URC result: Bulls weather Munster fightback for bonus-point win at Loftus

The Bulls weathered a second-half fightback by Munster to earn a bonus-point 34-31 win in their United Rugby Championship match at Loftus on Saturday.

Munster were desperate to bounce back from their 45-0 whitewash defeat to the Sharks last week, making eight changes, including bringing Ireland stars Craig Casey, Jack Crowley and Jeremy Loughman into the side after their Six Nations rest.

But the Bulls, although mediocre at lineout time, were solid in scrums and defence. Individual brilliance in their backline, especially by Embrose Papier, Stedman Gans and Cheswill Jooste, created important scores.

In the end, Handré Pollard’s perfect performance in goal-kicking (6/6) proved the difference as the Bulls won four tries to five. Munster fought back from two scores behind three times and deserved their two bonus points.

Bulls armwrestle Munster

The Bulls could not capitalise on a few Munster handling errors early on, and eventually the Irish side opened scoring with a Sean O’Brien overlap try. Jack Crowley converted to give Munster a 7-0 lead after 21 minutes.

Bulls scrumhalf Embrose Papier scored a brilliant individual try to equalise on the half-hour mark. He side-stepped a defender to find a gap before dancing around the last defender and diving under the posts untouched.

Bulls lock Ruan Nortjé received a yellow card right afterwards for head contact during a cleanout.

Still, the home side weathered a Munster attack and scored next when Stedman Gans held a player off to find a gap, drew in the last defender and then offloaded to Canan Moodie to score in the 35th minute.

The Bulls held onto momentum despite being a player down. Yet they could not extend their 14-7 lead before the half-time mark.

Munster fight back in second half

Munster got one back early in the second half when Tom Ahern crashed over after a few good carries.

Then the Bulls extended their lead to 21-12 after an intercept and kick-chase, Papier outpacing Munster defenders to score his second try in the 47th minute.

Ahern’s second try after a few drives brought Munster back within one score in the 53rd minute.

But Bulls replacement wing Cheswill Jooste announced himself well, scoring off what was probably his first touch of the ball. He ran through defenders to score under the post untouched in the 58th minute. A Pollard penalty kick extended the lead to 28-19 after 61 minutes.

Munster fullback Ben O’Connor found a gap to run through defenders and score his side’s bonus-point try in the 67th minute.

But the Bulls extended their lead to 34-26 when Pollard nailed another penalty kick in the 73rd minute.

Munster replacement lock Edwin Edogbo reduced the lead with a try after a few carries in the 76th minute. Crowley could not convert, and the score held 34-31.

Scorers

Bulls: Tries – Embrose Papier (2), Canan Moodie, Cheswill Jooste. Conversions – Handré Pollard 4/4. Penalties – Pollard 2/2.

Munster: Tries – Sean O’Brien, Tom Ahern (2), Ben O’Connor, Edwin Edogbo. Conversions – Jack Crowley 3/5.