Tommy Mc Loughlin – New Ross RFC
Amid swirling off-field headlines and a recent coaching scandal, Munster responded in the best possible fashion on Saturday night, putting the noise firmly behind them to secure a vital 45–15 bonus-point victory over Benetton at the Stadio Comunale Monigo.
A Clinical First Half
Needing a result to climb back into the URC top eight, Clayton McMillan’s side started with serious physicality and intent. It took just six minutes for the opening try to arrive as Calvin Nash produced a clinical finish in the corner, followed by a successful touchline strike from the boot of Jack Crowley.
A slick interchange in the midfield saw BKT Player of the Match Alex Nankivell release Tom Farrell, with the outside centre showing a clean pair of heels to finish in the left corner. The 16th-minute score was Farrell’s maiden try in the URC, highlighting a sharp and creative performance from the backline. While Crowley pushed the second conversion wide, Munster’s dominance was further cemented just before the break as Gavin Coombes barged over from close quarters, as they headed to the dressing rooms, to leave the visitors with a comfortable and deserved 19–3 lead at half-time.
The Second Half Blitz and Disciplinary Drama
The second half began as a blitz. Jean Kleyn crossed the whitewash just five minutes after the restart, followed quickly by tries from replacement Alex Kendellen and captain Tadhg Beirne, pushing the lead to an unassailable margin.
However, Munster’s discipline briefly unraveled in the final quarter. Jack Crowley was sent to the sin-bin in the 62nd minute for killing the ball at the breakdown, and he was joined three minutes later by Craig Casey for a deliberate knock-on. Reduced to 13 men, Munster finally saw their line breached in the 71st minute when Bautista Bernasconi exploited the gap to dive over.
Once restored to full strength, Brian Gleeson bullied his way over for a 76th-minute try to seal the scoring. While Benetton’s Alessandro Garbisi added a late consolation score, the damage was long since done.
The Verdict
This was exactly the kind of statement performance Munster needed to reset their season. The emphatic 45-15 victory not only secures vital maximum points on the road but vaults them up to 6th place in the highly competitive URC table, putting them right back in the thick of the playoff hunt. Beyond the league standings, however, the manner of this win speaks volumes about the character within the camp. To score seven tries away from home and to completely shut out the opposition while playing with 13 men proves that this squad has the mental fortitude to compartmentalize any off-field distractions and focus entirely on their rugby when it matters most. They leave Italy with renewed confidence, serious momentum, and a clear message to the rest of the league that their ambitions are very much alive.
Match Squads
Benetton Rugby:
15. Matt Gallagher, 14. Louis Lynagh, 13. Tommaso Menoncello, 12. Malakai Fekitoa, 11. Paolo Odogwu, 10. Jacob Umaga, 9. Alessandro Garbisi; 1. Destiny Aminu, 2. Nicholas Gasperini, 3. Marcos Gallorini, 4. Giulio Marini, 5. Federico Ruzza, 6. Sebastian Negri, 7. Michele Lamaro (C), 8. Lorenzo Cannone.
Replacements: 16. Bautista Bernasconi, 17. Ivan Nemer, 18. Tiziano Pasquali, 19. Riccardo Favretto, 20. Jadin Kingi, 21. Alessandro Izekor, 22. Andy Uren, 23. Leonard Marin.
Munster Rugby:
15. Shane Daly, 14. Calvin Nash, 13. Tom Farrell, 12. Alex Nankivell, 11. Andrew Smith, 10. Jack Crowley, 9. Craig Casey; 1. Jeremy Loughman, 2. Diarmuid Barron, 3. Michael Ala’alatoa, 4. Jean Kleyn, 5. Tadhg Beirne (C), 6. Tom Ahern, 7. John Hodnett, 8. Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: 16. Lee Barron, 17. Michael Milne, 18. Oli Jager, 19. Edwin Edogbo, 20. Brian Gleeson, 21. Ben O’Donovan, 22. Dan Kelly, 23. Alex Kendellen.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
Venue: Stadio Comunale Monigo, Treviso
Half-Time Score: Benetton 3 – 19 Munster
Full-Time Score: Benetton 15 – 45 Munster
Match Discipline & Scorers
Cards:
Munster: Yellow Card – Jack Crowley (62′ – killing the ball), Craig Casey (65′ – knock-on)
Scorers
Benetton Rugby:
· Tries: Bernasconi (71′), Garbisi (79′)
· Cons: Umaga (51’)
· Pens: Umaga (27′)
Munster Rugby:
· Tries: Nash (6′), Farrell (16′), Coombes (33′), Kleyn (45’), Kendellen (55′), Beirne (58′), Gleeson (76′)
· Cons: Crowley (7′, 34′, 46′, 59′,77’)
Next Up: Munster vs. Ulster (URC) at Thomond Park, Saturday, April 25th at 5:30PM.