Munster's late charge made the Vodacom Bulls desperately hang on for a 34-31 bonus-point win at Loftus Versfeld.
The first twenty minutes of the first half were an arm wrestle, but then Munster spread the ball wide to the in-space Sean O'Brien, who scored an “easy” try. Jack Crowley converted the try for Munster to lead 07-00 after twenty minutes of play in the first half.
With ten minutes to play, Embrose Paier sniped past a maul and ran forty meters to score a brilliant individual try, to level the scores at 07-07.
A great break by Stedman Gans put Canan Moodie in possession out wide, who cruised to the Bulls' second try with five minutes still to play in the first half. The Bulls lead 14-07 at the halftime break.
Munster made a great start to the second half when Dan Kelly cut the defence of the Bulls in two, offloaded to Tom Aher, and crashed over for Munster’s second try, cutting the Bulls' lead to two points.
The Bulls replied immediately when Embrose Papier controlled a Bulls kick forward to score his second try of the day. Handre Pollard converted to extend the Bulls’ lead to 21-12 after seven minutes of play in the second half.
Munster struck back immediately with a second try by Tom Ahern, which was converted by Jack Crowley to cut the Bulls’ lead to 21-19 after seventeen minutes of play in the second half.
With seventeen minutes played in the second half, a brilliant Cheswill Jooste cut the defence of Munster to pieces and scored an absolute gem of a try for the Bulls' bonus point. Pollard converted to extend the Bulls' lead to 28-19.
Two minutes later, Handre Pollard converted a penalty, to which Munster replied when Ben O'Connor cut the defence of the Bulls in two to score Munster’s bonus point try. Jack Crowley converted the try to cut the Bulls’ lead to 31-26, and there were still twelve minutes to play in the second half.
Following a converted penalty by Handre Pollard, Edwin Edogbo crashed over for Munster’s fifth try, cutting the Bulls’ lead to 34-31 and four minutes left to play in the second hlf.
Scorers:
Vodacom Bulls: Tries: Embrose Papier (2), Canan Moodie, Cheswill Jooste. Conversions: Handre Pollard (4). Penalty: Handre Pollard (2).
Munster Rugby: Tries: Sean O'Brien, Tom Ahern (2), Ben O'Connor, Edwin Edogbo. Conversions: Jack Crowley (3).
Teams:
Vodacom Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marcell Coetzee (c), 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 Khuta Mchunu, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Cameron Hanekom, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Cheswill Jooste, 23 David Kriel.
Munster Rugby: 15 Ben O’Connor, 14 Calvin Nash, 13 Dan Kelly, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Seán O’Brien, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Craig Casey (c), 8 Brian Gleeson, 7 Alex Kendellen, 6 Tom Ahern, 5 Fineen Wycherley, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Michael Ala’alatoa, 2 Diarmuid Barron, 1 Michael Milne. Replacements: 16 Niall Scannell, 17 Jeremy Loughman, 18 John Ryan, 19 Edwin Edogbo, 20 Gavin Coombes, 21 Paddy Patterson, 22 JJ Hanrahan, 23 John Hodnett.