With every point crucial in what is very much the business end of the season, Munster did all that was asked of them away to Zebre in Parma this afternoon, scoring seven tries in a 50-14 bonus point win over the Italian outfit.
Niall Scannell and Tommy O’Donnell finished off well-worked forward tries before winger Ronan O’Mahony sped in for Munster’s third touchdown With Tyler Bleyendaal converting all three, Rassie Erasmus’ charges were out to a 21-0 lead before the hosts fired a shot.
That came via the Zebre pack and Derick Minnie who just about kept his side in touch by the interval. Zebre scored again through Lloyd Greeff, but not before Rory Scannell secured the province’s bonus point soon after the resumption, Zebre’s task not getting any easier when Marcello Violi saw yellow at the same time.
O’Mahony took advantage to complete his brace, a feat that was also matched by replacement prop James Cronin on his return from injury as Munster hit the half-century mark on the scoreboard and finished up as more than deserved winners.
Niall Scannell marked his return to provincial action with the game’s first try, touching down in the third minute off a textbook Munster maul with out-half Bleyendaal slotting the conversion.
Munster maintained the early pressure on the Italians and were in for their second try on 18 minutes. Defending valiantly for two consecutive penalties, Munster put Zebre to the sword on the third infringement, mauling over the line again, this time flanker O’Donnell crossing the whitewash. Bleyendaal made no mistake with the extras.
Within minutes, the Kiwi play-maker made it there from three, bisecting the posts when converting Munster’s third touchdown which this time came through the backs, namely O’Mahony – Munster’s top try scorer so far this season.
The Munster pack did not have it all their own way, the Zebre forwards showing that they too can pack a punch. After seven phases off a five-metre lineout, South African flanker Minnie made a strong carry over the line. Violi made it a full seven-pointer off the tee, a crucial score for the home side with Munster in danger of going out of sight.
A scrum penalty on the stroke of half-time was turned into three points by Bleyendaal, making it 24-7 to the visitors, and a fine afternoon for the Scannell brothers also saw centre Rory claim a 46th minute bonus point after spotting a gap in the Zebre defence to dot down beside the posts, handing Bleyendaal an easy conversion.
The Italians’ problems were then compounded when Violi was given 10 minutes in the bin and Munster cut loose.
Following some nice work from Darren Sweetnam in the build-up, O’Mahony darted over to bring his tally to 11 tries across all competitions this season.
Cronin then marked his return from injury with a brace of his own, Rory Scannell converting both, the first coming off Munster dominance in a five-metre scrum and the second after a series of pick and goes. Such was the dominance of Munster, all the home side could muster in the second half was a solitary converted try from winger Greeff in the 55th minute.
Erasmus’ men have moved up to second in the standings tonight following the Ospreys’ surprise 13-5 defeat in Treviso. The men in red will bring strong momentum into next Saturday’s Champions Cup quarter final against Toulouse at Thomond Park.
David Johnston made his first PRO12 appearance of the season for the province. The full-back was a late addition to the starting XV after Andrew Conway was withdrawn before kick-off due to a stiff neck. Consequently, Johnston’s younger brother, Academy play-maker and current Ireland Under-20 international Bill, was included in the matchday squad and made his PRO12 debut as a second half replacement.
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