A 26,267 capacity crowd was treated to a thrilling physical encounter
Munster's John Hodnett scores a try during the game against an All Blacks XV at Thomond Park. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/InphoThe scoreline doesn’t really do Munster, the game or the occasion any justice, and however much some cynics may scoff at such an old-school fixture, as long as these two continue to pack Thomond Park to the rafters and produce 80 absorbing minutes like this, it’s a tradition worth keeping..
The home heroes were welcomed into the cauldron, the darkness illuminated by the lights from mobile phones in the 26,267 capacity crowd as the pounding rhythms of Zombie rang out. Although Munster were pinged at the first two scrums, they continued to make the early running. Tom Ahern won a muscular turnover at an All Blacks lineout which led to a high tackle by lock Isaia Walker-Leawere.
The first quarter pivoted on two penalties from in front of the posts, when both teams opted to turn down eminently kickable three-pointers. Billy Burns only found touch 15 metres out and a few phases after the lineout he was nabbed attempting a wraparound and the All Blacks counter-rucked, another feature of the first half, to win the turnover.
But Munster responded superbly and were twice rewarded for going to the corner through Rory Scannell, with Burns receiving treatment, the spoiling of O’Mahony, Hodnett and Barron key to both penalties. Again Plummer converted, again Munster responded by kicking a penalty from in front of the posts toward the corner and again they were rewarded with a couple of muscular catch-and-drives, the second of which Hodnett finished. Alas, again Rory Scannell missed a kickable conversion, and so despite three tries apiece, the All Blacks led 21-17.
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