Munster fight back against Ulster to finish top of the URC while Ospreys sneak into play-offs at Lions’ expense
Oli Jager celebrates Munster win.
Munster fought back from 10 points down to beat Ulster 29-24 in a dramatic win that saw them finish the regular season atop the United Rugby Championship table.
The defending champions trailed by that margin on two occasions but replacement Eoghan Clarke’s 69th-minute maul try and a late Jack Crowley penalty got the job done.
Tries from Rob Herring and David McCann cancelled out RG Snyman’s seventh-minute opener to give quarter-final-bound Ulster a 17-7 half-time lead.
Calvin Nash and Shane Daly both touched down, sandwiching a Matthew Rea score in a sparkling seven-minute spell, while Crowley and John Cooney brought their kicking boots, each landing three conversions and a penalty.
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Boosted by their strong bench, Graham Rowntree’s side came out on top in front of a 17,496-strong home crowd and will host Ospreys in next weekend’s quarter-finals, with sixth-placed Ulster travelling to Leinster.
The Ulstermen lost Stuart McCloskey and Ethan McIlroy to injuries before kick-off, which brought Jude Postlethwaite and Stewart Moore into the team. The early departure of Kieran Treadwell (ankle) was another blow.
Snyman was very fortunate to avoid a card for a high tackle on Will Addison and much to Ulster’s annoyance, the Springbok star duly scored a few minutes later, giving Crowley a straightforward conversion.
However, Ulster hit back with a well-worked maul try from Herring and Cooney soon gave his side a 10-7 lead courtesy of a 22nd-minute penalty.
Munster’s execution was letting them down and a late Crowley blunder handed Ulster a five-metre scrum. They earned a further penalty and flanker McCann was able to burrow over for Cooney to convert.
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A rare Cooney penalty miss preceded the unloading of the hosts’ forward-heavy bench which was a game changer. Nash scored from a Craig Casey pass and Crowley’s touchline conversion cut the gap to just three points.
Cormac Izuchukwu broke menacingly to put Ulster right back in scoring range and Cooney’s short pass helped Rea power over. Cooney also curled over the extras for a 24-14 scoreline.
Crucially, Munster clawed back those seven points by the hour mark. Replacement Joey Carbery’s half-break produced quick ball, which Casey scooped up one-handed to send Daly over from the left wing which Crowley converted.
Clarke redeemed himself for a previous crooked throw when he muscled his way over in the left corner and Munster held onto the momentum as Crowley’s closing penalty put them just out of reach.
Ospreys claim unlikely play-off spot
A bonus-point 33-29 win for Ospreys over a battling Cardiff saw them squeeze into the United Rugby Championship play-offs where they face a trip to Munster next weekend.
Cardiff were in contention throughout but two tries from international prop Nicky Smith and others from Justin Tipuric and Luke Morgan proved just enough. They were also awarded a penalty try with Dan Edwards adding three conversions.
Mason Grady scored two of Cardiff’s tries with Theo Cabango and Gabriel Hamer-Webb also on the try-scoring sheet. Ben Thomas kicked a penalty and two conversions with Tinus de Beer adding a conversion.
Ospreys began strongly to take an early lead when Smith forced his way over from close range but moments later Cardiff drew level when Cabango ran elusively to squeeze over in the corner for a splendid individual try.
However, Cabango’s joy was short-lived as he was soon helped off with a hamstring injury to be replaced by Hamer-Webb.
With both sides keen to play in an attacking fashion, it resulted in an exciting spectacle with Ospreys picking up the next score thanks to the excellence of Tipuric.
First the skipper nailed Cameron Winnett to win a penalty for not releasing. He then quickly took the penalty to put the Cardiff defence on the back-foot and was then on hand to take a difficult scoring pass from Edwards after Keelan Giles had beaten a couple of defenders.
Cardiff soon came close to responding when Grady won the race to a chip ahead but was unable to secure the touchdown but it mattered little as the wing was almost immediately on the scoresheet when he supported a break from Ben Thomas.
De Beer missed the touchline conversion so the game was tied at 12-12 at half-time but five minutes after the restart the South African fly-half hobbled off.
Worse was to follow as Ospreys scored their third try when Smith finished off a succession of forward drives but their opponents remained in the hunt with a penalty from captain Thomas.
Thomas missed with another more difficult kick and Ospreys then broke out with a kick and chase from Edwards.
Pressure was maintained and from a close-range set scrum, Morgan Morris and Max Nagy created the space for Morgan to dash over.
Spirited Cardiff would not lie down and skilful passing sent Hamer-Webb over but a late red card for Seb Davies for a head-high challenge on Owen Watkin ended their challenge with a penalty try award soon following.
Still Cardiff had the final say with Grady scoring scoring a second after Ospreys’ Luke Davies was yellow-carded to earn the home side a well-deserved two bonus points.