Bulls destroy Munster to book Murrayfield semifinal
MATCH REPORT: The Bulls advanced to the semifinals of the United Rugby Championship after they pummelled Munster 45-14 in their quarterfinal at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Johan Ackermann’s side will now travel to Edinburgh to face Glasgow Warriors at Murrayfield next weekend.
Star scrumhalf Embrose Papier scored two of his team’s six tries in a dominant display by the home side.
Springbok prop Wilco Louw was withdrawn from the team a few hours before kick-off due to bronchitis. However, the Bulls still overpowered Munster in the set-pieces, which helped lay the foundations for the big win.
It was a fantastic start for the home side with scrumhalf Papier going over for the first try in the fourth minute. It came from a powerful scrum and some great interplay.
The Bulls looked dangerous on attack, and it was Kurt-Lee Arendse who scored the second try in the eighth minute. The veteran Willie le Roux weaved his way through Munster’s defence before feeding the ball to Arendse, who eased in for the score.
Just when you thought the Bulls were going to run away with it, Munster stayed in the fight with a Jack O’Donoghue try in the 20th minute.
After landing two conversions, Pollard made it a 10-point ball game in the 23rd minute with a penalty goal.
However, after some more sustained pressure with ball in hand, Alex Nankivell went over for Munster’s second try, and after Hanrahan’s second conversion, there were only three points in it.
Munster were kicking themselves moments later when they allowed the Bulls to hit back with a soft try from Johan Grobbelaar after a maul.
And there was even more breathing space before the break, with Cameron Hanekom finding his way to the tryline with a dominant carry from a line-out.
At half-time, it was 31-14 to the Bulls.
Munster tried their best to breach the Bulls’ defence in the opening stages of the second half, but their hard work was undone when Papier intercepted a pass near a ruck before racing away for his second try.
With the game already secure, some great running and passing allowed Stravino Jacobs to go over in the corner for his side’s sixth and final try.
Man of the match: There were several options in the Bulls’ side, but we have to give it to scrumhalf Embrose Papier. He was a livewire on attack once again, and he scored two of his team’s six tries.
The scorers:
For Bulls:
Tries: Papier 2, Arendse, Grobbelaar, Hanekom, Jacobs
Cons: Pollard 6
Pen: Pen
For Munster:
Tries: O’Donoghue, Nankivell
Cons: Hanrahan 2
Teams:
Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marcell Coetzee (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Francois Klopper, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Marco van Staden, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Jeandre Rudolph, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Stedman Gans, 23 Sergeal Petersen.
Munster: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Andrew Smith, 13 Alex Nankivell, 12 Seán O’Brien, 11 Shane Daly, 10 JJ Hanrahan, 9 Craig Casey (captain), 8 Brian Gleeson, 7 John Hodnett, 6 Jack O’Donoghue, 5 Evan O’Connell, 4 Tom Ahern, 3 Michael Ala’alatoa, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 Jeremy Loughman.
Replacements: 16 Diarmuid Barron, 17 Josh Wycherley, 18 Conor Bartley, 19 Fineen Wycherley, 20 Gavin Coombes, 21 Ben O’Donovan, 22 Dan Kelly, 23 Alex Kendellen.
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Federico Vedovelli (Italy), Fillipo Russo (Italy)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)
