Lions man up then fade against Munster

The Lions' challenge came to a tame end when they were comfortably downed 33-3 by Munster in driving rain in their United Rugby Championship (URC) clash in Cork on Friday.

The visitors started with intent in atrocious conditions but they markedly faded as the Irish side approached the final whistle with fist thumping authority.

On a surface covered in sleet the teams clad in red and white were at times difficult to distinguish. What clearly separated them however was the visitors' high error rate.

Often undone at the breakdown the Lions committed far too many basic errors to be contenders in this match.

Sure the conditions were trying but their failure to hang onto the ball long enough to create pressure cost them in the final analysis.

While they generally defended with grit there were also soft moments where they handed the home team a free pass.

At least two of Munster's tries could have been avoided had the Lions showed more application in defence.

The Lions grabbed the early lead through a Jordan Hendrikse penalty but they soon lost that advantage when Scott Buckley crossed for the hosts.

His effort went unconverted and the Lions, despite the conditions seemed to gain some traction around the quarter mark.

Their efforts however came to naught as solid defence and handling errors thwarted their advances.

In fact, it was the home team that scored next once they were able to get out of their territory.

Persistent attack was initially met by unyielding defence but Munster kept pressing resulting in a try for Jack O'Donoghue.

The nine-point advantage at the break was always going to prove handy for the hosts who had the benefit of the stiff breeze at the start of the second half.

Soon enough after the restart the Lions found it difficult to exit their 22.

Munster made them pay, though the Lions will want to have a proper inquest into why Munster scrumhalf Paddy Patterson saw no defenders as he collected the ball from a ruck in the 48th minute.

Patterson looked beyond the ruck and simply darted into the unoccupied space before two defenders from either side converged on him in vain.

To compound matters for the tourists they lost centre Henco van Wyk to a leg injury in the 55th minute.

The breeze eventually abated and it was around that time the Lions found an extra gear in the scrums.

They earned six scrum penalties to the solitary one of Munster but could not use that as a platform to get themselves in to the game.

In fact, by the end they looked a well beaten side, especially after Munster wing Liam Coombes collected a speculative kick from Gianni Lombard.

The strapping right-wing quickly built a head of steam as he embarked on a diagonal run in which he beat four defenders en route to the try line.

Just before the end the Lions conceded a second maul try which put the cherry on their third successive defeat in the competition.

Scorers

Munster (33) — Tries: Scott Buckley (2), Jack O'Donoghue, Paddy Patterson, Liam Coombes. Conversions: Ben Healy (4).

Lions (3) — Penalty: Jordan Hendrikse