Munster fail

Emotional Munster fail to repeat famous rugby victory

Munster were just minutes away from repeating their 1978 victory over New Zealand before wing Joe Rokocoko's try sealed a dramatic 18-16 win for the All Blacks at Thomond Park here on Tuesday.

The only Irish side ever to have defeated New Zealand, European champions Munster were bereft of an entire pack of internationals because of Ireland's game against Argentina this coming Saturday.

Yet they led New Zealand, themselves not at full strength ahead of this weekend's Test against Wales in Cardiff, 16-10 at half-time.

And this against an All Black starting side featuring eight of the players who kicked-off in the 32-6 win over Scotland at Murrayfield earlier this month.

Even the most ardent of Munster fans might not have given much for their team's chances after New Zealand steamrollered Ireland 22-3 on Saturday at Dublin's Croke Park, yet history so nearly repeated itself.

"It was an awesome experience, and it just was just awesome to be part of it, and it was right down to 80 minutes," New Zealand No 8 Liam Messam told RTE, Ireland's national public broadcaster.

"It was good for our boys to dig in there and get that try.

"They've got an awesome stadium, awesome fan base and they got really behind their team and they came hard at us."

The match, designed to celebrate both the official opening of the redeveloped Thomond Park and arguably the greatest result in Irish rugby history, capped a day soaked with nostalgia and raw emotion.

A lunch for the 1978 team, which beat New Zealand 12-0, was to be expected. But, in a sign of how much less parochial rugby has become during the past three decades, the Kiwis in the Munster team, including former All Black wing Doug Howlett, playing at full-back, answered New Zealand's haka, the traditional Maori tribal challenge, with one of their own.

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