Players that have stopped competing have always gotten bored after six months I know I need to keep busy I hope my name will open up a few doors. Leeds had managed only one visit to Bristol’s 22 in that period, when Van Straaten opened his account with a simple penalty. The Bristol No 8 was the first to cool his heels and had Rowden not missed his second indiscretion, Salter would have been shown a red card.With their impressive physicality and no-nonsense approach work, Bristol had by far the better of the first quarter, though had nothing to show for it. Even then there was enough time on the clock for Rowden to miss some shirt pulling by Matt Salter on Dan Scarbrough.
His third and fourth penalties came either side of a drop goal by Gordon Ross to restore Leeds to second place in the table on points difference. Felipe Contepomi converted to add to his two earlier penalties and suddenly the Shoguns were firing on all cylinders.Almost inevitably, it was Braam van Straaten who steadied the ship. With Leeds ahead 16-6 at that juncture, and only the final quarter to play, Bristol drove Leeds backwards, Brendon Daniel took it on, for Phil Christophers to feed Alex Brown for the try. While the Leeds players were registering their indignation at Rowden’s oversight, the action moved up the left flank, where Cameron Mather came round the ruck, to be shown the third yellow card of a game which, though never brutal, was rarely less than tungsten hard and contained more blocking and illegal contact work than you would see in a stockcar race.
It was a desperately close call, but Mather’s absence gifted Bristol a lifeline that they were fortunate to receive, never mind deserve. Leeds had to call on all their reserves of collective resolve to record Premiership win number four, after referee Ashley Rowden did his best to ensure a tight finish when missing a blatant knock-on by Bristol scrum-half, Agustin Pichot. Munster: Tries Lawlor, J Williams, Sheahan, O’Gara; Penalties O’Gara 3; Conversions O’Gara 3.Neath: G Morris; S Marsden, J Storey, D Tieuti (A Bateman, 78), S Williams; L Jarvis (S Connor, 57), P Horgan (A Moore, 58); D Jones, B Williams (S Jones, 58), A Jones (A Millward, 64), A Newman, G Llewellyn (capt), H Jenkins (A Mocelutu, 64), N Bonner-Evans, S Tandy.Munster: J Staunton; J Kelly, M Mullins, R Henderson (J Holland, 72), M Lawlor; R O’Gara, P Stringer; M Horan (S Kerr, 54), F Sheahan, J Hayes, D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll (M Galwey, 80), J Williams (capt), A Foley, A Quinlan (D Crotty, 80).Referee: C White (England).. He didn’t break any and The Gnoll fans were silent for the first time this season.Late tries to Frankie Sheahan and O’Gara gave Munster, the tournament favourites, a bonus point, and they have to only beat Caerphilly – winless in nearly two seasons of Celtic League rugby – to confirm a home quarter-final.Neath: Try S Jones; Penalties Jarvis 4; Conversion Connor.
An unmarked Marsden was screaming for the ball outside him, but Storey decided that breaking three Munster tackles was the easier option. Henderson linked with Mike Mullins and Williams provided the power to get over the line.Neath had the chance to claw their way back shortly after half-time when quick ball put centre James Storey in space. Winger Sean Marsden, just back on the field after having a head injury bandaged, cleared from behind his line – straight to the Munster backline. O’Gara’s conversion and two penalty goals gave his side an early 13-3 lead before the home fly-half Lee Jarvis pegged things back with his second three-pointer on the half-hour mark.Jarvis’s third penalty goal had Neath right back in the match, before the home side’s second moment of madness. The Ireland scrum-half Peter Stringer pounced on it and set his outside backs alight.They revelled in the broken-play, running 80 metres from their opponents’ try-line, and winger Moss Lawlor chimed in on the angle to score untouched under the posts.
His big hit forced Neath back-rower Nathan Bonner-Evans to spill the ball. A solid pack, the power of former Wallaby backrower Jim Williams, the boot of fly-half Ronan O’Gara and the defensive brain of the Lions centre Rob Henderson combine with ruthless effect.It was a Henderson tackle that started Neath’s night of misery at The Gnoll. They were strong and fit and you’ve got to give it to them on the day.”Munster continue their march through Celtic opposition. “Munster were very well prepared and very aware of what to do. The Welsh All Blacks – vying with Pontypridd for the title of Wales’ top early-season team – shot themselves in the foot, not once but twice, as they crashed at home to Munster.
The 16-point loss means Neath must travel to in-form Edinburgh and bring home five points to secure a home quarter-final.Make no mistake, Jones’ men are a quality side and dangerous opponents for anyone, but a repeat of the error-ridden display they put up on Saturday night will be gleefully accepted by the likes of this weekend’s opponents Leicester.Jones took the defeat well “It’s not all doom and gloom,” he said.