Match Report: Scarlets 13-23 Munster

This highly atritional affair ended with the visiting side coming away with an important 4 points and preventing their hosts from even gaining a losing bonus point. Munster will be very happy to leave Parc Y Scarlets with a win after their underwhelming season last year. Scarlets will be disappointed with this start, as they expected a big season following the return of Jonathan Davies and the signing of Rhys Patchell from Cardiff.

The game started with Munster under severe pressure from a Scarlets attack led by fullback, Liam Williams. Rhys Patchell missed a penalty that could have put the hosts ahead after 11 minutes before Munster's rampaging forwards got James Cronin into a position to drive over from close range to open the scoring. New Zealander Tyler Blyeyendaal converted to put Munster 7-0 up.

Rhys Patchell used his fantastic kicking from distance to give Scarlets their first points of the game. However 3 minutes later it was Munster who pulled further ahead through a fantastic bit of vision from winger Ronan O'Mahony, who picked from the ruck and ran clear to score under the posts. The score was quickly canceled out however as Scarlets scrum-half, Gareth Davies, who regathered his own kick to score in the corner. Patchell showed his class by converting the difficult kick from the right touchline. The teams went into the sheds with the score 17-10 in Munster's favour, after a Bleyendaal penalty.

Patchell again kept the scoreboard ticking over with a penalty after 48 minutes that took Munster's lead to 4 points. Bleyendaal put the lead back to 7 with a penalty 5 minutes later. There was only one more score in the game. Replacement Ian Keatley's penalty making the score 23-13. Patchell could have got Scarlet's a losing bonus point in the dying minutes but missed a penalty which he would have expected to get.

Munster's magnificent defence was on show throughout the game showing that Jacques Nienaber must be doing some good work with the squad. Their high intensity and line speed forced Scarlets to make handling errors time and time again. This meant that Scarlets struggled to get the go forwrad ball they needed and never really got their fast-paced, offloading game going.

Man of the match:

Munster flanker Tommy O'Donnell led from the front in defence and carried well throughout the game. He was justly awarded the man of the match award as a result.