Celtic League/Munster 45 Dragons 19:Munster warmed up for Friday's potentially explosive meeting with Leinster by mauling Newport Gwent Dragons in Musgrave Park on Saturday night.
Munster ran in seven tries - conceding three, two of them howlers - as Declan Kidney gave the nod to his bench by making nine changes to the team that started against Clermont Auvergne the previous weekend.
Those changes did not noticeably dull the thrust of the Munster machine, however, the home side wrapping up the four-try bonus point just after half an hour's play. And Kidney was quick to highlight just how competitive things are in the squad.
"I've said it each week that selecting this team is never easy," said the coach. "This is the team which by and large were the 11 or 12 guys who played in America and beat the Dragons and Llanelli in our first Magners League games.
"I'm very lucky that we have quality right throughout the squad, but you need it because you pick up one or two bangs or knocks and you could be in trouble."
Munster started the game in a hurry, Peter Stringer claiming their first try after 11 minutes.
And while the Dragons levelled the scores with a Martin Thomas try - getting past Anthony Foley and Alan Quinlan with criminal ease - it was all Munster in the first half.
Tries followed from Donnacha Ryan and Niall Ronan before Frankie Sheahan wrapped up the bonus point and Freddie Pucciariello got in on the act with a fifth touchdown just before the break.
Munster had coughed up a second try to Richard Mustoe, the winger dancing past Sheahan, but the first half was nearly all about the home side.
"I think it's always important to take a balanced approach," explained Kidney. "We'll have to take a look at where the breakdowns (for two of the Dragons' tries) were and try and adjust those for the next day because those seemed to be soft enough tries.
"But it's about a balanced approach to celebrating tonight and then getting down to work on Monday and seeing where we can improve," he added.
On the resumption Munster continued to apply the pressure early on when Brian Carney finished off a fine move in the corner following a clever pass, flicked overhead, by Ryan.
Understandably, Munster emptied their bench with the game won and lost some of their intensity, allowing Jamie Ringer grab a consolation try with just over 20 minutes remaining.
Chastened by their lapse in concentration Munster revved up through the gears once again and finished strongly, Rua Tipoki continuing his try-scoring exploits of recent weeks with Munster's seventh of the evening.
The only substitute not to get a run last night for Munster was Ronan O'Gara, but with Leinster travelling to Cork on Friday night the management probably felt a rest before that clash was needed.
MUNSTER: D Hurley; B Carney, K Lewis, L Mafi, I Dowling; P Warwick, P Stringer; F Pucciariello, F Sheahan, T Buckley; D Ryan, M O'Driscoll; A Quinlan, N Ronan, A Foley (capt). Replacements: G Hurley for Stringer, D O'Callaghan for O'Driscoll, D Leamy for Foley (all 55 mins); M Horan for Quinlan, R Tipoki for Mafi (both 60 mins); J Flannery for Sheahan (72 mins).
DRAGONS: M Thomas; R Gomer Davies, P Emerick, A Smith, R Mustoe; A Thomas, W Evans; H Gustafson, S Jones, J Corsi; A Jones, A Hall; J Ringer, R Parks, M Owen (capt). Replacements: K Morgan for Martyn Thomas (51 mins); A Black, P Sidoli, J Bearman for M Owen, A Jones, J Corsi (all 55 mins); P Dolman for Emerick (60 mins); P Emerick for Gomer Davies (72 mins); R Lewis for Wayne Evans (78 mins).
Referee: R Debney (IRFU).
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