Rugby Celtic League: Munster - 31 Cardiff - 10 There are several certainties in life: death, taxes and the fact Munster packs don't leave anything in the dressing-room. And last night, against Cardiff, they brooked little resistance as the home side dominated possession through the bulk of the game.
Cardiff, though, offered an early wake-up call in last night's Celtic League match at Musgrave Park, having the audacity to come within metres of the home side's line before the majority of last night's sizeable crowd had found their way to a vantage point.
Munster survived by virtue of structured defence and the inevitable handling error. The early exchanges were played out in misting rain and a strong breeze that blew from the Sunday's Well end of the ground. That the Welsh side elected to play with the elements in their favour appeared a flawed decision long before the end of the opening 40 minutes.
Repatriated from Australia Munster's Irish squad players not just bristled with intent but delivered on an initial impression of rude good health.
Donncha O'Callaghan and Paul O'Connell ruled the skies, while the more mundane labouring was embraced with gusto by the entire pack. Frankie Sheahan carried ball to good effect, Anthony Foley and David Wallace with similar purpose.
Ronan O'Gara adopted an expansive approach and that was just dandy by Jason Holland and Mike Mullins, who kept the Cardiff midfield honest in the tackle.
The fact Munster owned possession in the first half meant the visitors were forced to concede a succession of penalties.
O'Gara elected to kick to the corner on every occasion, as the strong wind would have denied him the requisite distance in his place-kicks. It was from just such a situation that Sheahan grabbed his team's first try, a catch and drive from a lineout, ending with the burly hooker emerging with the ball from the pile-up.
If the first was down to perspiration then the second, finished by right wing Shaun Payne, was more inspiration, down to a clever pass by Jason Holland following a half-break.
Munster's third try, though, contained an element of farce. Holland's chip from inside his own half was touched by a Cardiff player, allowing O'Callaghan to play the ball from what would have been an offside position.
The big second row took a mighty swipe with the boot, missed but it was enough to bamboozle the defenders. Mullins's soccer skills were honed to a much greater extent and he twice hacked on, controlling the ball superbly to touch down. O'Gara added the conversion and despite a penalty from Cardiff outhalf Iestyn Harris on half-time, Munster were in the box seat.
The Welsh side started the second half as they did the first but again came up empty handed. Munster just cranked up the intensity level up front and the Cardiff pack was shunted into reverse. Sheahan was at the tiller of another prodigious drive, one that guaranteed his second try and his team's fourth, thereby earning a bonus point.
O'Gara converted as he would do again on 64 minutes when the home side's territorial dominance culminated in referee Iain Ramage awarding Munster a penalty try as Cardiff illegally filled another surge by the home pack on the visitors' line.
Cardiff's pride and a falling off in intensity by Munster saw the Welsh side respond with a cracking try, finished by number eight Nathan Thomas and improved upon by Harris. Encouraged, the visitors went looking for more but led by the outstanding Jim Williams Munster decided against any more largesse.
The raft of replacements in the final 10 minutes led to an error-strewn conclusion but that won't have deflected from what was an excellent evening for Munster rugby. The timing could not have been more opportune with a trip to Bourgoin in the Heineken Cup looming next week.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 12 mins: Sheahan try, 5-0; 33 mins: Payne try, 10-0; 36 mins: Mullins try, O'Gara conversion, 17-0; 40 mins: Harris penalty, 17-3. Half-time: 17-3. 54 mins: Sheahan try, O'Gara conversion, 24-3; 64 mins: penalty try, O'Gara conversion, 31-3; 72 mins: N Thomas try, Harris conversion, 31-10.
MUNSTER: J Staunton; S Payne, M Mullins, J Holland, M Lawler; R O'Gara, P Stringer; M Horan, F Sheahan, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell; J Williams (capt), A Foley, D Wallace. Replacements: S Keogh for J Williams 11-22 mins; T Hogan for O'Connell 69 mins; S Kerr for Hayes 73 mins; S Keogh for Wallace 73 mins; E Reddan for Stringer 77 mins; M McPhail for O'Gara 77 mins; D Crotty for Staunton 79 mins; 81: J Flannery for Williams 81 mins.
CARDIFF: R Williams; T Shanklin, J Robinson, M Allen, C Morgan; I Harris, R Powell; J Yapp, G Williams, D Crompton; H Senekal, A Moore; D Baugh, N Thomas, M Williams (capt). Replacements: C Quinnell for Senekal 63 mins; Jim Brownrigg for Baugh 67 mins; A Lewis for G Williams 69 mins; G Williams for Lewis 78 mins.
Referee: I Ramage (Scotland).
Yellow cards: G Thomas (Cardiff) 21-31 mins; M Horan (Munster) 28-38 mins.
