Gritty Leinster hold off Munster in Thomond arm-wrestle

Leinster gained revenge for their Croke Park humbling, pinning Munster down in a classic Interpro arm-wrestle at Thomond Park.

Low on scores but high on physicality, defence was to the fore on a freezing Limerick night, but it didn't take away from a thoroughly engaging derby in front of a 26,000 sellout crowd.

It was one try apiece in Leinster's 13-8 victory; Josh van der Flier’s early score off a rampaging maul gave Leinster a 7-0 half time lead, before Harry Byrne and Jack Crowley swapped some penalties in the third quarter, extending the Leinster lead to 13-3.

Dan Kelly’s score set up a huge finale as Munster dominated the final quarter, although Crowley’s missed conversion was costly as Munster chased down a try rather than a three-pointer to secure a draw, but they couldn’t break down a relentless Leinster defence any more, as Leo Cullen’s side held on for a precious win.

The defending champions are yet to hit their stride in attack, and they again struggled to pull apart a committed Munster effort, but seasons have been turned around by smaller wins than this, a victory that was earned through grit and determination.

A losing bonus-point is all Munster could take from the game, but there will be plenty for Clayton McMillan to take from the tie, although his side will likely need to be rotated further for next week’s trip to Ulster.

As expected, the game started at a ferocious pace, two quick penalties against Munster allowing Leinster an early crack at their hosts’ 22, but after a lengthy series of phases, Van der Flier was held up in possession by Gavin Coombes and Edwin Edogbo to end the attack. Or so it seemed.

From the resulting scrum, a Leinster penalty gave them a second chance at points, and a piercing maul allowed Van der Flier (above) break for the line and score, making up for his earlier error, as Leinster took a 7-0 lead.

Munster had an immediate chance to hit back after they won a breakdown penalty off Rieko Ioane from the restart, which was brought forward 10 metres after some Leinster dissent, but Max Deegan broke up the maul to relieve the pressure.

Four minutes later, another chance was let go by the home side, as Crowley saw his kick to touch from a penalty sail out over the in-goal area, to the relief of the Leinster defence.

The early attacking energy from both sides faded as the half wore on, but the intensity only grew as defence on both sides took over.

Shane Daly’s tackle on Ciarán Frawley shook the goalposts and led to a turnover and a Munster attack on the 22, but it was met with a determined Leinster defensive line, which sent them backwards and eventually earned breakdown penalty.

As the physicality grew, so did the confrontations; Andrew Porter was penalised for a tip-tackle on Tom Farrell (above) on 23 minutes, while Jack O’Donoghue handed one back in the opposite direction when he pinned a Leinster player to the ground at the side of a ruck.

The penalties swayed back and forth, referee Peter Martin kept busy as Leinster dominated at the scrum, allowing them good field position, but Munster’s breakdown work was exceptional, Edogbo coming up with a crucial steal on the ground in the 33rd minute, and the arm-wrestle continued to half-time with Leinster 7-0 in front.

Munster couldn’t get out of their own way to start the second half as Craig Casey twice mishit clearance kicks, but they had Tom Ahern to thank for a vital turnover inside his own 22 as Casey found the touchline with his third attempt at the boot.

A scrum penalty gave Munster their first chance of the second half as Crowley kicked them to the edge of the 22, but it was a short-lived visit as a loose offload sent them running backwards, and they were pinned back into their 22 after a brilliant Byrne free-kick.

Munster cleared, but Casey could only get them 25 metres from their own line, and when Beirne came in the side from Leinster’s maul, it allowed Byrne (below) extend the Leinster lead to 10-0 on 53 minutes with a routine shot at goal.

Those points were cancelled out within two minutes as Munster won the restart, leading to a Paddy McCarthy infringement on Casey, and from the edge of the 22 Crowley called for the tee and made it a 10-3 game, but they handed those points right back when Tom Farrell played the ball from an offside position, allowing Byrne restore the 10-point lead heading into the final quarter.

While Munster had plenty of chances around the 22, they hadn’t enjoyed a sustained attack near the Leinster line all game until they started to get some momentum at the gainline on 65 minutes.

Replacement props John Ryan and Jeremy Loughman came close with a pair of strong carries, but a brilliant piece of defence by James Ryan forced a knock-on off O’Donoghue.

The home side needed a spark of brilliance, and they got it from Farrell who shook off a rare tame Caelan Doris tackle to flee upfield, and while Leinster dealt with the initial pressure, a lovely Coombes back-door fractured the Leinster defence, as Crowley played Kelly in for his side’s first try.

Crowley couldn’t convert, leaving Munster 13-8 behind heading into the final nine minutes.

Twice in quick succession Munster got into the final third of the pitch, but twice in a row Leinster thwarted them, and they had one final chance as the clock ticked into the red when James Lowe’s high tackle gave them a penalty and one more chance to steal it.

But Ioane’s tackle on Crowley dislodged the ball and Charlie Tector dived on the spillage to recover, and seal a vital win for the defending champions.

Scorers

Munster: Tries: Dan Kelly

Pens: Jack Crowley (1)

Leinster: Tries: Josh van der Flier

Cons: Harry Byrne (1)

Pens: Harry Byrne (2)

Munster: Mike Haley; Shane Daly, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Michael Milne, Lee Barron, Michael Ala'alatoa; Edwin Edogbo, Tom Ahern; Tadhg Beirne (capt), Jack O'Donoghue, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron (for Lee Barron, 55), Jeremy Loughman (for Milne, 55), John Ryan (for Ala’alatoa, 55), Jean Kleyn (for Edogbo, 49), Fineen Wycherley (for Ahern, 66), Paddy Patterson (for Casey, 71), Dan Kelly (for Abrahams, 56), John Hodnett (for O’Donoghue, 66).

Leinster: Ciarán Frawley, Tommy O'Brien, Rieko Ioane, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe, Harry Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park, Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Max Deegan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).

Replacements: John McKee (for Kelleher, 67), Paddy McCarthy (for Porter, 49), Tadhg Furlong (for Clarkson, 48), Diarmuid Mangan, Scott Penny (for Van der Flier, 74), Fintan Gunne (for Gibson-Park, 74), Charlie Tector (for Henshaw, 34), Andrew Osborne (for O’Brien, 77).

Referee: Peter Martin (IRFU).