Bulls overpower Munster to reach URC semi-finals

United Rugby Championship quarter-final

Bulls (31) 45

Tries: Papier 2, Arendse, Grobbelaaar, Hanekom, Jacobs Cons: Pollard 6 Pen: Pollard

Munster (14) 14

Tries: O'Donoghue, Nankivell Cons: Hanrahan 2

Munster's United Rugby Championship title hopes were ended in ruthless fashion by the Bulls, who scored six tries to overpower the Irish province in their quarter-final in Pretoria.

Bulls scrum-half Embrose Papier scored two tries, with Kurt-Lee Arendse, Johan Grobbelaar, Cameron Hanekom and Stravino Jacobs also crossing as the hosts set up a semi-final against Glasgow Warriors in Murrayfield next week.

Jack O'Donoghue and Alex Nankivell scored first-half tries for Munster but they were held scoreless in the second period as their season ended in disappointing fashion.

The Springbok-loaded Bulls immediately applied pressure and crossed twice in the opening 10 minutes through Papier and Arendse, the latter coming after some fine work from Willie le Roux.

Already without captain Tadhg Beirne and Ireland fly-half Jack Crowley, Munster lost Tom Ahern to a head injury assessment (HIA), but responded well to a difficult start when O'Donoghue struck after a period of sustained pressure.

After a Handre Pollard penalty stretched the Bulls' lead, the impressive Nankivell breathed new life into Munster's challenge with a well-taken try.

However, the clinical Bulls responded emphatically and scored two tries in quick succession through Grobbelaar and Hanekom to take a commanding 31-14 lead at the break.

While Munster attempted to eat into the deficit, Papier picked off an intercept and sprinted clear for his second try, effectively killing the game.

The hosts, who lost last season's final to Leinster, pulled further clear when Jacobs finished off a rapid move in the corner.

That proved the final score with 20 minutes left as the Bulls cruised into the semi-finals for the fifth successive season with a powerful display.

Munster, meanwhile, are left to reflect on what head coach Clayton McMillan described as a "mixed bag" of a season.

"We were under no illusions how tough it was to come here and we experienced that against a Bulls side that were just too classy for us," said McMillan.

"We've got a number of bodies that are sitting at home but we never wanted to use that as an excuse and we won't. A lot of guys got an opportunity because of that and they'll learn an awful lot being in that kind of arena."

On the season as a whole, the New Zealander added the club "lost our way a bit in the middle" after a promising start.

"These are the challenges in rugby but it's been enjoyable. I've enjoyed the grind of getting here. We didn't get the result today but we're a tight group and will learn from it."

Bulls: Le Roux; Arendse, Moodie, Vorster, Jacobs; Pollard, Papier; Steenekamp, Grobbelaar, Klopper; Vermaak, Nortje; Coetzee (capt) Louw, Hanekom.

Replacements: van Staden, Wessels, Smith, Wiese, Rudolph, de Wet, Gans, Petersen.

Munster: Haley; Smith, Nankivell, O'Brien, Daly; Hanrahan, Casey (capt); Loughman, N Scannell, Ala'alatoa; Ahern, O'Connell; O'Donoghue, Hodnett, Gleeson.

Replacements:D Barron, J Wycherley, Bartley, F Wycherley, Coombes, O'Donovan, Kelly, Kendellen.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)

Assistant Referees: Federico Vedovelli (FIR) and Fillipo Russo (FIR)

TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)