Head coach Clayton McMillan says Munster “weren’t good enough overall” in a 40-14 defeat by Bath in their Investec Champions Cup opener.

Hosts Bath took an early lead when they were awarded a penalty try and key Munster player Tadhg Beirne was sent to the sin bin.

Advertisement

Tries from Miles Reid, Henry Arundell and Tom Dunn secured the bonus-point for Bath.

Edwin Edogbo touched down for Munster’s first score but Beno Obano soon grabbed Bath’s fifth try.

Ireland scrum-half Craig Casey scored Munster’s second try before the break but the English side secured their win when Ted Hill crossed late on.

“I think at 28-0 after 22 minutes, we were just too inaccurate and the small things become the big things at this level,” McMillan said on Premier Sports.

“They got the wind in their sails and it was tough to come back from.

“Outside of that, we showed enough to show that we can compete with the best.

Advertisement

“But we weren’t good enough overall today.”

McMillan felt the decision to send Ireland second row Beirne to the sin bin after only eight minutes was “a little tough”.

Munster will look to respond at home to Gloucester in their second Pool Two fixture in Limerick on Saturday.

“We get a yellow card and they get a penalty try, it was a tough one to swallow,” McMillan added.

“But we need to own the stuff that we needed to be better at, and there was lots.”