Munster’s suffocating defence and efficiency in attack helped them to a battling bonus-point win as they made it two victories from two by beating the Isuzu Southern Kings in South Africa.

The only try of an attritional first half came from Mike Haley and although Stefan Ungerer’s score just after the interval briefly gave the Kings the lead, Munster tightened up and ran in three further tries through Alby Mathewson, Fineen Wycherley and Arno Botha.

That victory followed the opening-round 39-9 triumph over Dragons, while a second-half blitz from the opposition cost Kings for a second week running – having gone down 31-27 to Cardiff Blues in Round 1 – as their search for a first-ever win over Munster goes on.

Key moments

JJ Hanrahan and Demetri Catrakilis exchanged early penalties before the visitors delivered the first telling blow on 20 minutes as they spread the ball wide, Dan Goggin drew the last defender and fed Haley for the score.

A second Catrakilis penalty from in front of the sticks narrowed the deficit to 10-6 and despite an end-to-end open game, that’s how it stayed until half-time.

But the Kings flew out of the blocks after the break as Masixole Banda jinked past two defenders, popped to Jacques du Toit and he released scrum-half Ungerer to power over, with Catrakilis’s conversion giving them a three-point advantage.

The Kings fly-half then sent a long-range penalty the wrong side of the right upright and Munster made him pay as Goggin’s dart was stopped inches short of the line, only for scrum-half Mathewson to dive over.

Darren Sweetnam dropped a pinpoint Haley pass with the try-line at his mercy as both sides’ handling became sloppy but Kings’ woes in the final 20 minutes of games continued as the visitors pulled away.

Wycherley had just enough to reach the try line from close range on 67 minutes before the bonus point was secured three minutes later when Kevin O’Byrne’s quick pop to Botha enabled the No.8 to power over.

The Kings had the final say as Elrigh Louw threw a dummy and dived over from close range after 14 attacking phases but they weren’t able to grab a third try and earn a losing bonus point.

Man of the match

Shane Daly put in his second man-of-the-match display in as many games this season, as the left winger was a constant threat with ball in hand.

Although he didn’t cross the whitewash, the former Irealnd 7s star made 115 metres and showed the sort of ability that has so many people talking him up as a superstar of the future.

Play of the day

It ultimately counted for nought but the Kings’ first try was the most impressive of the match and demonstrated the sort of ability they have with ball in hand.

The electric Banda handed off one defender and slipped inside another before popping the ball up to Du Toit, who showed lovely hands for a hooker to feed Ungerer and the scrum-half pumped his legs to power clear of the defence and dot down.

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