Munster suffer second successive URC defeat in South Africa with narrow loss to Emirates Lions

Munster suffered a second defeat in a row in South Africa when they squandered a good lead at Ellis Park in a disappointing display.

unster, having come from 26 points down to secure a bonus point last week against the Bulls, this time lost their way after the restart and fell to their fourth defeat of the campaign.

Munster led 21-10 at the break after the Wycherley brothers Josh and Fineen crossed for tries as Johann van Graan’s men started and finished the half strongly.

Munster raced into a 14-0 in as many minutes as they got on top in the opening quarter, with tighthead John Ryan getting them off the mark after nine minutes following good work from flanker John Hodnett and centres Damian de Allende and Chris Farrell.

Josh Wycherley kickstarted a great day for the Bantry family when he scored after Calvin Nash did superbly to present the ball back in the tackle on the line, with Jack Crowley, who was short with a 53-metre penalty after four minutes, adding his second conversion.

The Lions, looking for their third win of the campaign but struggling in the lineout, got back in the game when winger Edwill van der Merwe got through tackles from Nash and Ryan to score, with Jordan Henrikse adding the conversion from the left and then cutting the gap to 14-10 after 36 minutes with a penalty in front of the posts after captain Jack O’Donoghue was pinged for obstruction.

But Munster finished the half well and after O’Donoghue exchanged passes with Josh Wycherley, scrum-half Neil Cronin took it on and Fineen Wycherley did the rest, with Crowley converting to lead 21-10 at the interval.

Alex Kendellen got over for what would have been his second game in a row to score but was called back for a forward pass from Cronin to Niall Scannell ten minutes after the restart.

Hendrikse reduced the margin after 65 minutes after Munster lost their first scrum put-in of the season and conceded a penalty and that score lifted the Lions with centre Wandisile Simelane scoring down the right when he took on and beat Mike Haley on the outside four minutes later.

Hendrikse converted and then edged them in front for the first time in the game seven minutes from time when Jean Kleyn was pinged for offside and with Munster losing a lineout inside the home 22 in the closing stages they fell to their second defeat of this tour.

Scorers: Emirates Lions – Tries: E van der Merwe, W Simelane. Cons: J Hendrikse (2). Pens: Hendrikse (3). Munster – Tries: J Ryan, J Wycherley, F Wycherley. Cons: J Crowley (3).

Emirates Lions: Q Horn (T Swanepoel 47); S Pienaar (M Rass 8), W Simelane, B Odendaal, E van der Merwe; J Hendrikse, M van den Berg; S Sithole (JP Smith 51), J Visagie (PJ Botha 51), C Sadie (R Dreyer 51); R Schoeman (R Venter 57), R Nothnagel; S Sangweni (E Tshituka 30), V Tshituka, F Horn.

Munster: M Haley; C Nash, C Farrell, D de Allende, S Daly (B Healy 64); J Crowley (L Coombes 69), N Cronin (P Patterson 64); J Wycherley (M Donnelly 68), N Scannell (S Buckley 56), J Ryan (K Knox 58); J Kleyn (E O’Connor 28-34), F Wycherley; J O’Donoghue, J Hodnett ()’Connor 65), A Kendellen (C Cloete 65).

Referee: Adam Jones (Wales).