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VIDEO: Zebo scores wonder-try as Munster thump Ospreys
By Tom Webber
Simon Zebo scored a sensational try as Munster's much-changed side proved too much for Ospreys to handle in a 23-3 Pro12 semi-final win at Thomond Park.
Rassie Erasmus made 12 alterations to the side that secured top-spot with an emphatic 50-14 victory over Connacht in the previous round and the returning Zebo touched down a contender for try of the season.
The Ireland international, deployed at full-back, finished off a stunning move that began near the Munster 22.
Scrum-half Conor Murray, back in the XV for the first time since damaging his shoulder during Ireland's defeat to Wales in March, played a pivotal role in the score, providing a boost for the British and Irish Lions ahead of the tour to New Zealand next month.
Francis Saili and Andrew Conway also cross for Munster, who will take on Scarlets in next weekend's final at the Aviva Stadium.
Ospreys' hopes were hit ahead of kick-off when Rhys Webb, another Lions pick, was forced to withdraw from the squad with a groin injury, but Dan Biggar got three points on the board in the seventh minute.
Saili picked the ball up from a ruck to dart in for the first try on the left and Tyler Bleyendaal's penalty sent them into the break 8-3 up.
Ospreys pushed for a route back into the game but Zebo crowned a sensational move featuring Murray, Saili and Keith Earls to put them out of sight.
Scott Otten saw his brilliant solo try after a chip and chase chalked off for a knock-on earlier in the move, and Conway added some gloss to the score with six minutes remaining.
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Latest Comments
I hope super bee and mopar didn’t read it all.
Go to commentsYou’ve got to look forward to next weekend more than anything too.
They really use this sorta system? Much smaller pool of bonus points available, that would mean they have far less impact. Interestingly you must be withen winning range/chance in France’s Top 14 league, rather that just draw territory, so 6 points instead of 7. Fairly arbitrary and pointless (something the NRL would do to try and look cool), but kinda cool.
I said it Nick’s and other articles, I’m not sure about the fixed nature of matchups in these opening rounds. For instance, I would be interested in seeing an improved ranking/prediction/reflection ladder to what we had last year, were some author here game so rejigged list of teams purely based of ‘who had played who’ so far in the competition. It was designed to analyze the ladder and better predict what the real order would be after the full round robin had completed. It needed some improvement, like factoring in historical data as well, as it was a bit skiwif, but it is the sort of thing that would give a better depiction of what sort of contests weve had so far, because just using my intuition, the matchups have been very ‘level appropriate’ so far, and were jet to get the other end of the spectrum, season ranked bottom sides v top sides etc.
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