| Newcomer Warwick Points The Way For Munster |
Munster |
26 - 16 |
Llanelli Scarlets |
| Musgrave Park Att: 3,400 |
| Saturday 22nd September 2007, 17:30 |
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| Paul Warwick played a pivotal role at Musgrave Park on Saturday evening as his personal haul of 21 points guided Munster to an encouraging victory over the Llanelli Scarlets. |
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| Man of the match Paul Warwick nips in for Munster's opening try of their victory over Llanelli in Cork |
| © Inpho Photography |
Making his competitive bow for the province, Warwick scored a try, two conversions and four penalties as Munster continued where they left off last season when they finished the league with four successive wins.
New Zealand Maori captain Rua Tipoki was another new player to impress, with two of his breaks leading to tries for the hosts, and while the Scarlets had some notable performers, Munster just had the edge.
The highly rated Rhys Priestland, who was making his league debut, fired over an eighth-minute penalty to get the Scarlets off the mark, having overcoming his jitters from an earlier effort.
Tipoki laid the platform for Munster's reply at the tail end of the first quarter. He burst forward, making 20 yards, before the ball was worked through the forwards and then Warwick had the pace to finish a looping run with a try.
The former Connacht fly-half made it a seven-pointer and while the opening exchanges were decidely error-ridden, the score was a deserved one as Munster put together the best move of the half.
The Scarlets' slight edge at the lineout helped them move back within striking distance and Priestland profited after 38 minutes when he landed his second penalty. Yet Warwick replied in injury-time to leave his side 10-6 in front at the break.
With that slender lead, it was crucial that Munster scored first after the restart and they duly did with Tipoki again the chief creator. The debutant centre's superb break, which saw him shrug off two tacklers, led to him popping a pass out for supporting winger Anthony Horgan to roar over under the posts.
A conversion and subsequent penalty from Warwick increased Munster's lead to 20-6 and with a half an hour remaining, Declan Kidney's men had designs on a bonus point win.
That never materialised though as sme clinical play from the Scarlets got it back to a four-point game. Priestland's third penalty of the night was followed up by a terrific seven-pointer from winger Matthew Watkins.
Jonathan Edwards and John Davies combined to win turnover ball for the Scarlets, Iestyn Thomas quickly spread it out to Watkins who did well to chip the cover defence, reclaim possession and dot down for a memorable 65th-minute try.
Nonetheless, Munster managed to regroup and win two more penalty goal chances which Warwick flung through the uprights for the ideal response. The Irishmen were out of reach and frustratingly for the visitors, Warwick's 78th-minute place kick denied them a deserved bonus point. |
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| First half timeline |
| 8 | Llanelli Scarlets | Penalty kick - R Priestland |
| 19 | Munster | Try - P Warwick |
| 19 | Munster | Conversion - P Warwick |
| 39 | Llanelli Scarlets | Penalty kick - R Priestland |
| 40 +2 | Munster | Penalty kick - P Warwick |
| Second half timeline |
| 42 | Munster | Try - A Horgan |
| 42 | Munster | Conversion - P Warwick |
| 48 | Munster | Substitution - S Cronin on for D Fogarty |
| 53 | Munster | Penalty kick - P Warwick |
| 60 | Munster | Substitution - D Hurley on for F Pucciariello |
| 60 | Llanelli Scarlets | Substitution - B Broster on for B Douglas |
| 60 | Llanelli Scarlets | Substitution - L Reed on for V Cooper |
| 61 | Llanelli Scarlets | Substitution - J Davies on for G Evans |
| 61 | Llanelli Scarlets | Substitution - J Edwards on for D Jones |
| 63 | Llanelli Scarlets | Penalty kick - R Priestland |
| 65 | Llanelli Scarlets | Try - M Watkins |
| 65 | Llanelli Scarlets | Conversion - R Priestland |
| 66 | Munster | Substitution - J Coughlan on for B Holland |
| 66 | Munster | Substitution - L Mafi on for K Lewis |
| 68 | Munster | Penalty kick - P Warwick |
| 72 | Llanelli Scarlets | Substitution - K Owens on for J Hayter |
| 77 | Munster | Substitution - T O'Donnell on for N Ronan |
| 78 | Munster | Penalty kick - P Warwick |
| 80 | Munster | Substitution - G Hurley on for T O'Leary |
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