Rugby, how many mistakes, Benetton: Munster punishes him 51-22

Treviso fights but yields against Munster for 51-22, making up for a deficit that is perhaps too heavy for what has been seen on the pitch. Too many, however, the mistakes of the lions to return from Musgrave Park with important points for the classification, against a cynical and ruthless Red Army, able to maximize every opportunity.

The match

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Benetton presents three of the protagonists of the historic victory at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff: in addition to a Toa Halafihi forced to overtime, also Braley and Cannone among the athletes available to Marco Bortolami. Menoncello and Negri also return in the 15th century, both returning from injuries remedied during the Six Nations. Excellent approach of the lions, with a great offensive fluidity and an advancing defense. The scrum is also excellent, so much so that after three minutes Albornoz has the opportunity to move the score to his foot from a favorable position: however, the post denies the three points to Benetton. Healy does not make the same mistake, who in the eighth sets the score 3-0 for Munster using an offside from Treviso. The guests return to stay inside the 22 opponents, but too much frenzy is counterproductive, not allowing the green-and-whites to take advantage of the trips to the red zone of the Irish. At 20 ‘Albornoz kicks out of his 22 a ball brought in, giving an excellent base to the Red Army that does not miss the opportunity. From touche, a pattern between Casey and O’Donoghue frees Gallagher into space for 8-0, transformed by Healy. Despite the complicated start, Smith (called to place due to Albornoz leaving the field for concussion) puts his team back in the game with a 10-3 placed. However, for the second time, Munster proves cynical, turning another trip in the 22 into seven points. Tavuyara fails to control a kick from Casey’s box, the Irish thanks: Zebo starts off, serving Casey himself in offload for 17-3. But Treviso is there, and in the final half of the game reopens the game thanks to a great athletic gesture by Rhyno Smith. From a scrum in the 22 dominated the ball reaches Tavuyara, who, thanks to his advantage, uses his foot for the man offshore, finding the South American winger that crushes the oval in a dive; it is the same trocar who transforms the 17-10.

The surrender

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Despite having closed the first fraction in a crescendo, it is the hosts who hit cold in the second half: it is an estate of Seb Negri who offers Healy the 20-10 placement. At 46 ‘Munster rounds off further with a multiphase that finds Zebo free off for 27-10 which seems to sanction the end of the contest. But Treviso is not there, or at least not yet: a foul by the hosts and two scrums won by Benetton bring the lions back into the 22 of the Red Army. From the umpteenth scrum won, Halafihi serves Duvenage who finds Da Re, able to fix and get rid of his opponent by pretending a pass outside, creating space for the 27-15 goal, with Smith who misses the first kick of his United Rugby Championship. But the game ends here, with the hosts significantly cranking up the engine revs in the last twenty minutes of play, inflicting a perhaps too severe punishment on Benetton. Another kick by Healy and a try by Coombes give the bonus point to Munster, who spreads in the final thanks to the yellow imposed on Coetzee: O ‘Sullivan from maul and De Allende from a confused situation inside the 22 of Treviso score fifth and sixth goal for the Irish, before the pride of the green-and-whites softens the defeat. Braley finds a hole in Munster’s guard on the last meeting point of the match, flying off for 51-20, rounded off by Coetzee’s transformation.

Ranking and next round

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Munster returns to move the standings after the two defeats remedied on South African soil, temporarily taking third place with 47 points. For Benetton it is instead the fourth consecutive defeat, which removes the remaining hopes of the playoffs. It will be necessary to return to the victory against Connacht in Monigo on Saturday 2 April, also and above all to arrive in the best possible conditions for the decisive challenge of the Challenge Cup against Perpignan on the 9th, with the qualification for the round of 16 at stake.