was that Munster started this season like a team devoid of ideas and inspiration. Appearing to be lethargic and a few notches off the pace, the future of the province looked hazy at best. Blocking out the noise, Munster were back to their best this evening against a side who, in truth, have several players who will go on to be regular All Blacks (excluding those who already are). Whatever the reason for Rowntree’s departure, Ian Costello is well-regarded within the camp, and his players looked relaxed and, more importantly, like they were enjoying the experience this evening.
Thank you All Blacks XV 🤝 #MUNvABXV | #SUAF 🔴 pic.twitter.com/pkCz8lgm6X
— Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) November 2, 2024
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