Late blitz sees All Blacks XV secure testy win over Munster

New Zealand’s development squad descended on Thomond Park eager to show All Blacks selectors what they’re made of, but in their way stood URC heavyweights Munster.

The game was evidently a match between a ragtag swag of talent and a more polished, mid-season outfit, but the Kiwis found their feet throughout the contest and produced a rapid final five minutes for a 38-24 win.

AJ Lam’s defence was felt early, winning the first turnover of the game. Possession switched hands swiftly thereafter for much of the opening five minutes, with Munster coming out of the period with attacking field position and looking the more dangerous team with ball in hand.

Letting the hosts down was their scrum, but New Zealand’s ill-discipline allowed them to pick between that and the lineout which worked out much better.

Munster’s rapid defence defused New Zealand’s early attack and put huge pressure on the visitors.

The Kiwis got their first crack at Munster’s line when Diarmuid Kilgallen got his fingertips on a penalty kick that went dead. The strike play was again scrappy but another Munster offside infringement gave the Kiwis another shot and Harry Plummer found Lam on a strong line for the opening try. Plummer converted.

A lineout steal by Devan Flanders ignited a loose attack from the visitors, with Shaun Stevenson beating defenders down the left edge before Kini Naholo bullied his way through a couple more around the breakdown. The ball never lasted more than half a second in each of the breakdowns as the Kiwis danced and rolled downfield, ultimately scoring through Chay Fihaki in the right corner. Plummer again added the extras.

Just as New Zealand’s defence looked to be finding some cohesion, their ill-discipline let Munster deep in their half and the hosts recognised the opportunity before them with halftime nearing. An energetic attacking sequence saw the Irishmen pummel the New Zealand line before Mike Haley ran and wrestled his way over the chalk. The effort went unconverted.

Isaia Walker-Leawere was penalised for not releasing when contesting possession at a breakdown and from the ensuing Munster lineout maul, the lock illegally collapsed the maul just shy of the tryline earning himself a yellow card and the hosts a penalty try.

The play transpired on the stroke of halftime and sent the teams into the sheds with just two points separating them at 12-14.

Despite being down a man, New Zealand found themselves with an overlap as they put the ball through the hands just a minute into the second half, but Kirifi’s try was erased after the TMO spotted a knock-on in a previous ruck.

Another strong New Zealand scrum won them a penalty and the visitors went to the corner. A driving maul saw Brodie McAlister cross the chalk. Plummer converted.

Ruadhan Quinn won his side a breakdown turnover to get the ball back into New Zealand’s 22 and after one Munster maul threatened but was illegally defused, the second got over the line as the intensity of the match went up another level.

Back to their full complement, the Kiwis launched a counter-attack from their own half with Ruben Love busting tackles to get up near the 22. Devan Flanders followed suit and with the defence reeling Shaun Stevenson spied an opportunity, finding Quinn Tupaea on the wing via cross-field kick. The try was scored but went unconverted.

Flanders knocked the ball on at the restart and Munster’s attack kicked into life, with Kilgallen making metres down the left edge before Rory Scannell was shunted backwards in the tackle but not held, getting up and sprinting just shy of the try line before finding Tom Farrell who reached over the line, bringing the game back within two.

The hosts weren’t far off the line once more with six minutes remaining, but Noah Hotham and Corey Kellow bundled Kilgallen into touch.

Fineen Wycherley ripped the ball in the tackle a minute after Munster knocked the ball on in the lineout but it fell into the arms of Noah Hotham who broke the Munster line, finding Quinn Tupaea who set Kini Naholo away under the posts, sealing the win for the visitors.

“Heartbreak for Munster” was the call from the commentary team as 22-year-old Fabian Holland was named Man of the Match.

With one final charge at the New Zealand line, Munster had their pass picked by Harry Plumer, who ran 75 metres to finish the game with a try in the corner. Final score: 24-38.