Munster player ratings v Stormers: ‘Daft yellow card’ and ‘toaster’ scrum moments destroy a healthy lead

Liam Heagney
Munster skipper Tadhg Beirne and, inset, prop John Ryan

Munster skipper Tadhg Beirne and, inset, prop John Ryan

After Munster’s 21-27 defeat against the Stormers in their top-of-the-table United Rugby Championship encounter at Thomond Park in Limerick, here’s how we rated Clayton McMillan’s players.

Munster players ratings v Stormers

15 Shane Daly: Very quiet display on both sides of the ball. There will be questions asked about his role in defence with Munster under the cosh and unable to keep their line safe in that second half. 4

14 Diarmuid Kilgallen: Needed just two minutes to show his wheels, and it set the tone for his team to run freely at the Stormers, whose first-half display wasn’t helped by two yellow cards. Covered well to stop a try on 37 minutes. Faded in the second period. 5

13 Tom Farrell: Newly capped at international level at the age of 32, his confidence now knows no bounds. The best moment was the line he ran in his own half to take an inside pass on a scrum ball move, blasting a big hole in the Stormers’ defence that resulted in a Jack Crowley try. His overall effort didn’t deserve to end in defeat. 7

12 Alex Nankivell: Unlike his on-song midfield buddy, precision was missing in his game. See his poorly executed first half, pull back pass with Munster at the Stormers line and then his failure to grasp a Crowley kick a few minutes later. Hooked on 62 with the pressure mounting. 4

11 Thaakir Abrahams: Brought his footwork at times and how the home fans loved it in the opening half. Check out the line that sucked in Stormers’ defence for the opening try and also his lovely chase back to snuff out danger on 23 minutes. However, was badly exposed in the cross-kick that gave Stormers their second try on 68 minutes. 5

10 Jack Crowley: Back on club duty after slipping back behind Sam Prendergast in the Ireland selection, he started with a poor missed penalty kick but rebounded to be at the heart of the first half show that finished him scoring a try and Munster 21-6 up. Sadly, couldn’t kick his team on after that, and his night will be remembered for the intercepted pass that gifted Stormers their 71st-minute winner and then the knock-on that scrubbed out the converted Farrell try. 5

9 Craig Casey: Thought he had fashioned the winner with his cheeky cross-kick that was gobbled up by Farrell, only for a knock-on to rule out the score. Tried to keep the tempo high, especially in whisking the ball away from his backwards-stepping scrum, but didn’t do enough overall in the second half to quell the Stormers’ surge. 6

8 Gavin Coombes: Buoyed by some excellent form before the international break, he picked up the thread seamlessly and was set for a higher rating as he provided the assists for the first half tries finished by Tadhg Beirne and John Hodnett and he then produced a huge carry in the making of the third for Crowley. However, his daft yellow card for a needless trip in the move that led to Stormers’ first try massively cost his team. 5

7 Jack O’Donoghue: His evening ended when he clattered his head into the knee of Evan Roos when making a tackle less than 10 minutes in. No rating

6 Tadhg Beirne: Named in the World Rugby Dream Team for the second successive year, he celebrated with a well-taken eighth-minute try that included a canny running line and a dummy for the last defender. Led his team well in the opening half but fell off the pace when the second half South African storm took over and kept Munster pointless after the break. 6

5 Fineen Wycherley: Wearing a white scrum cap is a canny way for him to stand out in trenches, but there were also plenty of good play moments, such as a 38th-minute penalty turnover win at the ruck and then the stealing of a Stormers lineout five minutes into the second. Not to blame for the defeat. 6

4 Tom Ahern: A cool customer who initially nailed it to help get Munster on top. That influence waned in the second half when the pressure mounted. 6

3 John Ryan: Munster showed at Leinster last month that a desperate scrum need not be fatal, but it was here as it played a large part in surrendering second-half momentum. Ryan had trouble in his specialist department as soon as the first scrum, his head popping up like a toaster in the first half to allow Stormers to kick penalty points. 4

2 Diarmuid Barron: Another front-rower with regrets. His hands let him down with the line at his mercy on 16 minutes. Then lineout accuracy became frayed in the second half with Stormers laying the foundation for their successful comeback. 4

1 Jeremy Loughman: Munster’s other prop also had a night to forget in his specialist role. Had the referee in his ear over alleged over-leaning at the scrum, an issue that his general play couldn’t make amends for. 4

Replacements: Munster were forced into an early change with O’Donoghue’s HIA. Hodnett was a useful addition, as he scored on 20 minutes, but the home side didn’t have a bench with the energy and physicality to match the trump Stormers card that was changing six of their pack in one go on 45 minutes with the score at 21-6. 2

READ MORE: Stormers follow the Springboks’ example by scrumming their way to victory over Munster

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