Pre-season wrap: Work to do for Munster as other provinces record friendly wins

Munster head coach Graham Rowntree admits his side were given "a kick up the backside", as they completed their pre-season programme with a disappointing 33-19 defeat to Gloucester in Cork on Friday night.

It marked two defeats from two for the province in their friendlies, ahead of their opening BKT United Rugby Championship game against Connacht at Thomond Park on Saturday 21 September.

Rowntree's side gave up five tries to their Premiership opposition as they trailed 33-12 at the break, and while they did win the second half 7-0, it leaves the province with plenty to work on over the next fortnight.

Liam Coombes put Munster in front when he scored the first try of the game inside five minutes, with Billy Burns converting, but Gloucester replied straight from the restart when Coombes spilled the ball, allowing Charlie Atkinson run in under the posts.

Ollie Thorley and Max Llewellyn added further tries for the visitors, both from linebreaks in midfield, before Munster briefly got back into the game when academy flanker Ruadhán Quinn touched down from a maul, making it 21-12.

Gloucester continued to carve up the Munster defence, with Afo Fasogbon and George Barton adding further Gloucester tries to make it 33-12.

Academy scrum-half Jack Oliver scored the only try of the second half, but Rowntree admitted his side let themselves down with their porous first half display.

"It's an honest group. They know that wasn't good enough. That wasn't reflective of this club," he said.

"I'm sure in 15 days' time we'll look back and think, 'That was the kick up the backside we needed.'"

New signing Thaakir Abrahams played just under an hour in his first outing in a Munster shirt, while there were also appearances for Ireland U20 backrow Sean