Munster score quickest URC try in dominant win over Ospreys while Stormers hammer Zebre
Shay McCarthy in action for Munster in 2024.
Shay McCarthy scored a try after just 10 seconds to send Munster on their way to a 23-0 victory over the Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship.
The flyer pounced on a mistake from the visitors at the kick-off to collect the ball and speed across the whitewash.
It was the quickest try since the URC’s inception in 2021 and equalled the overall record which was held by Dougie Fife, who scored for Edinburgh in 2018 when it was called the PRO14.
In truth, the Ospreys never really recovered as Munster handled the atrocious conditions much the better, scoring four tries in total.
The Irish province were 18-0 in front at the interval as Tom Farrell and Calvin Nash followed McCarthy in touching down before Jack O’Donoghue secured the bonus-point triumph in the second period.
All four conversions were missed as the wind played havoc but Jack Crowley was successful with a penalty in the first half.
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Heavily criticised for their humbling defeat to Zebre, Munster got off to a flying start with the elements behind them.
Owen Watkin fumbled Crowley’s kick-off and academy wing McCarthy swooped in to score from close range.
Edinburgh’s Fife also touched down after 10 seconds, from a charge-down, in 2018 against Connacht.
Phil Cokanasiga was pinged at a ruck in the ninth minute, allowing Crowley to make it 8-0.
Niall Scannell fed centre Farrell at the back of a line-out drive to push the hosts into a 13-0 lead.
A third followed late on when Craig Casey flung a pinpoint pass out wide for Nash to get over ahead of Max Nagy.
Although the wind-backed Ospreys improved on the restart, O’Donoghue disrupted their lineout at a key stage.
A Dan Edwards kick had Munster back on their own line and James Ratti was unfortunate to knock on after Crowley’s clearance was blocked.
Once back in the opposition 22, McCarthy and O’Donoghue’s neat interchange delivered the bonus-point score.
Ospreys searched for a late response but, even with Munster prop Stephen Archer in the sin bin, Sam Parry was held up right on the line.
Stormers blow Zebre away
The Stormers almost followed Munster in nilling their opponents as they claimed a 36-5 triumph over Zebre in the URC.
They controlled the match from start to finish but the South Africans had to make do with three Jurie Matthee penalties in the opening 39 minutes.
However, on the stroke of half-time, the Stormers broke the try-scoring deadlock via Leolin Zas and they would go on to wrap up a comfortable victory in the second period.
Matthee added another three-pointer before Suleiman Hartzenberg went over on the hour mark to effectively make sure of the win.
All they needed to do to complete the perfect evening was to secure the bonus-point and keep the Italians scoreless.
The Stormers managed the former as Zas sealed his brace and Angelo Davids touched down, but they could not manage the latter due to Simone Gesi’s 76th minute effort.
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