Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Red card proves costly as Munster keep Zebre scoreless in comprehensive win

Munster coach Johann van Graan. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Munster took advantage of an early red card for Zebre’s Pierre Bruno to secure a 28-0 PRO14 victory at the Stadio Giovanni Mari.

ADVERTISEMENT

Bruno was banished in the ninth minute for leading with the forearm in tackling Munster back-rower Chris Cloete.

Munster took the lead almost instantly as wing Calvin Nash won a kick and chase and outside-half JJ Hanrahan converted.

Continue reading below…

Video Spacer

Zebre defended well in an attritional battle, but Munster made their extra man count after the break.

Hanrahan converted his own try and then added the extras to a Rory Scannell score.

Darren Sweetnam claimed the bonus-point try seven minutes from time and Hanrahan added his fourth conversion as Munster coasted home.

The bonus point victory went some way to bolstering Munster’s PRO14 title hopes, as the result leaves them just three points adrift of Conference B leaders Edinburgh, who sit on 43 points.

ADVERTISEMENT

Munster will turn their attention to conference rivals Scarlets in a week’s time as hosting rights for a quarter-final berth go on the line at Thomond Park in Limerick.

As for Zebre, the struggling Italian outfit will look to register their third win of the season in a bottom-of-the-conference battle with Ospreys at home in seven days’ time.

– With Press Association

In other news:

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

f
fl 5 minutes ago
‘The problem with this year’s Champions Cup? Too many English clubs’

"Yes I was the one who suggested to use a UEFA style point. And I guessed, that based on the last 5 years we should start with 6 top14, 6 URC and 4 Prem."

Yes I am aware that you suggested it, but you then went on to say that we should initially start with a balance that clearly wasn't derived from that system. I'm not a mind reader, so how was I to work out that you'd arrived at that balance by dint of completely having failed to remember the history of the competition.


"Again, I was the one suggesting that, but you didn't like the outcome of that."

I have no issues with the outcome of that, I had an issue with a completely random allocation of teams that you plucked out of thin air.

Interestingly its you who now seem to be renouncing the UEFA style points system, because you don't like the outcome of reducing URC representation.


"4 teams for Top14, URC and Prem, 3 teams for other leagues and the last winner, what do you think?"

What about 4 each + 4 to the best performing teams in last years competition not to have otherwise qualified? Or what about a UEFA style system where places are allocated to leagues on the basis of their performance in previous years' competitions?

There's no point including Black Lion if they're just going to get whitewashed every year, which I think would be a possibility. At most I'd support 1 team from the Rugby Europe Super Cup, or the Russian Championship being included. Maybe the best placed non-Israeli team and the Russian winners could play off every year for the spot? But honestly I think its best if they stay limited to the Challenge Cup for now.

39 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Ian Foster: 'You kid yourself that we were robbed' Ian Foster: 'You kid yourself that we were robbed'
Search