Superb second half helps Munster to see off Stormers

Munster produced an excellent display in the second period as they came from 15-0 down to defeat the Stormers 34-18 at Thomond Park.

The South African outfit moved into a 15-0 advantage in the first half, touching down twice through Warrick Gelant and Leolin Zas, but Jack O’Donoghue’s try just before the interval provide a huge boost for the hosts.

They scored three times in nine minutes via O’Donoghue, Jean Kleyn and Niall Scannell to turn things around before RG Snyman’s went over to complete the win.

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The Stormers lived up to their name with a brilliant opening spell, Dan du Plessis making a break, but a penalty attempt from Manie Libbok went wide.

Still, the South Africans were very much in the ascendancy, driven on by powerful number eight Evan Roos, who threw his big frame into everything.

Elusive full-back Gelant scrambled over for an unconverted eighth-minute try, rewarding some lovely hands from the forwards.

The free-running Stormers had a dozen points on the board by the 20-minute mark. Ruhan Nel got outside Keith Earls and offloaded sweetly for winger Zas to gallop clear and Libbok converted.

The Stormers fly-half narrowly missed out on a third try before a Gelant penalty put 15 points between the teams.

Crucially, Munster managed to respond just before the break. Some relentless carrying ended with flanker O’Donoghue squeezing over for Joey Carbery to convert.

It was just the spark that the Irish province needed, their driving play paying dividends during a one-sided third quarter.

Stormers captain Salmaan Moerat saw yellow for a line-out infringement, and Kleyn and hooker Scannell both burrowed over while he was off.

Johann van Graan’s men were deadly from pick-and-drives and line-out mauls, stringing together 24 points in just 26 minutes.

The maul provided the platform for O’Donoghue to claim a 55th-minute bonus point, and with an ironclad one-handed grip on the ball, Snyman spun through from another lineout drive to gleefully slam the ball down.

Replacement Ben Healy converted and also landed a monster last-minute penalty, after the Stormers had ended their barren spell with a Tim Swiel penalty.

Ospreys edge Cardiff in Welsh derby

The Ospreys continued their solid start to the season following another victory over a fellow Welsh region after they defeated Cardiff 18-14.

They edged out the Dragons last weekend and did the same to the capital-based outfit, with Gareth Anscombe kicking all of their points.

Josh Adams and Owen Lane touched down for the visitors but Cardiff’s ill-discipline, combined with the accuracy of Anscombe, saw the home side edge Dai Young’s men.

Ulster dominate Zebre for second win

Ulster recorded a second successive bonus-point victory in the United Rugby Championship as they saw off Zebre 36-3 at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.

It was a far from vintage performance by the visitors, but they were still way too strong, scoring 26 unanswered second-half points.

Wing Ethan McIlroy and flanker Nick Timoney led the way with try doubles, while there were also touchdowns for full-back Will Addison and centre James Hume, with half-backs Billy Burns, Nathan Doak and Mike Lowry each kicking a conversion.

Zebre managed an Antonio Rizzi penalty in reply, but they were a distant second best despite Ulster never hitting top gear.

Leonardo Marin drop-goal stuns Edinburgh

Substitute Leonardo Marin stunned Edinburgh with an 85th-minute drop-goal as Benetton won a United Rugby Championship thriller 28-27 in Treviso.

Edinburgh looked to have done enough after Ben Vellacott scored two tries that saw the visitors lead until 19-year-old Marin struck with the game’s final kick at Stadio Monigo.

Mike Blair’s men collected two points from the contest, but he will be frustrated that Edinburgh could not close things out following Jaco van der Walt’s 75th-minute penalty.

Prop WP Nel and hooker Stuart McInally also touched down for Edinburgh, with Van der Walt kicking two conversions.

Benetton, beaten just once in their last seven games before Edinburgh’s visit to northern Italy, crossed for two tries by hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi and one from wing Monty Ioane, while Tomas Albornoz booted a penalty and conversion, and Marin added a penalty, conversion and his clinching drop-goal.

Glasgow withstand Sharks fightback

Cole Forbes ran in two tries as Glasgow claimed a 35-24 United Rugby Championship victory over the Sharks at Scotstoun.

A dominant first-half performance opened up a 28-10 lead at the break for Warriors, with the bonus point already in the bag.

However, Danny Wilson’s men will be frustrated that they went off the boil in the final half-hour, with Thomas Du Toit and Ntuthuko Mchunu scoring tries as the Sharks threatened a comeback.