mens
united-rugby-championship
The Vodacom Bulls turned the primary South African workforce to win a BKT United Rugby Championship fixture at Thomond Park as they battled previous Munster in a 16-13 victory.
Substitute Keagan Johannes cut up the posts with a 72nd-minute penalty, which proved to be the one rating of the second half.
Marcell Coetzee and Thaakir Abrahams traded tries earlier than Jack Crowley kicked Munster stage for half-time at 10-10.
Embrose Papier’s sin-binning was adopted by two extra penalties from Crowley and Johan Goosen, however it was Johannes’ proper boot that ended Munster’s 11-match profitable run at residence to South African sides.
Regardless of Craig Casey and Peter O’Mahony being late withdrawals, the hosts received off to a constructive begin with Crowley touchdown an eighth-minute penalty.
A sustained Bulls assault following a scrum penalty noticed Coetzee crash over on the quarter-hour mark. Goosen transformed after which drained a penalty to make it 10-3.
The Munstermen, who had Sean O’Brien to thank for an essential interception, made up for an earlier lineout misfire. They drew extra penalties earlier than Crowley and Alex Nankivell despatched Abrahams over within the left nook.
Following Crowley’s crisply-struck conversion, Papier earned a Forty third-minute yellow card for offside when Conor Murray tapped a penalty shortly.
Nevertheless, Goosen quickly managed to kick the 14-man Bulls again in entrance amid heavy rainfall. Crowley hit again to make it 13 factors apiece with half-an-hour remaining.
An harm to veteran Munster prop Stephen Archer prompted uncontested scrums, earlier than Johannes missed his first place-kick. He made amends shortly afterwards although, punishing a excessive sort out.
This was an essential consequence on the highway for the Bulls who’re inside touching distance of a house quarter-final.
It took a giant defensive stand within the dying minutes to see it out, as Munster suffered solely their second residence URC loss in Limerick this season.
