Pro12: Munster 6-17 Cardiff Blues

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Pro12: Munster 6-17 Blues

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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23 comments

  • Comment posted by Dave Morgan, at 17:52 6 Jan 2013

    In the middle of all the doom and gloom surrounding Welsh rugby Cardiff Blues have gone away to Munster and won. I'm not a Blues fan but I am chuffed for them, well done Blues!

  • Comment posted by U14209734, at 17:30 6 Jan 2013

    Unbelievably awful journalism devoid of rugby knowledge. No idea where on earth they could have got that ridiculous Munster winning only 1 of 11 home games from. Sort it out BBC, I know your rugby reporting has never been great but this is going too far.
    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!

  • Comment posted by MichaelleeMac, at 17:16 6 Jan 2013

    Also, Hamilton did get on the pitch...

  • Comment posted by wooodsey, at 13:10 8 Jan 2013

    22.TheLastKingofEngland

    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

  • Comment posted by TheLastKingOfEngland, at 15:18 7 Jan 2013

    @19 the point is not that Munster want to lose to Cardiff, of course they don't no team wants to lose, the point is more that the Heineken Cup is more important to them so they rest players for Rabo games and play with their focus on the following week. If Munster didn't look as good perhaps they were playing with less intensity because they have a more important game coming up?

  • Comment posted by U15136314, at 13:28 7 Jan 2013

    last king

    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

  • Comment posted by James, at 12:41 7 Jan 2013

    Ignore the lastQueenof England, he is well known for hating the Welsh.

  • Comment posted by U14925716, at 11:53 7 Jan 2013

    re18-thelastking

    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.

  • Comment posted by TheLastKingOfEngland, at 11:36 7 Jan 2013

    Munster go off the boil in the Rabo a week before a key Heineken Cup game? Shock horror! Why anyone would think they're pacing themselves with the Heineken Cup game in mind. I mean I know Edinburgh have been rubbush this year but Munster are in dire need of a bonus point so is it unsurprising that they place more emphasis on that game than this one?

  • Comment posted by lifelongrugbyfan, at 09:19 7 Jan 2013

    I had little hope for the Blues going into the match following a disappointing start to the season. For a change they looked comfortable in defence under Munster pressure and they made the most of their scoring opportunities. Munster deserved a losing BP as the match was closer than the scoreline reflects.

    Good team performance and a few individuals shone (Roberts, Patchell, O Williams, Copeland)

  • Comment posted by Rhys, at 19:00 6 Jan 2013

    Awful journalism, full of errors and doesn't tell the story of the match at all. My 5 year old son could have done better.

    Superb defensive effort by the Blues. They look so much more organised than the first half of the season.

  • Comment posted by U15555207, at 18:55 6 Jan 2013

    @13 You'll be claiming next you watched the game and if so,and in view of your general and oft expressed opinion of pro12, why? A big fat lol@ butt-hurts everywhere, btw.

  • Comment posted by ovalball, at 16:32 6 Jan 2013

    Good win for Cardiff

    Munster were bad but not as bad as this piece of journalism

  • Comment posted by Bomber, at 16:25 6 Jan 2013

    Prior to this, Munster had home wins over Ulster, Saracens and Glasgow. Not so sure the writer knows much about rugby. Was it written by Rob Howley?

  • Comment posted by taffythomas, at 16:20 6 Jan 2013

    A quick look at the Munster website says they have lost 3 and won 8 of their last 11 (I think!!). Maybe this Journalist cant read.

  • Comment posted by bluechief, at 16:06 6 Jan 2013

    what a well-researched piece. well done.

  • Comment posted by JohnnyWAL, at 14:45 6 Jan 2013

    have to say from what I've seen of Copeland he has improved so much from his Blues debut to now, really is becoming an awesome player, wish he was Welsh! As a blues fan I am actually pleased in a way to see Jamie leave, his huge wage gives the blues the ability to keep hold of other players and bring through other youngsters, hopefully more wins will follow now!

  • Comment posted by Oncebitten, at 14:42 6 Jan 2013

    @3 & 4
    Sure you are right, standards,standards where are they going?
    Where is Phil Davies too?
    Great win without him.

  • Comment posted by StandUlstermen, at 14:22 6 Jan 2013

    Great win for Cardiff and it is great for the Rabo but can i just query who writes and publishes theses match reports?
    "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?

  • Comment posted by KieranSarry, at 14:20 6 Jan 2013

    I'm fairly sure Munster have won more than one of their last 11 home games?!

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