Wasps V Munster on the Radio
WouterDespite the lack of first-team players, Munster were able to win their Champions Cup opener away from home against Wasps in Coventry. The victory will be seen as a minor miracle by many in Ireland. It should prove to be an unbeaten record for the province in the campaign. The win will give the Munster players confidence in their ability to go all the way in the tournament.
The match saw five young Munster players make their Champions Cup debuts, and seven replacements also made their debuts. These were a mixture of academy players and debutants.
Munster took the lead through a try by Keith Earls. The conversion by Earls made the score 21 points after 67 minutes. Then, just after the hour mark, Munster scored a second try through Scott Buckley. This was his second try of the tournament. It came on a clever kick between the posts.
The game was a roller-coaster of a match, which was thrown into chaos by a number of unusual combinations. Wasps’ bench was similarly callow, and the Wasps academy players were restricted by injury. However, there were eight positive tests recorded by the academy players on the eve of the match.
Wasps are a vulnerable side, and have lost six of their last seven games. They will be hoping that they can avoid a slugfest in France. They have lost two of their last three European Cup games and will need to play expansive rugby against Munster.
