A brave Munster effort fell just short against the All Blacks XV at a raucous sold-out Thomond Park on Saturday night.

Munster went into the half-time break just two points down after a try from Mike Haley in the first half was followed by a penalty try on the stroke of half-time.

The visitors stretched their lead in the second half but Munster came roaring back, leaving just two points between the sides with fifteen minutes to go thanks to tries from John Hodnett and Tom Farrell.

Unfortunately for Munster, two late tries from the visitors put an end to the comeback.

Munster started the game brightly in the opening 10 minutes with a number of line breaks but were unable to put scores on the board.

Approaching the 15 minute mark, Munster turned down three points and opted for the corner. Unfortunately, the visitors turned over the ball at an ensuing breakdown and the chance went a begging.

Eight minutes later, the All Blacks XV had a scrum under the Munster posts and it was from this ideal attacking platform that the visitors crossed for the first try of the game. AJ Lam received a crash ball to power through a gap in the Munster defence and cross next to the posts. The conversion ensured a 0-7 lead for the visiting side.

With 10 minutes remaining in the first half, the All Blacks stretched their lead further. A strong carry from Kini Naholo got them front foot ball and after a few phases, a massive overlap appeared where Chay Fihaki crossed in the corner. Harry Plummer added his second conversion put his side 0-14 in front.

Munster reduced the deficit five minutes from the half-time break. A number of close range carries led to a penalty advantage before the ball was spread wide to Mike Haley who crossed for Munster’s first try.

Rory Scannell was wide with the conversion but Munster reduced the deficit again just moments later.

A penalty was kicked to the corner and from the ensuing rolling maul, the visitors illegally brought it down which led to the referee awarding the men in red a penalty try and a yellow card to the visitors.

The All Blacks almost got off to the perfect start to the second half when Du’Plessis Kirifi crossed in the corner but the try was ruled out due a knock on at the breakdown in the build-up.

The visitors, however, won a penalty against the head during the ensuing scrum and from the lineout maul which followed, hooker Brodie McAlister powered over for his side’s third try which Plummer converted.

Munster got their own maul rolling just a few minutes later when a powerful effort was illegally stopped. Munster went to the maul again from the penalty and this time there was no stopping Munster’s momentum as John Hodnett crashed over. Scannell’s conversion was wide which put four points between the teams.

Unfortunately for Munster, the next try went the way of the visitors. Some powerful carries from the All Blacks ultimately led to a huge overlap and a perfectly executed cross-field kick found Quinn Tupaea who dotted down.

The see-saw nature of the match continued as Munster went on the front foot from the kick off. Rory Scannell burst through a gap in the All Blacks’ defence before offloading to the supporting Tom Farrell. The centre, who has had an excellent start to the season for Munster, stretched out his arm to ground the ball. Tony Butler’s conversion ensured there were just two points between the teams, 24-26.

Unfortunately for Munster, the All Blacks scored two breakaway tries through Naholo and Plummer to finish out the game while the home side were in good attacking positions.

Munster: Mike Haley; Shay McCarthy (O’Connor 71′), Tom Farrell (O’Connell 62′), Rory Scannell, Diarmuid Kilgallen; Billy Burns (Butler 52′), Ethan Coughlan (Patterson 56′); John Ryan (Ryan 52), Diarmuid Barron (C) (Scannell 55′), Stephen Archer (Foxe 71′); Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern; Peter O’Mahony (Quinn 40′), John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Kieran Ryan, Ronan Foxe, Evan O’Connell, Ruadhán Quinn, Paddy Patterson, Tony Butler, Ben O’Connor.