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Ivan van Rooyen. (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images)
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Our referee for today is Craig Evans from Wales, and he will be assisted by AJ Jacobs and Dylen November from South Africa. Our TMO is Adam Jones, also from Wales.
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Munster: 15 Simon Zebo, 14 Calvin Nash, 13 Antoine Frisch, 12 Seán O’Brien, 11 Shane Daly 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jack O’Donoghue, 7 Alex Kendellen, 6 Peter O’Mahony, 5 Tadhg Beirne (captain), 4 RG Snyman, 3 Stephen Archer, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 Jeremy Loughman. Replacements: 16 Eoghan Clarke, 17 Josh Wycherley, 18 Oli Jager, 19 Tom Ahern, 20 Gavin Coombes, 21 Craig Casey, 22 Joey Carbery, 23 Mike Haley.
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Lions: 15 Jordan Hendrikse, 14 Richard Kriel, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Marius Louw (captain), 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Sanele Nohamba, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Emmanuel Tshituka, 6 JC Pretorius, 5 Ruan Delport, 4 Willem Alberts, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Morgan Naude. Replacements: 16 PJ Botha, 17 JP Smith, 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19 Reinhard Nothnagel, 20 Ruan Venter, 21 Sibusiso Sangweni, 22 Nico Steyn, 23 Gianni Lombard
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In their last three meetings, the Lions have claimed two wins to Munster's one… and here are the team's for today's clash!
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So with four matches before the playoffs, there is still PLENTY to play for for both sides.
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Munster are up in third place, just six points behind leaders Leinster. Munster are eight points ahead of the current playoff cut line of 40 points.
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The Lions have played 14, won seven and lost seven games in the URC… but have an impressive points difference of plus-109 points.
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It's a big match today for the Lions, who are in 11th place on the table. Lions are one of three sides on 39 points, while 7th and 8th place Stormers and Ospreys are on 40 points… so they is plenty of wiggle room for teams wanting to sneak into the playoffs.
0'
Good afternoon, and welcome to our coverage of the United Rugby Championship clash between the Lions and Munster live from Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
1'
KICK-OFF! The match is underway and both sides have a kick into each other's area before the Lions spread the line left…
2'
Lions succeed in pushing play into the Munster have, Munster with the throw-in on their own 10m line.
4'
Munster win the ball, press forward, Lions claim the ball and drive back to their 10m where the runner goes to ground and is blown… and Munster will kick for poles from the Lions' 10m line…
5'
PENALTY, MUNSTER, CROWLEY! 0-3; Slotted from 12m in on the Lions 10m… a lovely kick.
7'
Lions reply with some good running rugby, but the quick flicks down the line end up dribbling out for a Munster lineout just inside the Lions' half.
8'
Munster run but are crunched by the Lions defence… but the ref awards another penalty for the Lions going over the top in a maul. Munster hitting the poles again, 15m in from touch but just 4 metres inside the Lions half… so did he have a big enough brekkie this morning…?
9'
PENALTY, MUNSTER, CROWLEY! 0-6; He must have had the full Irish breakfast cos his kick sails through the poles with no problem, clearing the crossbar by quite a few hands.
11'
Munster push offside and the Lions win. penalty on the halfway line… the kick to touch is excellent and the the Lions have a lineout on the 5m…
13'
Lions are pressing hard but Munster hold them up just short of the 5m… Lions win another penalty, kick to touch and win the lineout…
15'
Munster get a warning from the ref… the Lions take another penalty lineout, drive forward to the Munster line… but this time Munster win turnover ball and kick the Lions back to the 22m.
17'
Munster win the ball and drive the Lions back, then kick deep… Nohamba collects and sends a kick spiralling back into the Munster half… Munster with the throw between their 10m and 22…
18'
Munster win the ball and run the line and into the Lions half… and the Lions are penalised in the maul again and Munster will kick for poles from 7m inside the Lions half and 10m in from touch…
19'
PENALTY, MUNSTER, CROWLEY! 0-9; Another beautiful penalty slotted with ease from not the easiest spot on the field.
21'
Muster drive at the Lions into their half again, but the Lions claim the ball, stitch two passes together before booting it upfield and into the Munster 22… and over the tryline. Munster will drop out from their tryline.
23'
Lions run the ball, but Munster intercept… great tackle to bring the Munster man down… they spread the ball and chip into the Lions' 22… Nohamba collects and kicks it out of trouble back to the Lions 10m.
25'
Munster enjoying great possession and driving hard up at the Lions first right then left… until the Lions are blown for a penalty 10m short of the Lions' 22 and bang in front.
26'
LUCKY BREAK FOR THE LIONS! The TMO spotted a Munster dangerous tackle driving into the maul on the back of a Lions neck. The penalty is turned over and the Lions clear deep upfield.
27'
Lovely play from the Lions backline, running the ball quick and slick before Nohamba does a crafy tap forward into space… Munster try to run out of danger but they are pushed into touch… but the ref has called play back to the Munster 10m for hands in the loose and the Lions have a kick for poles right in front…
28'
PENALTY, LIONS, HENDRIKSE! 3-9; Slotted without a problem.
29'
Lions drive forward at Munster, there's a chip over the top that they chase onto… but it bounces twice and both times unkindly for the chasing Lions, and Munster collect and look to clear.
32'
Munster win a scrum just short of their 22… they run the ball but can't break the Lions defence.
33'
Munster kick deep from a penalty, win the 5m lineout and drive for the Lions tryline…
34'
TRY, MUNSTER, O'DONOGHUE! 3-14; Brilliant power from the visitors' pack to power over for the try.
35'
CONVERSION, MUNSTER, CROWLEY! 3-14; Well slotted from 15m in from touch.
37'
PENALTY, LIONS, HENDRIKSE! 6-16; Slotted from bang in front of poles after Munster blown for a scrum infringement.
39'
Lions awarded a penalty just inside their own half… Nohamba kicks down the line and the Lions will throw in from the 22…
40'
HALF-TIME, LIONS 6-23 MUNSTER. Munster have truly had most of the play go their way and have shown plenty of dominance. There have been sparks from the Lions but no flames as of yet… so we'll have to hope that will come in the second half… which they will start a man down!
40'
YELLOW CARD, LIONS, MARIUS LOUW. Lions will be up against it at the start of the second half… and the ref blows for half-time.
40'
PENALTY TRY, MUNSTER! 6-23.
40'
DISASTER FOR THE LIONS!
40'
The ball is passed out to Zebo, whose kick find space… but he is cleaned out without the ball. Play stops and the TMO will come with a ruling here…
40'
WASTED! Lions are penalised for going off their feet in the ruck and Munster will take the lineout.
41'
KICK-OFF! We're underway with the second half at Ellis Park…
42'
BRILLIANT FROM THE LIONS! Wrestling possession from Munster inside their half, then slinging passes down the line… there's a break through the Munster line… a lovely left-footed chip forward and Van der Merwe chases for all he's worth, but he just can't beat the Munster man, who dots down for the tryline dropout.
44'
MISSED! Hendrikse with a really easy penalty a couple of metres short of the 22 and 10m to the left of the poles… but he hits it high and right.
46'
Munster press up into the Lions half and. win a scrum on the Lions 22. They want to use their man advantage…
48'
TRY, MUNSTER, DALY! 6-28; Lovely move from the scrum, the ball being run down the line, creating the overlap, and the overlap is handed to Shane Daly out on the wing who falls over in the corner for the five points. Great team work.
49'
Crowley's conversion from right on the left touchline slides to the right of the poles, but they can probably afford to drop those two points.
52'
Munster win a scrum and kick into the Lions 22… the Lions have the penalty advantage and run the ball… NOHAMBA with a brilliant run through the gap, then kicks a long ball upfield for Pretorious to chase onto, but Munster manage to clear.
54'
Lions elect a lineout but fail to claim the ball and it's cleared downfield by Munster. This does not look like it's going to be Lions' night.
56'
Lions win the ball, and Nohamba AGAIN breaks the line, feeds to a team-mate… the Lions drive forward but are brought to ground inside the 22 and they will kick to touch for the lineout.
58'
Lions win their lineout ball and run across the tryline, pressing all the time for a gap but Munster have held them back superbly. It's within a sniff for the Lions but Munster won't fall easily…
60'
Lions scrumming on the Munster 5m… they push and press but can't get through. Ref blows for another Lions scrum…
62'
The Lions run from the back of the scrum and push for the Lions, the Munster mob holds them back… they push right and are held up on the line…
63'
TRY, LIONS, PJ BOTHA! 11-28; Eventually the Munster resistance gives out and the Lions scrape over for the try.
64'
CONVERSION, LIONS, HENDRIKSE! 13-28; No problem from just to the right of the poles.
66'
Lovely passage of play, the Lions driving hard with some great passing… Munster steal possession and thread some passes, but the Lions reclaim the ball and run hard while passing slickly. Superb rugby from both sides.
68'
The Lions drive back again at Munster, this winning a penalty shot of the 22, which Nohamba kicks to the 5m line and Lions will have the lineout.
70'
Munster win the ball, run it left then kick upfield, releasing the pressure from the Lions.
72'
Lions regain possession and press forward well into the Munster half, but there's a knock-on and Munster grab the ball and drive down the right, then kick deep to the Lions half. The Lions run back at them, the ball bounces loose and there's a nasty crack of heads between Josh Wycherley and Marius Louw… the Munster man catching an accidental head against his jaw and cheek that saw him drop to the ground lack a sack of stones. After some medical attention her's off for HIA but hopefully has no serious injury.
74'
The Lions drive up down the right, earn a lineout and win the ball… but now they are driving at the line one metre short… driving… driving…
76'
VENTER DRIVES OVER FOR THE TRY… but the TMO looks closer and rules that he propelled his body forward after the initial attempt to dot down. Bitterly disappointing for the Lions and their fans after such gutsy play.
77'
Munster clear deep with a drop kick, the ball is then fumbled in the dewy conditions on the Lions 10m… and Munster have the scrum… the scrum evolves into a penalty which is kicked into touch for a 12m lineout as Munster seek the bonus point.
79'
TRY, MUNSTER, COOMBES! 13-33; Superb mauling from Munster sees them drive over for the bonus try in the corner. They really have been superb today.
Lions
Munster
1
Tries
3
61' Botha PJ
33' O'Donoghue Jack
48' Daly Shane
78' Coombes Gavin
1
Conversions
1
62' Hendrikse Jaden
35' Crowley Jack
2
Penalties
3
27' Hendrikse Jordan
37' Hendrikse Jordan
4' Crowley Jack
8' Crowley Jack
19' Crowley Jack
0
Drop Goals
0
0
Yellow Cards
0
0
Red Cards
0
15
Squad
15
Naude Morgan
Visagie Jaco
Dreyer Ruan Martin
Alberts Willem
Delport Ruan
Pretorius JC
Tshituka Emmanuel
Horn Francke
Van Den Berg Morne
Nohamba Sanele
Van Der Merwe Edwill
Louw Marius
Cronje Erich
Kriel Richard
Hendrikse Jordan
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Loughman Jeremy
Scannell Niall
Archer Stephen
Snyman RG
Beirne Tadhg
O'Mahony Peter
Kendellen Alex
O'Donoghue Jack
Murray Conor
Crowley Jack
Daly Shane
O'Brien Sean
Frisch Antoine
Nash Calvin
Zebo Simon
8
Reserves
8
Botha PJ
Smith Jean-Pierre
Ntlabakanye Asenathi
Nothnagel Reinhard
Venter Ruan
Sangweni Sibusiso
Steyn Nico
Lombard Gianni
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Clarke Eoghan
Wycherley Josh
Jager Oliver
Ahern Thomas
Coombes Gavin
Casey Craig
Carbery Joey
Haley Michael
