After weeks of buildup, Munster were left shell-shocked in the opening stages of their sell-out Croke Park clash with Leinster on Saturday.
The visitors were the fastest out of the blocks but, within minutes, Leinster had taken total control of the game. Munster's lineout in particular was at sixes and sevens, as the home side raced into a 21-0 lead after just 15 minutes.
Graham Rowntree's Munster side were taken apart far too easily for each of Leinster's three tries, in a start to the game they cannot have been remotely satisfied with.
They would steady the ship somewhat as the first half progressed and, nine minutes after Hugo Keenan went over for Leinster's third try, Munster thought they had registered a try of their own through Calvin Nash.
🟦 Leinster 21-0 Munster 🟥
Calvin Nash thinks he has got one back but there was a forward pass in the build-up.
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However, a whistle could be heard before Nash had touched the ball down, and referee Chris Busby called the play back for a forward pass by Alex Nankivell.
It was a hugely tight call but Busby was steadfast that his sideline official had made the right call.
The ref mic picked up an exchange between Busby and Munster captain Tadhg Beirne, who could not understand why a TMO review had not been called.
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Leinster v Munster: Tadhg Beirne was not happy with process of disallowed try
As Munster captain Tadhg Beirne attempted to make sense of the referee's call to disallow Calvin Nash's try, he could be heard asking referee Chris Busby why he would not have a second look at the marginal call.
Busby: "[The touch judge] is right in line with it and I trust him, okay?"
Beirne: "But watch it...call in"
Busby: "I don't want to get into a battle here, I know there's a few things you're frustrated with but let's try and keep it positive, okay?"
Beirne: "I'm just wondering why you can't...we've scored a try..."
Busby: "He's right in line, he's in the best position. Forward pass, lads."
It was not the first run-in that Beirne had had with the referee in the first half.
Moments before Nash's disallowed try, the Munster captain had approached the referee to clarify a contentious call. Busby responded, "Come and ask me a question and I'll answer you. Shouting doesn't help."
It looked on the verge but the call of a forward pass against Alex Nankivell looked just about the correct decision.
However, the decision to blow the whistle before Nash had touched the ball down, and the apparent refusal of the referee to engage with his TMO, certainly rubbed the Munster skipper the wrong way.
Both sides would score unconverted tries before half-time to leave Leinster leading 26-5 at the break.
