Pro12: Munster 6-17 Cardiff Blues
Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union
Cardiff Blues registered their first win on Munster soil since October 2007 as they triumphed in Cork on Saturday.
Winger Owens Williams and number eight Robin Copeland scored their first tries for the Blues in what was a deserved win over a disappointing Munster.
After Rhys Patchell and Ronan O'Gara had exchanged penalties, Williams found inviting space for a 43rd-minute try.
O'Gara cut the deficit to 10-6 with his second penalty but Copeland sealed the issue in the 70th minute.
The back-row latched on to a loose ball and made the line with man-of-the-match Patchell kicking a fine conversion from out on the left.
The defeat means Munster have fallen to sixth in the Pro12 standings, while Blues rise to seventh.
The opening try came after two short passes from Patchell and Roberts released winger Williams in midfield.
He broke the first tackle and evaded both Duncan Williams and Denis Hurley as he eased to the line.
Patchell converted but Bradley Davies was caught offside from the restart and O'Gara quickly closed the gap for Munster to 10-6.
The second try effectively wrapped up the away win.
Munster lost control of a ruck ball near halfway and excellent number eight Copeland, who hails from Wexford, raced away from O'Gara and company to score in the left corner.
Patchell added the conversion to widen the margin to 11 points.
He missed a late drop-goal shot but Cardiff had an untroubled finish, keeping their defence intact.
Munster: Jones, Howlett, Earls, Downey, Hurley, O'Gara, Murray, Kilcoyne, Sherry, Archer, D Foley, D Ryan, O'Donnell, Dougall, Coughlan.
Replacements: Laulala for Earls (58), Keatley for Hurley (60), Williams for Murray (15), Henry for Sherry (24), Botha for Archer (62), B Holland for D Foley (58), Stander for O'Donnell (62).
Not used: du Preez.
Blues: Tovey, O Williams, Smith, Roberts, Robinson, Patchell, Jones, Hobbs, R Williams, Bourrust, B Davies, Reed, Navidi, Warburton, Copeland.
Replacements: Halfpenny for Tovey (53), Walker for Jones (62), Tamba for Hobbs (69), Dacey for R Williams (69), Andrews for Bourrust (41).
Not used: Down, Hamilton, Sweeney.
Att: 7,500
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
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Great win for the Blues though. Now they just need to improve their home form where they've won only 3 of the last 10. Hey that was easy!
As a Rugby Development Officer in Munster for 3 years I can assure Munster take every game seriously. They have a new coach with a different slant to how they should play and they haven't yet bought into it. Being in the top 4 of the Rabo Direct is a important to them. Think you should concentrate on English success or the lack of it in the Heineken Cup
plenty of other threads on the rugger page to comment on
but oh no here you are again. thought there was too much
welsh bias on here. f cough to sky
professional,competative rugby players playing to loose or not win!I've no doubt munster were more than happy to lose at home to the blues.
your comments are as badly thought out as the article has been written
did you even watch the match?
Munster had a good crack but were poor with loads of mistake.They very one dimentional and the blues defense was superd.
Good team performance and a few individuals shone (Roberts, Patchell, O Williams, Copeland)
Superb defensive effort by the Blues. They look so much more organised than the first half of the season.
Munster were bad but not as bad as this piece of journalism
Sure you are right, standards,standards where are they going?
Where is Phil Davies too?
Great win without him.
"The defeat means Munster have won just one of their last 11 home games in all competitions"
Is it too much to ask that someone with a vague knowledge of rugby writes these reports?