Connacht too good for Munster

Connacht face Cardiff on Friday night as they bid to continue their lead at the top of the Guinness Pro 12 Table.

Munster, odds-on favourites at 2/9 before kick-off, were soundly beaten by their impressive opponents, who displayed a huge intensity throughout, bossing the collisions and breakdown area. Centre Ronaldson duly converted to help Pat Lam’s side into a 10-0 lead.

Niall Scannell got the hosts on the board when he capitalised on excellent work in the maul to crash over, although Ian Keatley was unable to convert.

And Connacht moved two scores to the good on 57 minutes, 5-13, when Ronaldson kicked his second penalty goal of the game.

A penalty try awarded to Munster with 15 minutes left on the clock, Keatley’s conversion – and the sin-binning of Connacht’s John Muldoon – set up a grandstand finish.

Keatley easily slotted the conversion and there was just a single point between the teams at 13-12 with just under a quarter of an hour to play.

Connacht showed admirable resilience to hit back, but Donaldson was wide with a 72nd minute penalty attempt.

Ospreys saw Dan Biggar leave the field through injury and Blues also lost Sam Warburton – although neither problem looked serious – but it was the home side who took the points courtesy of a try from Alun Wyn Jones and eight points from replacement fly-half Sam Davies.

And they were rewarded for their ambition when they got the drive on after a take by Jack O’Donoghue and hooker Niall Scannell got over for his first Munster try.

Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino makes his first appearance for the province, starting on the wing opposite Gerhard Van Der Heever.