Bulls breach Munster’s fortress

The Vodacom Bulls became the first South African team to beat Munster at Thomond Park in the Vodacom URC with a gusty performance on Saturday night.

Munster had won all seven of their previous meetings in Limerick against SA opposition, but were second-best against a Bulls team that fully deserved their 16-13 victory.

The visitors won the territorial battle by putting boot to ball on 43 occasions, while the hosts’ lineout woes continued. The scrum contest was unfortunately ended with 30 minutes to go when the hosts were unable to bring on a front-row replacement.

Both sides scored one try, with Bulls substitute flyhalf Keagan Johannes’ 73rd-minute penalty goal proving to be the difference.

No 10 Jack Crowley opened the scoring with a penalty for Munster, who had lost flank Peter O’Mahony and scrumhalf Craig Casey to injury in the warm-up.

But the Bulls were first to cross the tryline when flank Marcell Coetzee charged over from close range. Flyhalf Johan Goosen kicked the conversion and then added a penalty.

Marcell Coetzee powers over for the Vodacom Bulls 🐂💥

📺 Stream #VURC on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/vnaRK5cWtS

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) April 19, 2025

The Bulls continued to dominate territory but couldn’t add to their tally and it was the hosts who finished the first half with a flourish when slick hands put fullback Thaakir Abrahams, formerly of the Sharks, over for a converted try that made it 10-10 at the break.

The rain that began falling at half time became heavier when the match resumed.

Bulls scrumhalf Embrose Papier was sin-binned for not retreating from a tapped penalty in the red zone, but Muster’s lineout malfunctioned again from 5m out.

The flyhalves then exchanged penalty goals before the game went to uncontested scrums and Munster to 14 men. Fifteen minutes later, though, referee Andrea Piardi sheepishly confirmed that Munster should have been playing with 15 men as their first front-ranker to leave the field did so for an HIA. But the uncontested scrums remained.

Johannes was off target with a penalty goal with 10 minutes to go, but made no mistake with his next attempt to secure a famous win that briefly took the Bulls to second on the log with a final tour match against Glasgow to come next weekend.

Photo: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images