Munster won’t be the first team to return from South Africa nursing a couple of losses but few will make the journey home as frustrated as Johann van Graan’s men after throwing away a winning hand in Johannesburg.
Last week they came from 26 points adrift to claim a losing bonus point against the Bulls, however this time they dominated the first half but lost their way in the 24 degree heat, humidity and altitude after the restart and fell to their fourth defeat of the United Rugby Championship season.
They led 21-10 at the break and crossed for a fourth try ten minutes after the restart but the score from No 8 Alex Kendellen was scratched off for a forward pass from scrum half Neil Cronin to hooker Niall Scannell.
Ten minutes later Munster built a 20-phase move but the Lions held out and then started reducing the margin, scoring 13 points without reply in the last quarter.
“Credit to the Lions, they never went away,” said Munster captain Jack O’Donoghue. “They kept coming.”
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Munster failed to score in the second half and having selected an inexperienced bench which included four academy players, they lacked the clout to bring on and rescue them and head back to Ireland with just two bonus points to show for two bruising encounters in difficult conditions.
Munster were good value for their 21-10 interval advantage after the Wycherley brothers Josh and Fineen crossed for tries. They opened up a 14-0 lead with tight-head John Ryan getting them off the mark after good work from flanker John Hodnett and centres Damian de Allende and Chris Farrell. Josh Wycherley kickstarted a great day for the Bantry family when he scored after Calvin Nash did superbly to present the ball.
The Lions got back in the game through wing Edwill van der Merwe, Jordan Henrikse converting and then making it 14-10 with an easy penalty.
Munster finished the half well with Fineen Wycherley scoring after good work by his brother Josh, O’Donoghue and Cronin.
Munster seemed poised for an easy win when Kendellen crossed but they lost their way completely after that score was disallowed, as centres Burger Odendaal and Wandisile Simelane, along with flanker Vincent Tshituka, did most to inspire a Lions comeback for a third win of the campaign.
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Hendrikse reduced the margin after Munster lost their first scrum put-in of the season and conceded a penalty and that score lifted the Lions with Simelane scoring down the right after he beat Mike Haley on the outside.Hendrikse converted and then edged them in front for the first time in the game seven minutes from time when Jean Kleyn was penalised for offside.
Lions O Horn (Swanepoel 47); Pienaar (Rass 8), Simelane, Odendaal, Van der Merwe; Hendrikse, van den Berg; Sithole (Smith 51), Visagie (Botha 51), Sadie (Dreyer 51); Schoeman (Venter 57), Nothnagel; Sangweni (E Tshituka 30), V Tshituka, F Horn.
Munster Haley; Nash, Farrell, de Allende, Daly (Healy 64); Crowley (Coombes 69), Cronin (Patterson 64); J Wycherley (Donnelly 68), Scannell (Buckley 56), Ryan (K Knox 58); Kleyn (O’Connor 28-34), F Wycherley; O’Donoghue, Hodnett (O’Connor 65), Kendellen (Cloete 65).
Star man Burger Odendaal (Lions)
Scorers: Lions: Tries Van der Merwe, Simelane. Cons Hendrikse (2). Pens Hendrikse (3). Munster: Tries Ryan, J Wycherley, F Wycherley. Cons Crowley (3).
Referee Adam Jones (Wales).
Attendance 2,000.
