Matt Currie scores hat-trick as Edinburgh shock Munster

Munster crumbled to a rare defeat at Virgin Media Park as Matt Currie’s hat-trick set Edinburgh up for a famous 34-28 United Rugby Championship win.

Without an away URC victory since last April, Edinburgh stunned the Cork crowd with two Currie tries and one each from Ross Thompson and Magnus Bradbury to lead 29-7 at half-time.

Munster’s fit-again centre Alex Nankivell touched down in either half, but they were unable to avoid their first loss in 11 URC matches on Leeside.

Player of the match Currie completed his hat-trick before an out-of-sorts Munster salvaged two bonus points through Ben O’Connor and replacement Sean O’Brien.

Fly-half Thompson turned an early scrum penalty into the opening points, while Hamish Watson made an earlier than expected entrance after a shoulder injury to Luke Crosbie.

New Zealander Nankivell drove in under the posts to get Munster off the mark in the 14th minute, with Billy Burns’ conversion making it 7-3.

However, Munster endured a nightmare second quarter – starting when Thompson finished off Ben Muncaster’s break for an excellent converted try.

Five minutes later, Ben Vellacott’s clever kick caused trouble for Shay McCarthy, allowing Currie to swoop in and score in the right corner.

The Edinburgh winger doubled his tally in the 34th minute, cutting inside McCarthy’s tackle, and then sent Bradbury over from a training-ground move off a lineout.

Nankivell barged through Thompson to leave it 29-14 with half an hour remaining but Edinburgh’s dominance at scrum time, and Munster’s poor defending, continued.

A Thompson kick bounced loose in the 57th minute, allowing Currie to claim his third try and effectively seal Edinburgh’s first win over Munster since November 2019.

O’Connor’s well-taken effort and a last-minute O’Brien try – with Edinburgh replacement Paddy Harrison in the sin bin for a high tackle on Tony Butler – earned the home side one bonus point and Burns nailed the final conversion from the right to add another.