History: Munster's triumph
Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:43
Ireland have never beaten the All Blacks but Munster have. A few days over 30 years ago they beat the All Blacks 12-0 at Thomond Park in Limerick where the 2008 All Blacks will also be playing Munster.
Munster, coached by Irish legend Tom Kiernan, were known to be a powerful side with eight internationals and the All Blacks paid them the compliment of picking a near-Test team for this match on a Tuesday, the Tuesday before the Test as the 2008 match is the Tuesday after the Test.
There are similarities and there are differences. The main difference is that neither Munster nor the All Blacks will pick their best sides this time. "Weakened" has become a cliched adjective to put before any team's name.
Brian McKechnie, who also played cricket for New Zealand, kicked off into the sun but it was Munster, believing that they could win, who went on the attack as the All Blacks bungled. Seamus Dennison set the standard with a great tackle as Munster got stuck in.
From an attacking line-out Ward chipped behind the All Black backs, Wing James Bowen collected and beat two tackles down the left before passing inside to Christy Cantillon who raced to the posts for the try. Ward converted. 6-0.
When McKechnie knocked on in front of his posts, Ward dropped a goal and Munster led 9-0.
In the second half the All Blacks tried to play a closer game but again made errors. Stu Wilson failed to clear and conceded a five-yard scrum from which Ward dropped his second goal. 12-0.
Afterwards Graham Mourie, the All Black captain, said: "They played the type of game we tried to play but played it better."
After the match the Munster captain Donal Canniffe received the news that his father had collapsed and died in Cork while listening to the radio commentary of the match.
There were 12 000 people at the match. Most of them ran cheering onto the field at the end to carry their heroes off.
On Saturday New Zealand played Ireland. Nine of the side beaten by Munster played. Three Munstermen played again. This time, despite a great Irish effort, the All Blacks won 10-6. The Munster match was the only defeat for the All Blacks on that tour, the first one in which New Zealand completed a Grand Slam.
Scorers:
For Munster:
Try: Cantillon
Con: Ward
Drops: Ward 2
Teams:
Munster: LA Maloney (Garryowen), MC Finn (UC Galway), S Dennison (Go), G Barrett (CC), J Bowen (CC), AJP Ward (St Mary's), DM Canniffe (Lansdowne), (captain), DE Spring (UCD), C Cantillon (CC), CC Tucker (Shannon, MI Keane (Lansdowne), BO Foley (Shannon), L White (London Irish), PC Whelan (Go), GAJ McLoughlin (Shannon)
New Zealand: BJ McKechnie, SS Wilson, BJ Robertson (WM Osborne), JL Jaffray, BG Williams, EJ Dunn, MW Donaldson, AA McGregor, GNK Mourie (captain), WG Graham, FJ Olibver, AM Haden, GA Knight, JE Black, BR Johnstone.
Referee: Corris Thomas (Wales)
