Two-try Munster not enough to upset Vodacom Bulls

(Munster head coach Clayton McMillan has a challenge before him)

Bulls 45, Munster 14:

Munster gave their best effort in this this URC battle today but they were not good enough for the six-try Bulls. A  brace of converted tries saw them trailing by only 17-14 at one stage but there is no doubt that they were no match for the home side. They conceded two converted tries after 22 minutes, from Embrose Papier and Kurt-Lee Arendese, and Munster were on the ropes until a Jack O’Donoghue try converted by J J Hanrahan followed by a try by Alex Nankivell, also converted, left only three points between the sides. The home side added a penalty by Handre Pollard but Bulls tries from Pollard, Johan Grobbelaar, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cameron Hanekom saw the South Africans go in at the break with a 31-4 advantage. They will now go into the semi-final and a meeting against Glasgow Warriors in the semi-final.

Already without some of their best players, the Reds suffered a huge number of injuries in this clash and they had to empty the bench before the game had passed its 80 minutes. The game marks the end of the season for the club but they certainly can be proud of this performance, with every player giving his best. Going in to this game the Bulls had marked up 24 tries from 24 games and they today they added to their tally. 

Vodacom Bulls: Willie le Roux, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs, Handre Pollard, Embrose Papier; Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw, Ruan Vermaak, Ruan Nortje, Marcell Coetzee (C), Elrigh Louw, Cameron Hanekom
Replacements: Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Francois Klopper, Cobus Wiese, Jeandre Rudolph, Paul de Wet, Stedman Gans, Sergeal Petersen
Munster Rugby: Mike Haley, Andrew Smith, Alex Nankivell, Seán O’Brien, Shane Daly, JJ Hanrahan, Craig Casey (C); Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Michael Ala’alatoa, Tom Ahern, Evan O’Connell, Jack O’Donoghue, John Hodnett, Brian Gleeson
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, Conor Bartley, Fineen Wycherley, Gavin Coombes, Ben O’Donovan, Dan Kelly, Alex Kendellen

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