URC: Ulster 26 Munster 26
A game of two halves. Munster utterly dominant in the first 40 minutes, racking up a bonus point and a 26-5 lead that looked unassailable. But Ulster re-emerged after the interval and, despite it being a slow burn initially, recalibrated all the misfiring parts to hold their visitors scoreless while crossing for three tries of their own to grab a draw.
Relief and regret may well have been the feelings shared by both sides after the final whistle.
Munster will reflect on a 17-5 penalty count in their favour, a dominant scrum and maul that provided the leverage to score three of their four tries, weighed against how little bits of their patterns unravelled, principally some costly lineout turnovers, but not everything can be laid at that door.
Ulster awoke from a torpor, one that has afflicted them in each of their URC outings so far this season, but for the second week in succession clawed back a draw. It arrived off the back of an impactful bench and quality moments from Jacob Stockdale and Stuart McCloskey, but Richie Murphy’s side will have much to ponder, having failed to manage the game and showing a carelessness in possession.
RM Block
Munster made several late changes to the matchday 23, Shay McCarthy replacing Shane Daly on the right wing while Max Clein and Michael Foy were added to the bench in place of Diarmuid Barron and Tom Ahern respectively. They didn’t miss a beat though, and produced 40 minutes of hard-nosed rugby.
Alex Kendellen had one of those matches. Omnipresent, a scourge at the breakdown, bagging tries and playing the role of villain; he was brilliant for his 53 minutes on the pitch.
While the start was blighted by knocks-on due to the wet surface and cold hands, Munster quickly warmed to their task. The Ulster scrum was eviscerated on their put-in and forced to concede a penalty shortly after on the Munster feed.
The visitors kicked to the corner and Ulster continued to rack up the offences, four in total. Munster scrumhalf Craig Casey was tackled short, but the respite was brief, another penalty tapped to the corner and, from the lineout maul, Kendellen dotted down.
Jacob Stockdale, on his 150th appearance for his province, marked the occasion with a try as he beat both Ben O’Connor and JJ Hanrahan with slick footwork. It survived a TMO intervention, a ludicrous review to put it politely.
But the home side’s ill-discipline resurfaced from the restart, penalised in their 22. Munster produced a carbon copy of their first try, this time hooker Marnus van der Merwe the one to finish off the move. Hanrahan kicked the conversion and things got immediately worse for Ulster as they lost Eli Snyman to injury and the scrum suffered another shellacking.
The home side were a liability in possession, their passing unsympathetic or wild, while their rising penalty count through the first quarter was a spiralling concern.
Munster in contrast, ran hard and straight, took better care of the ball, and were patient in building phases until they could squeeze a transgression. They found their hosts obliging.
At the half-hour mark, Cormac Izuchukwu received a yellow card for a shoulder to the head of Gavin Coombes at a ruck. Munster built pressure again from the penalty, Dan Kelly’s intelligent line took him through a gaping hole in the defence and over for a try. Hanrahan converted.
The visitors were soon back inside the Ulster 22 but conceded their first penalty of the match on 36 minutes. But not long after, Munster had the bonus point try. Ulster transgressed, Hanrahan kicked to the corner and they worked the fringes until Kendellen found the space to power over for a second try.
Ulster had conceded 14-points while a player down and changed both props at half-time. The first scrum of the half came after 90 seconds. Ulster survived, but that’s all it was, and when Munster had a put-in soon after, another penalty came.
Ulster’s occasional line-breaks hinted at what was possible if they could get continuity and they underlined the assertion with Stockdale’s second try.
It galvanised the home side, and suddenly it was Munster who looked a little fragile. It was especially noticeable in the lineout, where a turnover five metres from their own line gave Ulster a scrum. From there, the hosts pounded away until Dave McCann barrelled over. Murphy converted to put them just seven behind, 26-19.
Munster conceded two penalties in quick succession and were forced to back-pedal into their own 22. Ulster powered their way from a lineout launch to a try for centre Stuart McCloskey and a beauty of a conversion from Murphy drew the sides level.
But there was still time for a slightly bonkers finish. Ulster were pinged at a scrum and replacement outhalf Charlie O’Shea nudged it to touch rather than take on the long-range chance. McCann stole the lineout and the ball was moved to Rob Baloucoune, who raced 50 metres before his inside pass was picked off and hoofed into touch in the Munster 22.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 9 MINS: Kendellen try 0-5; 12: Stockdale try 5-5; 15: Van der Merwe try, Hanrahan con 5-12; 32: Kelly try, Hanrahan con 5-19; 40: Kendellen try, Hanrahan con 5-26; Half-time 5-26; 53: Stockdale try, Murphy con 12-26; 68: McCann try, Murphy con 19-26; 77: McCloskey try, Murphy con 26-26
ULSTER: E McIlroy; R Baloucoune, J Benson, S McClosket, J Stockdale; J Murphy, N Doak; E O’Sullivan, T Stewart, K Knox; B Donnell, E Snyman; C Izuchukwu, N Timoney, J Augustus. Replacements: D McCann for Snyman (18 mins, HIA), T McAllister for Knox, J McNabney for Augustus, T O’Toole for O’Sullivan (all HT), M Devine for Doak (49), H Walker for Stewart (79).
Yellow card: Izuchukwu (30 mins).
MUNSTER: B O’Connor; S McCarthy, A Nankivell, D Kelly, S O’Brien; JJ Hanrahan, C Casey; J Loughman, M van der Merwe, K Brookes; E O’Connell, T Beirne; J O’Donoghue, A Kendellen, G Coombes. Replacements: J Aungier for Brookes, B Gleeson for Coombes (both 50), J Hodnett for Kendellen (54), M Foy for O’Connell (62), J Wycherley for Loughman, M Clein for van der Merwe (both 66), C O’Shea for Hanrahan (70), B O’Donovan for Casey (73).
Referee: C Evans (Wales).
