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URC: Munster and Bulls produce match-winners as Ospreys snatch draw
By PA
MUNSTER FIGHTBACK DOWNS DRAGONS
Fly-half Tony Butler kicked Munster to a 22-20 victory over the Dragons as they fought back from a 13-point deficit to climb into third place in the United Rugby Championship table.
Full-back Angus O’Brien put the visitors ahead with an 11th-minute penalty, and they were 10-0 in front when hooker Brodie Coghlan touched down and O’Brien duly obliged with the conversion.
Their charge might have been dented by Harry Beddall’s yellow card, but the Dragons were unable to capitalise on their numerical advantage and the flanker was back on the pitch by the time O’Brien landed a second penalty to make it 13-0.
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However, number eight Brian Gleeson’s try and a Butler conversion meant the Irish side trailed by just six points at the break.
Winger Dai Richards’ try and an O’Brien conversion eased the visitors 20-7 ahead, but replacement back row Gavin Coombes’ quickfire double, the second of which was converted by Butler, dragged the hosts back to within a point.
Butler’s penalty edged his side 22-20 in front with five minutes remaining and they managed to defend their lead to the whistle.
EDINBURGH BEATEN BY BULLS
Handre Pollard’s late conversion handed the Bulls a 19-17 United Rugby Championship win at Edinburgh to end their three-match losing streak.
Stand-off Pollard’s kick edged the visitors in front after back-row Marco van Staden had scored a tight game’s sixth try as the contest entered its final 10 minutes.
The hosts got off to the perfect start when Scotland winger Duhan van der Merwe crossed for a sixth-minute try, but Ross Thompson’s missed conversion allowed flanker Marcell Coetzee to level within six minutes as Pollard was also unable to add the two points.
Prop Pierre Schoeman restored the the Scots’ advantage when he touched down with 17 minutes gone, although once again Thompson missed from the tee.
Fellow front-rower D’Arcy Rae matched Schoeman’s feat six minutes before the break with Thompson stretching Edinburgh’s advantage to 17-5.
Hooker Johann Grobbelaar reduced the deficit with his side’s second try four minutes into the second half, and Van Staden followed suit with Pollard converting both to give the Bulls a 19-17 win.
OSPREYS EARN DRAW WITH LIONS
Winger Daniel Kasende ensured the Ospreys collected a second draw of the United Rugby Championship campaign as they battled back to hold the Lions 24-24 at Electric Brewery Field.
The South Africans took a ninth-minute lead when number eight Francke Horn went over, although fly-half Chris Smith was unsuccessful with his conversion attempt.
Flanker James Ratti’s touchdown, which was followed by Dan Edwards’ kick, edged the home side in front, and they increased their advantage despite hooker Dewi Lake’s yellow card when full-back Iestyn Hopkins crossed.
The visitors lost prop SJ Kotze to the sin bin with two minutes of the first half remaining, and Ospreys led 19-5 courtesy of replacement Morgan Morse’s try and two more points from Edwards before Francke Horn doubled his tally and Smith converted with the clock red.
That response continued after the break with hooker PJ Botha and full-back Quan Horn scoring either side of Rhys Davies’ yellow card and Smith adding another successful kick to make it 24-19 in the Lions’ favour, although Kasende squared with 17 minutes remaining.
The visitors were reduced to 14 for the final 10 minutes when Etienne Oosthuizen was sent to the bin, but they managed to get across the finishing line without further punishment to claim a draw.
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