Munster came agonisingly close to securing a famous win in one of the world’s toughest venues, but their efforts came up just short in a pulsating game at Loftus Versfeld.

Munster ultimately fell to a 34-31 defeat in Pretoria against the Bulls, but they did come away with two bonus-points after outscoring the Bulls five tries to four and losing within seven points.

It was a relatively quiet and even opening 20 minutes with both sides enjoying periods of possession without entering either side’s 22. Munster were feeling the pressure at scrum time but otherwise were handling the Bulls’ physicality well.

Approaching the midway point of the first half, a deliberate knock on from Kurt-Lee Arendse allowed Crowley to kick Munster into the corner. From this lineout, Munster played the ball wide with a clever dummy from Crowley allowing Alex Kendellen the space to put in a lovely pass to the wing where Seán O’Brien was on hand to score the game’s opening try. Crowley notched the conversion to put Munster 0-7 in front after 21 minutes.

There was a lengthy stoppage on the 23rd minute mark when Calvin Nash had to receive treatment for a head knock when he went to put in a tackle on a Bulls player. Nash departed for a HIA as JJ Hanrahan replaced him.

The Bulls were winning penalties at scrum time, and this gave the Pretoria-based side territory in Munster’s half however Clayton McMillan’s men continued to defend bravely and force turnovers from the Bulls.

With 10 minutes remaining in the first half, Munster gave up a very soft try which they will be disappointed with as Embrose
Papier evaded a number of Munster tackle attempts to score under the posts from a long way out. The gimme conversion from in front of the posts ensured the sides were level entering the final minutes of the first half.

During this period Ruan Nortje was sent to the bin for making contact to the head of Diarmuid Barron when clearing out a ruck in reckless fashion, this went to a bunker review and bizarrely was not upgraded to a red card.

Despite being down to 14 men, the Bulls scored again through Canan Moodie which Pollard converted to put the Bulls 14-7 in front.

Munster got back into the game early in the second half when a Kendellen break saw him release Seán Edogbo for a few more metres before a long pass from Casey was collected by Tom Ahern and the Waterford man crashed over for Munster’s second try. Crowley’s conversion was wide as the Bulls’s lead was down to two points.

Unfortunately for Munster, the Bulls extended their lead in fortuitous circumstances as a Casey pass ricocheted off Niall Scannell. The ball was kicked ahead and collected by Papier who ran in under the posts to score. The straightforward conversion saw Bulls take a 21-12 lead.

It was Ahern who got Munster back into the game with his second try. Munster were going through the phases close to the Bulls line and the Waterford man wasn’t held in the tackle which allowed the second-row to scamper over and dot down under the posts. Crowley’s conversion put two points between the sides once again.

Dan Kelly looked to have Munster’s bonus-point try but the ball somehow escaped the centre’s grasp with the try line at his mercy. In what seemed to be a pattern in this game, Munster were punished almost immediately as Cheswill Jooste danced through the Munster defence to score which was converted by Pollard. Pollard then extended the Bulls’ lead with a long-range penalty.

With 15 minutes remaining, Crowley produced a superb 50:22 which got Munster in an excellent position. From the lineout, Munster went through the phases and Crowley picked a pass which sent Ben O’Connor through a gap and the full-back stepped past the last defender to dot down under the posts. Crowley’s conversion put five points between the sides with 12 minutes to go.

Casey, who, like Crowley, was having an excellent game, produced a 50:22 of his own to get Munster into another good attacking position. Unfortunately for Munster the lineout went awry, and Bulls claimed the ball but then Hodnett stepped up to win a turnover at the breakdown and the penalty.

Crowley kicked the ball into the corner but as Munster secured the lineout, Marcell Coetzee won a turnover of his own as Alex Nankivell was brought to ground. Munster compounded this error with another penalty which Pollard kicked from distance to extend the Bulls’ lead out to eight points.

Munster refused to give up, and this led to a brilliant carry from Edwin Edogbo. The Cobh man got Munster’s fifth try as he stretched out to ground the ball, but Crowley’s conversion came back off the post in cruel fashion.

With three points between the sides, Munster were unable to get territory to mount one last attack as the game ended with Munster leaving Pretoria with two crucial points.

URC Round 14 Roundup

Diarmuid Barron made his 100th appearance for Munster

Gavin Coombes was withdrawn late with illness with Seán Edogbo coming onto the bench to replace him.

Munster outscored the Bulls five tries to four.

Munster claimed to bonus-points from this match.

Munster Rugby: Ben O’Connor; Calvin Nash (Hanrahan 24′), Dan Kelly, Alex Nankivell, Seán O’Brien; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey (C); Michael Milne (Loughman 48′), Diarmuid Barron (Scannell 34′), Michael Ala’alatoa (Ryan 48′); Jean Kleyn (Hodnett 59′), Fineen Wycherley; Tom Ahern (E Edogbo 61′), Alex Kendellen, Brian Gleeson (S Edogbo 41′).

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Jeremy Loughman, John Ryan, Edwin Edogbo, Seán Edogbo, Paddy Patterson, JJ Hanrahan, John Hodnett.