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Andrew Conway's 50-metre solo effort saves Munster from provincial rivals Ulster

Andrew Conway breaks away

Andrew Conway provided a match-winning try of real class as Munster battled past Ulster in a 22-16 Guinness PRO14 derby win at Thomond Park.

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Conway, one of eight returning Rugby World Cup players for the hosts, accelerated clear from just inside halfway to raid in under the posts and split the provincial rivals in the 64th minute.

Tries from CJ Stander and man-of-the-match Rory Scannell helped Munster to carve out a 15-6 interval lead with Ulster’s talisman John Cooney kicking their six points from the tee.

Winless in Limerick since 2014, the Ulstermen edged ahead thanks to captain Rob Herring’s 49th-minute try off a lineout maul amid a promising 10-point spurt.

But Conway’s superb seven-pointer got Munster back on track as they kept up with the pace in Conference B.

With both sides eager to keep up their winning momentum ahead of the start of Europe, it was Cooney who kicked Ulster ahead from close range in the third minute.

The visitors had a let-off when Jacob Stockdale’s clearance kick bounced off Conway and they coughed up a five-metre scrum.

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However, the set-piece platform was duly turned into seven points by Munster who had centre Scannell and Alby Mathewson both go close before Stander muscled in under the posts.

JJ Hanrahan’s conversion was followed by a Cooney penalty at the end of an evenly-contested first quarter.

Both defences were proving difficult to break down, and it was errors which were mainly leading to scores. Hanrahan punished an Ulster penalty with three more points at 10-6 before his evening was disappointingly cut short through injury.

A Martin Moore spill ruined a slick Ulster move, and it was Munster who pushed on as half-time approached.

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They trucked it up through the forwards and Mathewson, who was a busy figure throughout, before some great hands from replacement Tyler Bleyendaal and Chris Farrell allowed Scannell to plough over near the left corner.

Bleyendaal’s conversion bounced back off the post and the deficit for Ulster remained at nine points despite some mishandling from Matt Faddes and Angus Curtis, who made his first start at fly-half. Collectively, Dan McFarland’s men were an improved force on the restart.

Munster captain Peter O’Mahony stole two early season half lineouts, yet his Ireland colleague Herring sparked the best out of Ulster when breaking from a maul, ten metres out, and evading Bleyendaal’s tackle to crash over to the right of the posts.

Cooney converted and also punished Stander for going off his feet in the 57th minute, booting Ulster back in front at 16-15.

The game’s decisive moment arrived seven minutes later with Conway – set free by Bleyendaal’s inside pass – evading three defenders on a superb slaloming run to the whitewash.

Bleyendaal converted for a six-point cushion, and while Ulster had enough possession to fashion a response, they were starved of territory late on.

Bleyendaal missed a long-range penalty before his pass was intercepted by Stuart McCloskey, but his opposite number Scannell quickly shut down the attack with a crucial tackle.

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O
Oh no, not him again? 1 hour ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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TRENDING Everyone is saying the same thing after agonising England loss Everyone is saying the same thing after agonising England loss
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