Myler kicks all 18 points as Ospreys inflict first Munster defeat

Munster were beaten for the first time this season as the Ospreys recorded an 18-10 victory in Swansea. Stephen Myler kicked all 18 points for the Welsh side, while scrum-half Craig Casey scored Munster’s only try, with Jack Crowley contributing five points from the kicking tee.

Myler and Crowley exchanged very early penalties in what was a cagey opening ten minutes to the game. The visitors had a driving lineout try disallowed with tighthead prop John Ryan caught offside.

Munster held the upper hand for much of the first half but the Ospreys defence forced the Irish province into a number of errors with young openside flanker Jac Morgan their standout player. Morgan’s charge towards the Munster try-line forced the visitors to cynically kill the ball at the breakdown which resulted in Myler kicking the hosts into the lead.

The Ospreys scrum began to gain the upper hand with discarded Wales prop Nicky Smith impressing as he successfully shoved the Munster pack backwards at the set-piece. One such effort resulted in an Ospreys penalty which allowed Myler to kick the hosts into a 9-3 lead at half-time from 45 metres out.

Munster made a sloppy start to the second half conceding a penalty for a high tackle and spilling the ball twice within the first five minutes. And they conceded another penalty at the scrum which allowed Myler to make it a two-score game with another successful kick from 45 metres out.

The Ospreys had the bit between their teeth and were pushing for their first try but Ireland loose forward Tadhg Beirne denied them with an excellent turnover. And Munster hit back with a powerful driving lineout, which included 13 of their players, with scrum-half Casey claiming the try. Crowley added the extras to make it a two-point game.

Munster introduced the likes of Damian de Allende and Conor Murray to proceedings, but the Ospreys pack refused to lie down with Myler kicking a further two penalties to seal the victory for the hosts.