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Munster are unbeaten in seven against South African teams and come to Loftus with a strong side.
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MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)
Assistant referees: AJ Jacobs (Ireland) and Dylen November (Ireland)
TMO: Craig Evans (Wales)
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Munster: 15 Simon Zebo, 14 Calvin Nash, 13 Antoine Frisch, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Shane Daly, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jack O’Donoghue, 7 Alex Kendellen, 6 Peter O’Mahony, 5 Tadhg Beirne (captain), 4 RG Snyman, 3 Stephen Archer, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 Jeremy Loughman.
Replacements: 16 Eoghan Clarke, 17 Josh Wycherley, 18 Oli Jager, 19 Tom Ahern, 20 Gavin Coombes, 21 Craig Casey, 22 Joey Carbery, 23 John Hodnett.
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Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 David Kriel, 11 Sebastien de Klerk, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Elrigh Louw (captain), 7 Reinhardt Ludwig, 6 Cameron Hanekom, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 Mpilo Gumede, 21 Izak Burger, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Devon Williams.
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Greetings and welcome to our coverage of the United Rugby Championship match between the Bulls and Munster from Loftus Versfeld.
1'
KICK OFF: The Bulls start the match with a deep kick off onto Zebo who takes well but is tackled immediately. Crowley finds a good touch ten from halfway.
2'
Snyman pulls off the lineout steal for Munster but the teams trade hoists and Munster kick again but Munster get up and knock it back but the ball goes out close to halfway. The Bulls have another lineout feed.
4'
De Klerk is tackled into touch after another hoist. This time Munster feed it but they lose it as the Bulls compete. The Bulls get good ball but then knock on.
5'
Louw loses his feet and is penalised and the Bulls might regret taking a quick tap penalty. Munster set up a lineout on the Bulls 22.
7'
A pair of Munster knock-ons give the Bulls a pair of let-offs as they get out of their 22 and then see the ball spilled ten inside their half. The Bulls will have the scrum feed.
9'
Le Roux looks like he is shooting for a 50/22 but his kick doesn't reach the Munster 22. Munster have a defensive lineout feed.
10'
Vermaak throws a pass to nobody that goes into touch and that gives Munster the lineout feed just inside the Bulls half.
11'
The Bulls play from deep but then lose it forward just as they threaten the Munster half. The TMO has spotted obstruction and now Munster have a penalty which they kick to touch inside the Bulls 22.
13'
The Bulls launch a stunning counter but Zebo gets back to cover and beat Kriel to a grubber. Munster will have a scrum after a knock on in contact from the Bulls but they feed it inside their own 22.
15'
Crowley finds a good touch on halfway and Munster will be happy with that exit.
16'
Munster will take a long shot at goal from inside their own half. They have struggled to make an impression on the Bulls defence.
18'
The kick hist the upright and the Bulls threaten a counter but Munster rip the ball and attack but a little kick over the top bounces into touch in the Bulls 22.
19'
TRY, MUNSTER, DALY, 0-5:
Daly is over in the corner after the Bulls give the ball away with a poor lineout.
20'
CONVERSION, MUNSTER, CROWLEY, 0-7:
Crowley converts from out wide.
23'
Goosen drills a kick deep into the Munster 22 and gets a good bounce. Munster will have the lineout on their own five. They tap it down and Munster are forced into touch in goal. The Bulls have a scrum five out.
25'
The scrum goes down with the Bulls going forward but the referee wants it reset.
26'
TRY, BULLS, LOUW, 5-7:
Louw powers over with a strong carry after a few phases of battering at the Munster line.
27'
CONVERSION, BULLS, GOOSEN, 7-7:
Goosen levels it up from the tee.
28'
Munster get done for obstruction and Goosen has kicked a massive bomb into the Munster 22.
30'
PENALTY, BULLS, GOOSEN, 10-7:
The lineout is sloppy but the Bulls have the ball and can attack with advantage. They cannot use that but will come back and call for the tee.
32'
Ludwig manages to disrupt the Munster attack but he knocks on as he tries to secure the ball. Munster will have a scrum inside the Bulls 22.
35'
The Bulls eventually kick clear to just about five metres outside of their 22 but they played a dangerous game of trying to fling it wide close to their own line as they look to hurt Munster on the counter.
37'
TRY, MUNSTER, SNYMAN, 10-12:
Snyman has powered over and the Bulls are made to pay for throwing away possession inside their own 22.
38'
CONVERSION, MUNSTER, CROWLEY, 10-14:
Crowley adds the extras.
40'
HALF TIME: BULLS 10-17 MUNSTER
The Bulls have a played a high-risk game and it hasn't paid off. Munster have remained calm and deserved their lead. Munster are well-placed to hold off the Bulls in the second half and need two tries for the bonus point.
40'
PENALTY, MUNSTER, CROWLEY, 10-17:
Crowley stretches the lead for Munster with a kick after the hooter.
40'
Goosen kicks straight into touch and Munster then lose the lineout but the Bulls cough it up on the ground again and Munster look to attack with advantage but De Klerk is down and play is stopped.
41'
Crowley kicks off deep and Papier hangs up a box kick in reponse but Munster win the ball and look to attack. The Bulls are gifted possession from a poor cross kick but then Papier puts a kick straight into touch.
42'
O'Mahony dives onto Papier before the ball is out and the Bulls put the penalty out on the five.
45'
TRY, BULLS, ARENDSE, 15-17:
Arendse is over in the corner as the Bulls attack with advantage again.
46'
Goosen cannot convert.
47'
De Klerk is tackled short of the line but the Munster man was in possession and the Bulls have a lineout five out.
50'
TRY, BULLS, GROBBELAAR, 20-17:
Grobbelaar cannot be stopped on his carry after Louw took the tap penalty.
51'
CONVERSION, BULLS, GOOSEN, 22-17:
Goosen converts the try this time.
52'
Munster have to go back to their own 22 after a loose ball is hacked ahead by a Bulls player.
53'
RED CARD, BULLS, GOOSEN:
Bulls flyhalf Goosen has been red-carded for a head on head contact in a tackle. Munster set up a lineout just outside the Bulls 22 with their penalty kick.
53'
Moodie thinks he has scored a try, but the TMO has to check a tackle in the build-up.
55'
Munster are inventive in attack but they knock on just five metres from the Bulls line. The Bulls have the scrum feed.
56'
Le Roux has kicked to touch but found it inside the Bulls 22 and they will have to defend a Munster lineout.
58'
TRY, MUNSTER, HODNETT, 22-22:
Hodnett shows great finishing to get the ball down off a cross kick despite the attentions of two Bulls players.
59'
Crowley's conversion hits the upright and comes out.
61'
Moodie hasn't retreated and Munster get an easy win and exit from what was a bit of an aimless kicking battle.
63'
Crowley misses his touch from the penalty and Papier kicks up to halfway in response where Munster will feed the lineout.
65'
Munster fluff an attack as they throw a big forward pass looking for the overlap. The Bulls have a scrum feed just outside their own 22.
67'
Munster lose the ball on halfway and the Bulls have the scrum feed.
69'
The Bulls will have a scrum just outside their own 22 after Murray's grubber rolled dead. Munster get warned for being in the referee's ear.
70'
The front rows are both getting lectured by the referee. He wants a better bind and a more stable scrum.
70'
The referee isn't happy with the gap at the scrum and he wants it reset.
71'
Gumede hands off one but is then hit hard and loses it forward and now Munster have a good attacking platform from a scrum.
72'
Munster turn down a shot at goal in favour of setting up a lineout in the Bulls 22.
74'
TRY, MUNSTER, MURRAY, 22-27:
Murray battles over in the corner to score with Munster attacking with a penalty advantage.
75'
Crowley gets the bird from the crowd over taking his time with the kick which he misses. Munster leads by five.
76'
The Bulls are gifted a chance to have an attacking set as Murray finds a shortish touch off the restart.
78'
Williams tries to get off a chip kick down the touchline but Munster block and give up the lineout. Play is close to the Munster 22.
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