Munster 19-7 Scarlets: Johann van Graan's side post confidence-boosting win
By Michael Cantillon
Last Updated: 25/03/18 8:35am
Tries from James Hart, Robin Copeland and Alex Wootton gave Munster a morale-boosting 19-7 victory over the Scarlets at Thomond Park.
In their first meeting since last season's PRO12 final, Scarlets dominated the opening 25 minutes but only had one try to show for it through Aled Davies.
Munster grew into the game thereafter and took control during the second period, with their forwards well on top at the set-piece and breakdown.
The victory was all the more impressive after a couple of bizarre referee and TMO decisions went the way of Scarlets as James Davies avoided a sin-binning for tripping Sammy Arnold and James Cronin had a try, rather incredibly based on replays, ruled out for an apparent double movement.
Munster host Toulon next Saturday in their Champions Cup quarter-final, live on Sky Sports Action, while Scarlets are in action on Friday night at the same stage against La Rochelle.
After a bright start, Scarlets scored the opening try of the day through scrum-half Davies after a typical broken-field counter attack.
Ian Keatley's 22 dropout was skilfully collected by Aaron Shingler, before an attack down the right saw James Davies offload to namesake Davies on the inside, who just touched down after a tackle from Wootton.
Munster thought they had a try in reply when Wootton raced down the length of the pitch to touch down under the sticks after intercepting but after a TMO review it was decided the ball had hit the winger's arm and not his shoulder before he had regathered, ruling the score out for a knock-on.
A reset scrum saw Munster win a penalty against the head 40 metres out, but having turned down the shot at goal for a kick to the corner, a powerful Munster drive was held up over the line.
From the resulting scrum, Hart sniped off the side and just grounded the ball on the line to get Munster onto the scoreboard, with the TMO confirming as such. Keatley snatched at the straightforward conversion, however, and Scarlets remained in front.
Keatley kicked a ball out on the full soon after and in the next phase, Copeland took out Scarlets scrum-half Davies handing the visitors a penalty opportunity.
Patchell failed to add to their lead, however, as his effort came back off the post and the half-time score remained at 7-5 to the defending champions.
Munster were the first scorers of the second period as Copeland was on hand from close range to ground the ball after a series of pick-and-go's.
Worryingly for the Irish province though, openside Tommy O'Donnell suffered a serious-looking arm injury in the build-up adding to a hefty casualty list ahead of their Champions Cup quarter-final against Toulon next Saturday.
Scarlets flanker Davies avoided a yellow card shortly after for a fairly clear trip on Munster's Sam Arnold as referee Marius Mitrea incorrectly decided the openside had stuck his leg out to block the ball.
The game soon turned scrappy, with both sides guilty of poor kicks from hand, but with 15 minutes remaining it appeared to be Munster who got the vital next score.
A midfield break from hooker Niall Scannell saw him offload to Dave O'Callaghan, who in turn found Hart with another offload. From there, the ball was shipped wide and replacement prop Cronin grounded.
However, to amazement within the stadium and the Sky Sports commentary team of Alan Quinlan and Stuart Barnes, the TMO and referee Mitrea ruled it a double movement and no try on review.
Munster did finally make the result secure with two minutes remaining as a magnificent break from JJ Hanrahan in midfield placed the home side in the Scarlets 22, and from there, after dominant carries by the forwards, replacement Stephen Fitzgerald found Wootton out wide with a long pass and the winger finished strongly.
