Rassie Erasmus enjoyed a dream start to life with Munster as the Irish side claimed a 23-13 win away to the Scarlets to kick off their Guinness PRO12 campaign in style.

The South African arrived in Limerick this summer and got his first taste of competitive action in West Wales but early on his team found themselves under huge pressure.

However the Scarlets struggled to convert their chances, whereas first-half tries from James Cronin and Ronan O’Mahony put Munster comfortably clear.

Gareth Davies’ fine score brought the Scarlets back into it, but 13 points from the boot of Tyler Bleyendaal ended up being crucial.

The early running was all Scarlets as they regularly found space down the left, and it almost led to a first try after just four minutes.

Steff Evans collected the ball, charged forward and then kicked through, but Simon Zebo got back just in time to dot down for the 22.

The left-hand side was proving particularly threatening for the Scarlets, but while they dominated possession, they were struggling to turn it into points, with new signing Rhys Patchell missing the first kick of the afternoon.

Munster, meanwhile, were much more clinical, and grabbed the game’s first try midway through the half, shortly after Zebo had been forced off through injury.

It came on their first incursion into the Scarlets 22, and prop Cronin was the man to emerge from a pile of bodies after a maul rolled inexorably towards the line. Bleyendaal converted from in front to make it 7-0.

The Scarlets responded with Patchell’s first points for his new region but on the half-hour Munster were in again.

It was a disappointing score for the home side, who left a huge gap at a ruck and O’Mahony spotted it and raced 25 metres to score. Bleyendaal’s conversion made it 17-3.

The home side needed a response, and got one when Davies scored a fine individual try thanks to some quick thinking.

With Munster penalised at a breakdown, everyone switched off, and Davies took full advantage, tapping and going before sprinting down the right.

He then kicked ahead and was first onto the ball, with the TMO confirming the score. Patchell’s conversion made it 17-10 at the break.

The Scarlets ten added another three points early in the second half, and the comeback looked to be on with Jonathan Davies coming off the bench for his first game back in Scarlets colours.

Just before the hour Munster stretched the lead back to seven points through the boot of Bleyendaal, and when Lewis Rawlins was penalised at a ruck he added three more to make it a ten-point lead heading into the final quarter-hour.

Scarlets had the chance to at least come away with a losing bonus point, but Patchell’s late penalty effort fell short in the rain.

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