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Munster claim bonus-point win at Southern Kings

Munster coach Johann van Graan has been linked with Bath

Munster started their two-week stay in South Africa with an excellent 31-20 bonus-point win away to Southern Kings in the Guinness PRO14.

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After a close first half, with the visitors only leading by four, they eventually kicked on and showed their class in Port Elizabeth.

Johann Van Grann – back in his home country – watched his Munster team go over four times to make it two from two in the competition.

It took the Irish club 20 minutes to grab the first try of the game, with Mike Halley crossing the line.

JJ Hanrahan kicked the conversion, after slotting an early penalty, to give Munster a 10-6 lead at the break.

Kings stunned the visitors in the opening minute of the second period, going over to lead 11-10, but it sparked Van Grann’s side into life.

Alby Mathewson finished a wonderful move in the 50th minute to put Munster ahead again and they extended their advantage with 13 left when the television match official awarded Fineen Wycherley’s try.

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The visitors made the game safe three minutes later when Arno Botha got in on the act for the bonus point.

James Cronin was sin-binned with five to go and Kings grabbed another try, but Munster – with Hanrahan kicking 11 points – held on for a hard-fought win.

Watch: Don’t mess with Jim

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M
MA 3 hours ago
How the four-team format will help the Wallabies defeat the Lions

In regards to Mack Hansen, Tuipoloto and others who talent wasnt 'seen'..

If we look at acting, soccer and cricket as examples, Hugh Jackman, the Heminsworths in acting; Keith Urban in Nashville, Mike Hussey and various cricketers who played in UK and made the Australian team; and many soccer players playing overseas.


My opinion is that perhaps the ' 'potential' or latent talent is there, but it's just below the surface.


ANd that decision, as made by Tane Edmed, Noah, Will Skelton to go overseas is the catalyst to activate the latent and bring it to the surface.


Based on my personal experience of leaving Oz and spending 14 months o/s, I was fully away from home and all usual support systems and past memories that reminded me of the past.


Ooverseas, they weren't there. I had t o survive, I could invent myself as who I wanted, and there was no one to blame but me.


It bought me alive, focused my efforts towards what I wanted and people largely accepted me for who I was and how I turned up.


So my suggestion is to make overseas scholarships for younger players and older too so they can benefit from the value offered by overseas coaching acumen, established systems, higher intensity competition which like the pressure that turns coal into diamonds, can produce more Skeltons, Arnold's, Kellaways and the like.


After the Lion's tour say, create 20 x $10,000 scholarships for players to travel and play overseas.


Set up a HECS style arrangement if necessary to recycle these funds ongoingly.


Ooverseas travel, like parenthood or difficult life situations brings out people's physical and emotional strengths in my own experiences, let's use it in rugby.

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