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Pro12: Munster 6-17 Blues
Pro12: Munster 6-17 Cardiff Blues
Munster (3) 6
- Pens: O'Gara 2
Cardiff Blues (3) 17
- Tries: O Williams, Copeland
- Cons: Patchell 2
- Pen: Patchell
Cardiff Blues registered their first win on Munster soil since October 2007 as they triumphed in Cork on Saturday.
Winger Owens Williams and number eight Robin Copeland scored their first tries for the Blues in what was a deserved win over a disappointing Munster.
After Rhys Patchell and Ronan O'Gara had exchanged penalties, Williams found inviting space for a 43rd-minute try.
O'Gara cut the deficit to 10-6 with his second penalty but Copeland sealed the issue in the 70th minute.
The back-row latched on to a loose ball and made the line with man-of-the-match Patchell kicking a fine conversion from out on the left.
The defeat means Munster have fallen to sixth in the Pro12 standings, while Blues rise to seventh.
The opening try came after two short passes from Patchell and Roberts released winger Williams in midfield.
He broke the first tackle and evaded both Duncan Williams and Denis Hurley as he eased to the line.
Patchell converted but Bradley Davies was caught offside from the restart and O'Gara quickly closed the gap for Munster to 10-6.
The second try effectively wrapped up the away win.
Munster lost control of a ruck ball near halfway and excellent number eight Copeland, who hails from Wexford, raced away from O'Gara and company to score in the left corner.
Patchell added the conversion to widen the margin to 11 points.
He missed a late drop-goal shot but Cardiff had an untroubled finish, keeping their defence intact.
Munster: Jones, Howlett, Earls, Downey, Hurley, O'Gara, Murray, Kilcoyne, Sherry, Archer, D Foley, D Ryan, O'Donnell, Dougall, Coughlan.
Replacements: Laulala for Earls (58), Keatley for Hurley (60), Williams for Murray (15), Henry for Sherry (24), Botha for Archer (62), B Holland for D Foley (58), Stander for O'Donnell (62).
Not used: du Preez.
Blues: Tovey, O Williams, Smith, Roberts, Robinson, Patchell, Jones, Hobbs, R Williams, Bourrust, B Davies, Reed, Navidi, Warburton, Copeland.
Replacements: Halfpenny for Tovey (53), Walker for Jones (62), Tamba for Hobbs (69), Dacey for R Williams (69), Andrews for Bourrust (41).
Not used: Down, Hamilton, Sweeney.
Att: 7,500
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
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Comment number 23.
wooodsey8th January 2013 - 13:10
22.TheLastKingofEngland
As a Rugby Development Officer in Munster for 3 years I can assure Munster take every game seriously. They have a new coach with a different slant to how they should play and they haven't yet bought into it. Being in the top 4 of the Rabo Direct is a important to them. Think you should concentrate on English success or the lack of it in the Heineken Cup
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Comment number 22.
SteveWalshsDubiousDecision7th January 2013 - 15:18
@19 the point is not that Munster want to lose to Cardiff, of course they don't no team wants to lose, the point is more that the Heineken Cup is more important to them so they rest players for Rabo games and play with their focus on the following week. If Munster didn't look as good perhaps they were playing with less intensity because they have a more important game coming up?
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Comment number 21.
CHAP17th January 2013 - 13:28
last king
plenty of other threads on the rugger page to comment on
but oh no here you are again. thought there was too much
welsh bias on here. f cough to sky
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Comment number 20.
James7th January 2013 - 12:41
Ignore the lastQueenof England, he is well known for hating the Welsh.
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Comment number 19.
digbic787th January 2013 - 11:53
re18-thelastking
professional,competative rugby players playing to loose or not win!I've no doubt munster were more than happy to lose at home to the blues.
your comments are as badly thought out as the article has been written
did you even watch the match?
Munster had a good crack but were poor with loads of mistake.They very one dimentional and the blues defense was superd.
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Comments 5 of 23