By MickeyMouse
August 31 2015

So, here we are again. The nights are starting to draw in, the sun no longer as common in the sky and Cricket makes way for Rugby. And so our annual sojourn to Ireland to compete against Munster for the Jack Wakefield Trophy has arrived. A tradition spanning back to 2005 in memory of a young London Irish fan who sadly lost his life. London Irish are the current holders of the trophy with their 17-5 victory last year in Waterford.

This is an odd fixture for London Irish, the Aviva Premiership deciding to delay the start of the premiership to make way for the Rugby World Cup and maximise attendances, makes a lot of sense. However the Pro 12 have decided to continue their regular schedule so Munster come into their final pre-season friendly already warmed up whilst London Irish won't play again for another month.

Having said that, both teams have players away for the World Cup, Irish missing Ben Franks, Aseli Tikoirotuma and Sean Maitland until after their teams World Cup journeys have ended. Munster have fielded a third string side according to the supporters around me, Irish on the other hand have a lot of familiar names and new guys on the park, with the notable exception at 10 where we seem to have lost all our fly halves who aren't even on the bench so Academy lad Theo Brophy-Clews is named at 10. I don't think I've seen Theo play before, so this will be an interesting test of how ready he is.

I opted to go for the Terracing this year in attempting to mingle. It was a sea of red jerseys. You'd think a green top would be easy to spot amongst a sea of red, but it looks like we haven't travelled in numbers to this fixture. As we find a spot roughly on the 10m line, Matt Symonds leads out the Irish lads. My word, he is BIG! Irish look pumped and genuinely up for it in the circle.

Munster kick off - we're back!! Rugby is on!! Irish receive the ball and a giant booming kick from someone clears our lines. Unfortunately during the phases the ball was passed back into the 22 and so a line-out for Munster 15 meters out from the try line is awarded. There's great defensive work at the maul, it tries to move left and right but it can't move forward, a scrum is eventually awarded for a knock on against Irish and we have our first Scrum of the season.

We also have our first penalty of the season as Irish are penalised for pulling the scrum down. Munster go for the corner. From lineout, good movement and hands, Irish have possession now and clear their lines and kick long up field to their 10. Irish kick chase is good and we get a penalty for not releasing. At the lineout Irish get another penalty and make further gains up the field. Irish collect the ball at the lineout and spread wide, unfortunately a blatant telegraphed pass is seen by the defence and the ensuing hospital pass results in a knock on and the short lived attack is over.

Play continues and the ball eventually finds its way in touch for Irish. Munster steal the ball in the air at the lineout, but Irish still looking good at stopping the maul, but ultimately a penalty is awarded to Munster who kick to our 22. Irish much better in this lineout and a penalty is awarded to us allowing us to clear our lines. At this point, after a few beers now, my match notes say this:

Scott Steele looking a lot bigger

From the next lineout, Irish are awarded a penalty and we elect to take the scrum. We're not looking particularly solid in this area, but we recycle the ball and spread wide both left and right trying in vane to find a hole to exploit. Eventually the ball makes its way to Lewington who have a wonderful run on the wing, but ultimately he runs out of space and the support wasn't with him to pass to and Munster null the attack as he's pushed into touch with the ball.

The Irish Independent Park erupts with noise as Donncha O'Collaghan comes on as a blood replacement. Not bad for a bench player!

Munster get the lineout, but only kick as far as the 22, Irish are showing some great running lines with Narraway and Sisi in the action. It's looking like our back-rowers are training with the backs at the moment much is improved in their decoy play and running lines. It comes to nothing though as Irish are penalised for holding on. Munster elect to run rather than kick and Andrew Conway at full back runs with guile all the way up to half way when two Irish players decide enough is enough and he is flattened in a double tackle and knocks on in the tackle. Irish quickly spread the ball and make way upfield. Narraway comes up with a sublime offload. Eventually the play is fizzled out and Munster clear their lines.

Munster are awarded a penalty practically on half way in front of the posts, they go for the corner but it doesn't make it and Ojo takes to ball and kicks up field and starts the sort of aerial ping pong we haven't seen since those damned ELV's from a few years back. This became a theme of the match as time went on with neither team having an effective enough kick chase to make this tactic work.

Yet another penalty awarded to Munster which is again kicked to the corner rather than the easy points, we're 20 minutes in here and it's still 0-0. Irish clear lines from the lineout, and turnover the ball on the halfway line and carry on running. Another good run by Lewington is snaffled out as he runs out of space with the ball in hand. Irish are going to need to look at where the support is when someone makes a break as this isn't the first time this match Lewi has run out of space and support.

Play resumes and we have a try! Irish have a huge hole in a ruck defence, which is exploited by Munster. An awesome offload to Conway who kicks ahead and touches the ball down for a well deserved try. The conversion was successful.

On 25 minutes Topsy decides that Lewington is making too much ground and collects one of the number ping pong balls that have been going on and decides to run right through people, he passes to I have no idea who and we make it up to 5m out from the try line unfortunately the try scoring pass was a bit wayward and the ball goes straight out of play. From the line out Munster collect the ball and clear their lines. At this point, my notes say:

Top catch from Mun after knock pass, but knock on Irish. No idea why. Scrum pen Mun, again, no idea why

In between all these penalties, some entertaining Rugby threatens to break out as both sides are playing well. Irish manage to charge down a clearance kick before the next spell of ping pong can start. From the lineout 15m out from the line the wind catches the clearance kick and it doesn't quite make touch. Our unnumbered player (I think it was Gilsenan) has a good run and passes to Lewington who yet again runs out of space and support and is out with the ball. It's at this point, my notes say:

35 minutes, Irish knock on at half way, gone to the loo, hope nothing happens!

Nothing did, thank the lord!

And that was the half. Lots of penalties. Lots of rustiness. Lots of potential and promise. Hopefully a good team talk at the half and we can come out of the blocks on fire. This was not to be as it was a pre-season friendly, which means lots of changes at half time, *lots* of changes. The on-field announcement said, and I quote "a number of changes" and struggles completely to reel them off there are so many. Irish have taken off no number and replaced him with a number of other no numbers, so naming people in the second half came a bit of a challenge, especially with all the new faces.

No number makes a great run followed up with an even greater offload to Ojo who makes another excellent run which results in a penalty to Irish. We elect to kick rather than kick for the corner so we get to see Theo Brophy-Clews with his kicking boots. He nails the penalty and the score is now 7-3 after 43 minutes of play.

Munster though are definitely in the ascendency, however our no number is looking particularly handy in both defence and attack, he'd be one to watch for the season, if only I had a clue who he was! What feels like the longest penalty advantage ever is given to Munster right in front of the posts, but they elect to go for the corner and have a good crack at the Irish defence, which stands firm yet again and keeps them out. Unfortunately, the ref is a bit fed up with the number of Irish penalties at this point and awards a yellow card to no number. I'm pretty sure this isn't the no number who was looking handy earlier, it looks like Paice. It's a bit unfair on him as he hasn't been on the pitch long. But ultimately if your team is giving away a lot of penalties then one of you will end up in the bin to have a think about it.

What we didn't do, was think about the match. Andrew Conway has the ball 5m out with few Irish players around. A simple tap and he go and he has the easiest try he'll ever score in his career. It was simply too easy. These things are fine for a pre-season, but that would should never happen in a "proper" match. Converted right in front of the posts, obviously!

It's at this point I notice an extremely young looking London Irish lad stood in front of me bearing number 23. The program reckons that's Christian Lewis-Pratt. Unfortunately, the entire terrace around me noticed how young he is as well and as a clearance kick heads his way an ascending chorus of "oooooooooooooooooooooo" comes out, unfortunately it worked and he fluffs the catch and knocks on.

51 minutes have passed now, it's 14-3 and the announcer tells us "Munster have a number of changes" and he wasn't wrong and I couldn't jot them down they came so thick and fast! Still on the pitch is Francis Saili who is having a great game at outside centre, looking very strong with the ball. His only mistake was a kick out on the full. From the lineout Irish kick ahead caught by Conway, also having a good game at full back. He spreads the ball wide to Saili and with Paicey contemplating on his summer holibobs in the bin they find more space than there really should have been and he exploits the numerical advantage to run in under the posts. Should have kicked the ball out rather than right down Conways' throat, but you live and learn eh! 21-3

A couple of minutes later and no number is back to bring us back to 15. Another no number makes a great steal from a ruck - I'm pretty sure this is the no number I said was having a great match, but I can't tell. Anyway, the ball is spread wide and a bit of ping pong starts, we collect the ball on the half and we go for a drop goal - which just misses...

Just...

No number's awesome game ensues and he has an awesome offload in the tackle, unfortunately there was no one there, but it was a thing of beauty as the tackle was so fierce I was expecting a knock on! Well played no number! Munster make a third tranche of changes and surely the entire team has been swapped with a 4th string team by now! It's at this point my notes say:

60m. Our 4th choice fly half comes off, replaced by a fairy?

63m, lineout in front of me, went for beer

Nearly missed a try, but it was a forward pass - phew!

As I come back with the beers, Munsters Saili has been on the ground with medical attention for some time now. This sparks memories of 2012, my only other time to Cork and witnessing Jo Ansbro's career ending injury in that match. I am hoping this is not a repeat. Unfortunately no on the terrace around me saw what happened, but a block on the plane was sat in the stands right in front and told me he had been taken out in the tackle by his own player kneeing him in the head during the tackle. He was down for tell over 10 minutes as the medics attended to him. I hope he is well and will be back in Munster colours shortly as he was looking like their Man of the Match.

The match lost its spark once play resumed. Young Lewis-Pratt makes a good run from half way line and manages to conjure up a try in the corner from absolutely nothing! That'll teach the Munster supporters to heckle the lad! The conversion is right on the line, Brendon McKibbin lines up and misses 21-8 is a fair reflection on the match.

Lewington had other ideas however, fed up with the number of great runs that went to nothing he scores a try at the death through another excellent run. McKibbin nails the conversion and that is the match. 21-15 is probably a bit kind on Irish, we were good in defence when we were awake, but our penalty count is already a worrying sign.

Having witness the most beautiful sunset, 5,208 Rugby fans make their way out of the ground and into the night, and my word it was messy! Will see you next year Cork!