| Pro14 |
|---|
| Munster (28) 68 |
| Tries: Botha 3, Nash, O’Donoghue, Hodnett, Cronin, Daly 2, Goggin Cons: Hanrahan 6, Healy 3 |
| Southern Kings (3) 3 |
| Pens: Catrakilis |
Munster moved top of Conference B in the Pro14 by earning a 10-try 68-3 win over struggling Southern Kings in Cork.
Number eight Arno Botha’s two tries helped Munster bank a bonus point by half-time as Calvin Nash and Jack O’Donoghue also touched down.
Botha completed his hat-trick in the second half as Shane Daly [two], Neil Cronin, debutant John Hodnett and Dan Goggin continued the try-fest.
Demetri Catrakilis’ first-half penalty was Kings’ only score.
Munster’s victory moves them a point ahead of Edinburgh in Conference B although the Scottish club have the chance to go back top on Saturday against Scarlets, who could also lead the table if they earn a bonus-point win.
Outclassed Kings remain bottom of the conference with just a solitary win from their 11 fixtures.
The Kings did not help their cause at Irish Independent Park by having two players in the sin-bin, one in each half, but the South African side had no answer to Munster’s pace and power.
Munster opened the scoring after eight minutes with a try from number eight Botha as he surged off the back of a penalty scrum to score under the posts following the sin-binning of Southern Kings full-back Andell Loubser.
Catrakilis’ penalty was only a brief respite for Kings as Goggin’s switch move helped set up Nash’s try before back-row duo Botha and O’Donoghue – the latter after picking up a favourable bounce of the ball from JJ Hanrahan’s chip over the defence – added further tries prior to half-time.
The second half was even more one-sided as youngster Hodnett’s score, as he brushed off some weak tackling, started a rush of tries.
After lively scrum-half Cronin notched the sixth try, wing Daly poached two scores, either side of Goggin’s touchdown before Botha completed his hat-trick four minutes from time.
JJ Hanrahan had a 100% conversion rate from Munster’s opening six tries before being replaced by Ben Healy, who added a further six points in extras in the closing 34 minutes.
Munster: Haley; Nash, Farrell, Goggin, Daly; Hanrahan, N Cronin; J Cronin, N Scannell, Ryan; Wycherley, Holland (capt); O’Donoghue, Hodnett, Botha.
Replacements: O’Byrne, Loughman, Knox, Coombes, Cloete, McCarthy, Healy, R Scannell.
Kings: Loubser, Hollis, Sithole, Cronje, Ludik, Catrakilis, Ungerer, Ferreira, du Toit, de Klerk, Sexton, Astle, Badiyana, de Wee, Lerm.
Replacements: Van Rooyen, Vos, Prinsloo, Fortuin, Bholi, Dapula, Allderman, Winnaar.
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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