Provincial
Munster's new centre Rua Tipoki on the attack
New Combinations Click As Munster See Off Scarlets
22 September 2007, 9:55 pm
Match report by Editor
Munster took their unbeaten pre-season form into their first game of the new Magners League campaign on Saturday as, aided by the presence of back-line talismen Paul Warwick and Rua Tipoki, they beat the Llanelli Scarlets in Cork.
Match Photos - Click Here

Warwick, who signed from Connacht during the summer, scored the game's opening try and added two conversions and four penalties in a man of the match performance. Llanelli had hoped that youth would do the trick for them with Rhys Priestland handed his debut but it was his opposite number Warwick who took the plaudits.

The 20-year-old Priestland landed an early penalty but Munster, who included other new signings in Kieran Lewis, Tipoki and Niall Ronan, soon found their rhythm with Warwick dictating the pace from number 10.

Tipoki was in the middle of Munster's best move of the first half when he made 20 yards from a Warwick pass to set up his forwards. Anthony Foley, Mick O'Driscoll and Billy Holland, an Academy player with a burgeoning future, battered at the Llanelli line and the visitors were caught flat when Warwick looped back in to finish the move with a great try.

The Australian converted his own try but Llanelli were profiting at lineout time and aside from securing possession from their own throws, they were also pilfering Munster's and a penalty from Priestland after 38 minutes looked to have a much better gloss on the half-time score. Munster were not done however and there was still time for one last foray up the field which ended with Warwick kicking a penalty for a 10-6 interval lead.

Munster added their second try just after the resumption. Tipoki darted through two flailing tackles and with Anthony Horgan supporting at pace on a fantastic line, he popped the pass for the winger to go over under the posts.

Llanelli's cause was not helped minutes later when Warwick landed another penalty, eventually cancelled out after 62 minutes with Priestland's third penalty of the night.

The Scarlets were still full of fight nonetheless and they responded brilliantly to the sustained Munster pressure, their determination yielding precious dividend after 64 minutes. Taking full advantage of the disarray in the Munster line, Matthew Watkins showed great vision when kicking into space and he followed up to gather possession and go over for his side's only try.

Priestland added the conversion but Warwick responded for Munster with a penalty to put some distance between the sides. Munster found the extra gear they needed for the closing minutes and a fourth penalty from Warwick, with two minutes remaining, saw them continue where they left off last season when they ended the campaign with four successive wins.

26 - 16
HT: 10 - 6
Att: 3,400
Munster's new centre Rua Tipoki on the attack during Friday night's Magners League win over the Scarlets
At a glance
Pos
Team
Pl
Pts
1Cardiff Blues314
2Llanelli Scarlets35
3Leinster14
4Connacht Rugby14
5Munster14
6Ulster Rugby14
Other Magners League matches
Connacht Rugby22 - 7Newport Gwent Dragons
Cardiff Blues32 - 16Glasgow Warriors
Ulster Rugby17 - 16Ospreys
Leinster23 - 8Edinburgh
Munster Team
15. Shaun Payne   14. Ian Dowling   13. Kieran Lewis   12. Rua Tipoki   11. Anthony Horgan   10. Paul Warwick   9. Tomas O'Leary   1. Federico Pucciariello   2. Denis Fogarty   3. Tony Buckley   4. Mark Melbourne   5. Mick O'Driscoll   6. Billy Holland   7. Niall Ronan   8. Anthony Foley  

16. Sean Cronin   17. Darragh Hurley   18. Tommy O'Donnell   19. James Coughlan   20. Gerry Hurley   21. Jeremy Manning   22. Lifeimi Mafi  

Llanelli Scarlets Team
15. Morgan Stoddart   14. Garan Evans   13. Regan King   12. Gavin Evans   11. Matthew Watkins   10. Rhys Priestland   9. Gavin Cattle   1. Iestyn Thomas   2. James Hayter   3. Bruce Douglas   4. Vernon Cooper   5. Adam Eustace   6. Dafydd Jones   7. James Bater   8. Nathan Thomas  

16. Ben Broster   17. Ken Owens   18. Lou Reed   19. Johnathan Edwards   20. Liam Davies   21. Daniel Evans   22. Jonathan Davies  

Scorecard
NameTriesConvPenDropTotal Points
Munster
Anthony Horgan15
Paul Warwick12421
Total22426

Llanelli Scarlets
Matthew Watkins15
Rhys Priestland1311
Total11316
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