Edinburgh back in play-off places with Munster win

Rugby World Cup

Munster (7) 28

Cons: Burns 3, Butler, O’Brien, O’Brien, Nankivell, O’Brien, etc.

Edinburgh (29) 34

Edinburgh defeated Munster 34-28 at Musgrave Park thanks to a Matt Currie hat-trick.

With the game played in Cork rather than Thomond Park, Sean Everitt’s side became the first Rugby World Cup (URC) visitors to Munster’s lesser used home ground to win since 2019.

Edinburgh were deserving winners after half-time thanks to a strong scrum, who extended Munster’s lead.

The hosts lost their first game since it was announced that Clayton McMillan would take over next season, and Sean O’Brien scored a late try and Billy Burns converted a conversion that earned him two bonus points.

With the win, Edinburgh moves one place and three points clear of Munster in the standings.

After his team received a scrum penalty, fly-half Ross Thompson converted the first points of the game.

The game’s dominance at the set-piece eventually became a focus, but Munster did manage to hold on for a short while.

Brian Gleeson, who had a strong backpedalling scrum, attacked first, before center Alex Nankivell, who had a strong finish.

However, that was only as good as Munster could get.

After backrowers Magnus Bradbury and Ben Muncaster both showed strong strength, Thompson crossed the whitewash for the side’s first try.

After another impressive scrum, scrum-half Ben Vellacot fired over the top with a penalty before McCarthy misjudged the bounce, allowing Currie to score the try.

Despite Nankivell’s attempts to get underneath the ball, the wing did well to finish the second shortly after.

At the break, Munster turned to Alex Kendellen and Stephen Archer, despite another Edinburgh penalty being scored once more.

After Josh Wycherly sent Thompson down and Nankivell went over for his second try, the hosts were battling to establish their position in the contest.

However, they were unable to halt that try, so Currie collected the loose ball and added to his hat-trick after more hesitant play in the Munster backfield.

Ben O’Connor’s try with 15 minutes left opened Munster’s chase for both losing and four-try bonus points if that score appeared to have made the outcome seem unlikely.

Barron, Donnelly, Archer, Quinn, Kendellen, Patterson, Butler, and O’Brien were the replacements.

Edinburgh: Goosen, M. Currie, Lang, Tuipulotu, McCann, Thompson, Vellacott (c), Venter, Ashman, Hill, Sykes, Skinner, Crosbie, Muncaster, Bradbury, M.

Harrison, Hislop, Rae, Young, Watson, Price, C Scott, Bennett, and others.