Munster munch Lions at Ellis Park

Full of zeal when they needed to be Munster showed most of their champion qualities when they downed the Lions 33-13 in their United Rugby Championship (URC) match at Ellis Park on Saturday. 

The win helped sustain the defence their title as it firms their position in the top three, but the defeat has cast an ominous shadow over the Lions and their quest for a maiden spot in the knock-out rounds. 

Munster, well coached, well drilled and supremely motivated had the measure of their hosts from the outset.

What they brought to Ellis Park wasn't just another defeat for the Lions but sobering perspective about who's who in the URC zoo. 

The disjointed Lions displayed a chronic lack of composure against battle hardened opponents who stuck to their strengths while drawing their opponents from a position of comfort.

It was a thoroughly professional performance by the champions who punctuated their performance with a bonus point try at the death. 

Though flyhalf Sanele Nohamba was again superb, loose head prop Morgan Naude continued his upward curve and Asenathi Ntlabakanye as well as JP Smith made their presence felt off the bench, the Lions as a collective lacked the cohesion to trouble their redoubtable opponents. 

The home team had a lot of ball but unlike Munster they didn't quite know what to do with it.

In the first half their attack was lateral in the face of sure and committed defenders, while in the second, with the game effectively lost, it became frantic and more often than not lacked precision. 

When they scored their first try after sustained pressure in the 62nd minute Munster had long killed the match off as a contest. 

Munster, predictably made the ruck a real battle zone and the Lions' precision in that area was always going to face stiff examination.

By the ninth minute the visitors had two ruck penalties which yielded the desired profit off the boot of flyhalf Jack Crowley. 

With Bok lock RG Snyman in the vanguard and scrumhalf Conor Murray neatly pulling the strings at the back, Munster kept the heat on the Lions. 

Moreover, their champion qualities stood up in defence. 

Munster's maul defence was sturdy, though not always on the right side of the law but they are crafty operators knowing when not to fall on the wrong side of the referee.

In the first half they conceded consecutive maul penalties with their tryline in sight before exacting the steal when the Lions again eschewed the opportunity to kick for poles. 

 To rub salt, they extended their lead from more or less the same position when Crowley converted his third penalty by the 20-minute mark. 

Morgan Naude's try saving tackle on Sean O'Brien in the 25th minute crucially kept the Lions in touch but they were hanging on by the tip of their claws.

The hosts got on the scoreboard not long after with a Jordan Hendrikse penalty which also carried the hope of providing the hosts a foothold in the game but it was not to be. 

If Munster's maul defence was the toil of men standing shoulder to shoulder, the Lions in that facet was woefully found wanting. 

Things got much worse for the hosts in a passage of play after the halftime siren had sounded. Munster got a penalty try while Lions captain Marius Louw was banished to the bin. There was no way back. 

Scorers 

Lions (6) 13 - Try: PJ Botha. Conversion: Jordan Hendrikse. Penalties: Hendrikse (2). 

Munster (23) 33 - Tries: A penalty try, Jack O'Donoghue, Shane Daly, Gavin Coombes. Conversion: Jack Crowley. Penalties: Crowley (3).