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The Qantas Wallabies have fallen to top Irish province Munster 6-15 in treacherous conditions in this morning’s Tour match at Thomond Park in Limerick, Ireland.
All 15 of the home side’s points were scored by its Australian-born flyhalf Paul Wallace as the Irishmen handed the Wallabies a second consecutive defeat on the Spring Tour, after Australia had opened the trip with three straight wins.
Australia played with a strong wind, and the rain, at its back in the first half but was frustrated by a combination of stern Munster resistance and small errors in possession which stymied momentum.
Although the tourists opened the scoring with a penalty goal by skipper Berrick Barnes in the second minute, it was held to 6-6 at halftime, with a penalty and a dropped goal by Warwick cancelling out the two penalty goals kicked by Barnes.
The Wallabies, who were caned in the penalty count by Kiwi referee Bryce Lawrence, were further hindered when inside centre Anthony Faingaa was sin binned for not rolling away from the tackle area in the 32nd minute.
It took Munster just a minute to take the lead once play resumed in the second half, with Warwick landing his second penalty goal of the evening, before he added a third and his second dropped goal of the night to push Munster out by nine points.
Although Wallabies coach Robbie Deans made personnel changes in the second half, introducing hooker Tatafu Polota Nau, lock Van Humphries, flanker Pat McCutcheon, halfback Nick Phipps and winger Peter Hynes into the game, Australia battled to gain field position in the elements, being unable to make an impression on either the Munster defence or the scoreboard as the clock ticked down.
The final 19 minutes of the game were scoreless, with Munster camped inside Australian territory for most of that period.
The visitors received their final insult five minutes from time when a second of their number, prop Ben Daley, earned the wrath of the referee by being sin binned.
This morning’s defeat was the fourth for the Wallabies from seven matches against the Irish province, after visiting Australian teams were beaten by Munster in 1967, 1981 and 1992.
Australia’s only previous wins against Munster were secured via a try in injury time during the inaugural meeting in 1947 and then by two points on the 1975-76 tour, while the 1958 clash between the two sides ended in a draw.
Munster’s 11-8 win over Australia in 1967 was the first success by an Irish province against a major touring country.
Munster has twice won the European Cup in recent seasons, and boasts a strong Australian influence through coaches Tony McGahan (ex Queensland) and Laurie Fisher (ex Brumbies) along with Warwick who is a former Australian Schools, Under-21 and Sevens representative.
With the midweek programme now finished, having yielded last week’s win over the Leicester Tigers and this morning’s defeat, seven players from the touring party will now return to Australia tomorrow while the rest of the squad moves on to Florence to prepare for Saturday’s Test against Italy.
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