Cavalry comes to rescue for Bath

REMARKABLY this was the first meeting of these clubs since October 2020 when they contested a double-header in the European Cup competition.

- ROGER PANTING

This fixture was a far cry from those full-blooded encounters but there was the added spice of Munster facing their former head coach, Johann van Graan, who spent five seasons there before joining Bath in September 2022.

Before the interval Bath’s second string were easily second best as Munster dominated with impressive forwards, John Hodnett and replacement, Jack Daly, to the fore to allow Billy Burns to make a promising debut with powerful wing, Shay McCarthy, always causing problems. There was also a welcome return for full-back, Patrick Campbell, on his comeback from a longterm shoulder injury.

For the second half Bath sent on the cavalry to secure a morale-boosting win but the Irish province made them fight all the way with a typically gutsy performance.