Munster Rugby rue poor first half in defeat to Bulls at Loftus Versfeld

MUNSTER Rugby had to make-do with taking a losing bonus point in their 29-24 defeat to the Vodacom Bulls in their rescheduled United Rugby Championship fixture at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

Munster's misfiring first half showing had the tourists trailing by 23 points, 3-26, at half-time, at altitude in Pretoria. The visitors contributed to their own downfall in that opening half through a combination of poor discipline and missed tackles.

However, Munster produced a much-improved second half showing, scoring three tries through Alex Kendellen, the fit-again Damian de Allende and Jack O'Donoghue to close within losing bonus point range.

The Bulls dominated up to the 53rd minute when leading 29-3, scoring tries through Madosh Tambwe and Walt Steenkamp and making good use of the penalty count as Chris Smith racked up 19 points with the boot.

However, Munster fought back into the match and a red card for Bismarck du Plessis 10 minutes from time – prior to O’Donoghue’s touchdown – made it a nervy end for the home side.

The Bulls were 6-3 up following an exchange of kicks between Smith and Ben Healy when Munster had an O’Donoghue try ruled out for obstruction.

Tambwe then showed his pace to run for the line after an attempted Simon Zebo rip on Marcell Coetzee sent the ball into his grasp in the 17th minute, with Smith on hand to convert the game’s first try and a subsequent penalty as the hosts opened up a 16-3 lead.

Munster were reduced to 14 men when Kendellen saw yellow for a no-arms tackle after 28 minutes and Smith continued to punish the visitors’ indiscipline, splitting the posts with another penalty.

The Bulls capitalised on the man advantage when Steenkamp picked up the pieces from a Kurt-Lee Arendse spillage to dive for the line. Smith again made no mistake, and added yet another penalty after the interval.

Kendellen atoned for his earlier misdemeanour by touching down next to the posts in the 53rd minute, with Healy adding the extras before Tambwe had a try ruled out for a knock-on by Embrose Papier in the build-up.

Replacement De Allende – making his first appearance since January following an abdominal injury – pounced on a loose ball to keep Munster alive in the contest and O’Donoghue burrowed over after Du Plessis had been sent off for a reckless manoeuvre that dumped Kendellen on his head.

Healy converted both tries to bring Munster within five, but the Bulls held on for victory despite Morne Steyn missing the target with two late attempts to put the result beyond doubt.

VODACOM BULLS: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Cornal Hendricks, Lionel Mapoe, Harold Vorster, Madosh Tambwe, Chris Smith, Embrose Papier; Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Jacques van Rooyen, Walt Steenkamp, Ruan Nortje, Marcell Coetzee (CAPT), Arno Botha, Elrigh Louw. Replacements: Simphiwe Matanzima for G Steenekamp (50 mins), Zak Burger for Papier, Janko Swanepowl for W Steenkamp (both 55), Bismarck du Plessis for Grobbelaar, Robert Hunt for Van Rooyen (both 61), Morne Steyn for Smith, WJ Steenkamp for Botha (both 68).

MUNSTER RUGBY: Mike Haley, Calvin Nash, Chris Farrell, Rory Scannell, Simon Zebo, Ben Healy, Neil Cronin, Josh Wycherley, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley, Jack O'Donoghue (C), Chris Cloete, Alex Kendellen. Replacements: Diarmuid Barron for N Scannell (50-79 mins), Damian de Allende for R Scannell, John Hodnett for Cloete (both 50 mins); Paddy Patterson for Cronin, John Ryan for Archer (both 55), Eoin O’Connor for Kleyn (62), Jack Crowley for Zebo, Mark Donnelly for Wycherley (both 70).

REFEREE: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)