URC result: Bulls beat Munster: Five takeaways

The Bulls beat Munster 29-24 in their United Rugby Championship match at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday afternoon.

The foundation for the win was laid in the first half, which saw the home team change sides 26-3 up.

Here are the main takeaways from the match.

Lethal Bulls backs

When the Bulls get on to the front foot and get some momentum going they’re an almost unstoppable machine. The big men up front power forward, taking the ball through the phases and then when the backs get their hands on the ball they’re as dangerous as any players in the game.

Madosh Tambwe, a try-scorer in this game (with a second try cancelled because of an earlier knock-on at a ruck), has become a particularly dangerous finisher at the Bulls, while Kurt-Lee Arendse, Cornal Hendricks, Lionel Mapoe, and Embrose Papier ask big questions when on the front foot.

Munster’s disallowed try

While the visitors to Loftus created precious few try-scoring chances, they did go over from a lineout five metres after a driving maul, Jack O’Donoghue coming up with the ball. The try was chalked off though when referee Ben Whitehouse deemed said the Bulls “had no access to the ball-carrier”.

Is this not something that happens in virtually every driving maul, when the ball-carrier is often the furthest back player in the maul, with many of his forwards in front of him, protecting him?

Munster ill-discipline

The visitors found the going tough and also got on the wrong side of referee Ben Whitehouse. They conceded many more penalties than the Bulls did – seven inside 21 minutes, and then several more after that, and extending into the second half – which cost them dearly.

Loose-forward Alex Kendellen also got himself yellow carded in the first half for a no-arms tackle.

Bismarck’s red card

In the 70^th minute replacement hooker, the experienced Bismarck du Plessis, was red carded for picking up Munster No 8 Kendellen – who was involved in plenty of the action – lifting him over his shoulder and dropping him to the ground, where he only just avoided landed on his head.

It was the right call by the officials and a poor bit of play by Du Plessis.

Bulls’ second half fade

As good as the Bulls were in the first half, and for long periods throughout the game, they faded badly in the second half, when it was in fact Munster, who were playing in unfamiliar conditions on the highveld, and who were out-played in the first 40, who were expected to “go away” late in the game. They didn’t and finished the stronger of the teams.

The Bulls scored only a penalty in the second half to Munster’s 21 points, which included three tries. It is something that will not sit well with Jake White and the coaching team.

Scorers

Bulls: Tries: Tambwe, Steenkamp; Conversions: Smith (2); Penalties: Smith (5)

Munster: Tries: Kendellen, De Allende, O’Donoghue; Conversions: Healy (3); Penalty: Healy