United Rugby Championship: Bulls 22-27 Munster - Four-try visitors win after Johan Goosen red card

RG Snyman scored in the first half

Munster secured a key win in the United Rugby Championship play-off race with victory away to the Bulls.

A second-half red card for the hosts' Johan Goosen proved to be the turning point as Munster came from 22-17 down to secure all five points.

Tries from John Hodnett and Conor Murray against 14 men would help the reigning champions to victory.

The result means the sides switch places in the table with Munster up to third and the Bulls dropping to fourth.

Munster were idle last week after their Champions Cup last-16 exit, while the Bulls were able to recall some of the big names that were left at home for their quarter-final defeat by Northampton in the same competition.

In the early stages, it was an even affair with scoring chances few and far between.

A Tadhg Beirne steal meant the Bulls shipped a penalty for a deliberate knock-on as they scrambled across in defence. From inside his own half, Murray went for the posts from long range, only to see the ball come back off the upright.

The Bulls would clear but get turned over at the line-out with Munster scoring the game's first points off the turnover.

After the visiting forwards drew the opposing defence narrow, the backline came to the fore with Alex Nankivell, Jack Crowley, Calvin Nash and Simon Zebo all involved as the ball was worked to the corner for Shane Daly to score after 18 minutes.

The Bulls struck back quickly, using their power in the tight exchanges to force skipper Elrigh Louw across the line despite the attentions of Zebo and Nankivell.

Goosen's conversion, followed by a penalty on the half-hour mark, nudged Jake White's side 10-7 ahead.

Munster would, however, take a lead into the turn thanks to RG Snyman's close-range score four minutes from time and Crowley kicked a penalty with the last play of the half.

The visitors started the second half giving away penalties with the Bulls using their opponents' ill-discipline to sustain a period of pressure.

It was from that platform that Kurt-Lee Arendse burst over the line.

Goosen's conversion was missed but Johan Grobbelaar put his side back in front, once again the try coming from close-range after Munster found themselves on the wrong side of the referee.

The Bulls thought they had scored their bonus point try in the 53rd minute when Goosen dislodged the ball from Craig Casey and Canan Moodie scooped up and sprinted to the line.

After a lengthy TMO check however, Goosen's tackle was deemed high and worthy of a red card.

Munster were 22-17 behind at the time of Goosen's red card

Four minutes later, Munster were back level. A nicely executed wrap play, featuring Snyman pulling the ball back for Crowley to send a kick out to Hodnett, allowed the replacement flanker to muscle over in the corner.

The missed conversion kept the score tied at 22-22.

As the game ticked into the final 10 minutes, Munster had a decision to make when awarded a side-line penalty.

Rather than take the shot at the posts, Graham Rowntree's side kicked to the corner and were rewarded when, after patient build-up, Murray worked his way over in the corner for what proved to be both the winning and bonus-point try.

Line-ups

Bulls: Le Roux; Arendse, Moodie, Kriel, De Klerk; Goosen, Papier; Steenekamp, Grobbelaar; W Louw, Vermaak, Van Heerden; Hanekom, Ludwig, E Louw (capt)

Replacements: Van der Merwe, Matanzima, Smith, Swanepoel, Gumede, Burger, Smith, Williams.

Munster: Zebo; Nash, Frisch, Nankivell, Daly; Crowley, Murray; Loughman, Scannell, Archer, Snyman, Beirne (capt); O'Mahony, Kendellen, O'Donoghue.

Replacements: Clarke, Wycherley, Jager, Ahern, Coombes, Casey, Carbery, Hodnett.

Red card: Goosen

Match officials

Referee: Adam Jones

TMO: Craig Evans

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