With no less than seven of the Munster ‘A’ squad that won the British & Irish Cup just over a week ago included for this trip to Italy, Munster took another step towards further silverware this evening, securing a home GUINNESS PRO12 semi-final with a 34-14 bonus point win over Benetton Treviso.
In essence, one league point would more than likely have done the job, but Munster’s maximum return made absolutely certain of a Thomond Park semi-final on Saturday, May 20, and keeps them hot on the heels of Leinster in the race for a top seeding in the play-offs.
It was the hosts who threw everything at Munster from the off, but to no avail, Rassie Erasmus’ charges more than happy to soak up the pressure before stamping their authority on the game in the second quarter – Darren Sweetnam and Simon Zebo both touched down and Tyler Bleyendaal, who captained the visitors in the absence of Billy Holland (ill), added a penalty before the break.
But this game was far from done and credit must go to the Treviso attack and offloading game which spread Munster thin on more than one accession. Their most impressive strike runner, David Odiete, was full value for his try soon after the resumption and from there Munster lost their way a little, imprecise in attack and guilty of a mounting penalty count.
However, with 65 minutes on the clock, an Alex Wootton try eventually took the wind from Treviso’s sails, and Jack O’Donoghue and Sweetnam, completing his brace, also crossed before the final whistle for a 20-point winning margin.
Defeating Edinburgh and play-off contenders the Ospreys, and chasing a third consecutive win for the first time since 2013, Treviso carried much momentum and belief into this round 21 fixture.
They retained practically all of the early possession, the boot of Edoardo Gori and the fleet-footed running of Odiete putting Munster in places they did not want to be. Yet for all that, the Italians saw no return on the scoreboard, Munster showing once again why they hold the best defensive record in the Championship.
And it was Munster who drew first blood on 25 minutes. Spotting there was no pillar, Duncan Williams sniped around the fringes, his offload finding hooker and man-of-the-match Rhys Marshall who was unlucky not to retrieve his own kick ahead. Instead, the ball bounced into the path of Donnacha Ryan who was stopped just short, but quick recycling and sharp passing to the right sent Sweetnam over in the corner.
Bleyendaal missed the conversion but made no mistake less than ten minutes later when adding the extras to Munster’s second touchdown. The out-half’s beautiful return pass, on a loop play with Darren O’Shea, created the gap for Zebo who ran an excellent line to race in unopposed.
A Bleyendaal penalty on the stroke of half-time saw Munster head for the dressing rooms 15-0 up, very much in control and looking the sprightlier of the two sides. However, what transpired on the resumption was different, for the initial 15 minutes at least.
In the first instance, an excellent try-saving tackle from Zebo was all that prevented winger Luca Sperandio from racing over in the corner after an excellent individual break, and there was more to come from Treviso. As he had threatened to do so often in the opening half, Odiete made it over in the corner after excellent hands from right to left found Munster wanting down the flanks.
Ian McKinley’s conversion reduced the arrears to 15-7 and it was very much anyone’s game with just under 50 minutes on the clock. Enjoying somewhat of a purple patch, Treviso continued to retain possession and territory as their massive physicality forced Munster into repeated penalties.
Yet, it was a case of déja vu as they saw little reward on the scoreboard and, in reality, the pacy Wootton put paid to any comeback chances when he crossed in the 64th minute. A beautiful looping pass from Francis Saili released the Academy graduate down the right wing.
Treviso’s problems were compounded further when number 8 O’Donoghue capitalised on some loose passing to race in under the posts for the bonus point score which Bleyendaal converted for a 27-7 scoreline.
Loose ball would haunt the hosts again before the finish, the ball falling into the path of Sweetnam – after it rebounded off his knee – and the Corkman then kicked ahead to touch down for the second time with Bleyendaal slotting the touchline conversion.
Treviso did manage to have the final say, Jean-Francois Montauriol scoring from close range with 80 minutes played, but it was Munster who made more of their chances and will now head into next Saturday’s final round match against Connacht in the knowledge that a home semi-final is in the bag.
In an injury update from the Munster camp, Dave O’Callaghan and Ronan O’Mahony continue to be assessed by the medical team after they left the pitch with potentially serious leg injuries during the first half. Second row Ryan was replaced for a head injury assessment.
Notably, Academy prop Rory Burke made his first PRO12 appearance off the bench, with no less than four Academy players featuring over the course of the game – Burke, Conor Oliver, Fineen Wycherley and Brian Scott.
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