Ulster outmuscled Munster on a bitterly cold and snowy evening in Belfast at a sold out Affidea Stadium. The conditions certainly had their part to play, with lots of handling errors.
The half-time score was 6-3 to the hosts as Ulster earnt two penalties and Munster one. In the second half, the home side showed their dominance, with three tries leaving Munster with too much to do.
Next Munster will take on Toulon at Stade Félix Mayol on Sunday, January 11th, 1pm kick-off (Irish Time).
The first points came early as Ulster won a penalty, with scrum half Nathan Doak giving them an early lead.
Mike Haley saved the first real Ulster attack with a breakdown penalty and the full-back almost sent Tom Ahern galloping up the pitch, but the ball was called forward. The resulting Ulster scrum gave them an excellent attacking platform, but Munster’s resolute defence got the ball away.
The temperature continued to dip as the clock ticked past the first quarter. Play was scrappy, neither side gaining the upper hand.
Ulster earnt the second chance to get three points on the board as JJ Hanrahan was pinged for being offside. Doak slotted the penalty stretching it to a six-point lead.
Brian Gleeson came very close to scoring a try after 27 minutes but was stopped just short. Ulster were penalised in the build-up, giving Munster a penalty in front of the posts, Hanrahan sent the ball through the uprights to earn the province their first points, 6-3.
Ulster started the second half on the front foot with Doak scoring a long-range penalty, Alex Kendellen was penalised for not rolling away at the breakdown.
The Ward brothers bashed their way through the midfield getting Ulster deep into the Munster ’22. Jacob Stockdale looked to have scored their first try with a superb finish, but the TMO judged it as no try. Minutes later, they came good as Tom Stewart got over in the opposite corner. Doak got the conversion, Ulster led 14-3 after 50 minutes.
Flannery earnt Ulster’s second try after a no-look offload from Werner Kok. Doak narrowly misses the conversion, and Ulster had a significant lead with 20 minutes remaining, 21-3. Kok seemed to have scored another in quick succession from a turnover, but his foot was in touch.
Munster got close, momentum pushing them towards the line, but Ulster suffocated the attack and forced a knock-on.
Ulster were the dominant side in the final 15 minutes, Bryan Ward securing their third and final try, Doak converted.
Munster Rugby: Mike Haley (Tony Butler 56’); Calvin Nash, Dan Kelly, Alex Nankivell (Seán O’Brien 64’), Thaakir Abrahams; JJ Hanrahan, Paddy Patterson (Ethan Coughlan 50’; Josh Wycherley (Michael Ala’alatoa 50’) (Jeremy Loughman 50’), Diarmuid Barron (C) (Lee Barron 73’), Michael Ala’alatoa; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Tom Ahern, John Hodnett (Brian Gleeson 10’), Alex Kendellen (Jack O’Donoghue 51’).
Replacements: Lee Barron, Jeremy Loughman, Conor Bartley, Jack O’Donoghue, Brian Gleeson, Ethan Coughlan, Tony Butler, Seán O’Brien.