Ospreys out of sight early

N-S Ospreys 34 Munster 17: Munster got the Celtic League off to an all-too-familiar start when their second-string side went down with a whimper at St Helen's, Swansea, last night.

Christian Cullen scored two tries in the final 12 minutes as Munster put a more respectable complexion on the scoreboard.

Nevertheless, it proved too little and far too late to paper over a thoroughly unimpressive start to the league campaign as the Ospreys ran in four tries.

Munster opened their account with no fewer than 11 national squad members absent from their line-up, including the Irish front five.

That meant a first senior start for Ireland under-21 lock Shane O'Connor alongside Trevor Horgan and a full debut for ex-Neath centre and one-time Wales candidate James Storey.

In contrast, the Ospreys had led a mutiny against the Wales management by insisting on playing several internationals including the exciting talents of Gavin Henson and Shane Williams.

It was that pair who created the only openings during an extremely cautious opening half, Henson converting the opening penalty after Jerry Flannery deliberately tripped the young full back in full flight.

Starved of possession, Munster were left to rely on counter-thrusts from their well-organised defence and Anthony Horgan's break deserved more than a knock-on by the usually reliable Jim Williams.

Yet, five minutes from half-time that composure deserted Munster.

Elvis Seveali'i brushed past Jason Holland, who had just taken the field as a blood replacement for Paul Burke. Christian Cullen halted his progress, but Wellington Hurricanes recruit Jason Spice scurried around the retreating defence.

Just minutes later and the Ospreys defence pressured Storey into a rash pass that was intercepted and then punished by opposite number David Bishop, who scored under the posts.

Had Flannery managed to escape punishment for his earlier misdemeanour then he was caught red-handed after landing an impetuous punch on Ospreys prop Andrew Millward and was punished again by the boot of Henson to open a 20-0 lead at the break.

Reduced to 14 men, Munster briefly rallied at the start of the second half with Burke, his head swathed in bandages, kicking an early penalty.

Yet, even with the return of Flannery, the men in red struggled to build any sort of platform on which to mount sustained pressure.

Like the half that preceded, the second got off to a slow and sluggish start before exploding into life late on. Cullen pounced on Henson's hesitancy to score on 68 minutes and repeated the feat in injury time, from Holland's deft chip.

However, the Ospreys hit back immediately on both occasions to wrap up the victory and a bonus point.

OSPREYS: G Henson; S Terblanche, D Bishop, E Seveali'i (S Parker, 59), S Williams (A Durston, 65); M Jones (A Williams, 76), J Spice; P James, B Williams (capt), A Millward (D Jones, 78), A Newman (B Cockbain, 63), L Bateman, J Thomas,R Jones, R Pugh. Tries: J Spice, D Bishop, A Durston, L Bateman. Cons: G Henson (4). Pens: G Henson (2).

MUNSTER: C Cullen; S Payne, M Mullins, J Storey (J Holland, 59), A Horgan; P Burke (J Holland, 33-h-t), M Prendergast; F Roche, J Flannery, G McIlwham, S O'Connor, T Hogan, S Keogh (J Blaney, 40-50), J Williams, D Leamy. Tries: C Cullen (2). Cons: P Burke (2). Pen: P Burke.

Referee: R Dickson (Scotland).