The Vodacom Bulls dominated Munster with a 45-14 win to secure their place in the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship semi-final against the Glasgow Warriors at Murrayfield in Edinburgh on Saturday, 06 June 2026.
The Bulls had a dominant start, and Embrose Papier took a brilliant offload from Elrigh Louw to score the first try of the match. Pollard converted, extending the Bulls' lead to 07-00 after 5 minutes of play.
The Bulls continued to launch wave after wave of attacks, and a bit of bling by Willie le Roux, who offloaded to Kurt-Lee Arendse, who scored an “easy” try. Pollard was on target again with the conversion, extending the Bulls’ lead to 14-00 after 10 minutes of play in the first half.
Munster clawed their way back into the match, and following an extended period in the Bulls red zone, and following a quick tap five meters out, Jack O'Donoghue crashed over to open Munster's account on the scoreboard. JJ Hanrahan converted to cut the Bulls' lead to 7 points after 20 minutes of play in the first half.
Two minutes later, Handre Pollard converted a penalty, extending the Bulls' lead to 17-07.
However, Munster continued their pressure on the Bulls’ defence, and Alex Nankivell bulldozed his way over the Bulls’ tryline. JJ Hanrahan converted to cut the Bulls’ lead to just 3 points and 7 minutes still to play in the first half.
From the kick-off, Johann Grobbelaar was the Bulls’ response. Grobbelaar scored off the back of a 5-metre lineout-maul, extending the Bulls’ lead to 24-14.
Four minutes later, Cameron Hanekom peeled off the back of a lineout and crushed through several Munster defenders to score the Bulls' fourth try, extending the Bulls’ lead to 31-14 at the halftime break.
With Munster setting up camp in the Bulls red zone, Embrose Papier sniped off the back of a ruck and ran 85 meters to score the Bulls’ fifth try. Pollard added the extra two points, extending the Bulls’ lead to 38-14.
Thereafter, Stravino Jacobs added his name to the try scorers; however, the Bulls wasted several other scoring opportunities during the final twenty minutes and won 45-14.
Scorers:
Vodacom Bulls: Tries: Embrose Papier (2), Kurt-Lee Arendse, Johann Grobbelaar, Cameron Hanekom, Stravino Jacobs. Conversions: Handre Pollard. Penalty: Handre Pollard.
Munster Rugby: Tries: Jack O'Donoghue, Alex Nankivell. Conversions: JJ Hanrahan (2).
Teams:
Vodacom 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 (c), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp. Replacements: 16 Marco van Staden, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Jeandre Rudolph, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Stedman Gans, 23 Sergeal Petersen
Munster Rugby: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Andrew Smith, 13 Alex Nankivell, 12 Seán O’Brien, 11 Shane Daly, 10 JJ Hanrahan, 9 Craig Casey (c), 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.