United Rugby Championship, Affidea Stadium
Ulster 28 (6)
Tries: Stewart, Flannery, B Ward Pens: Doak 3 Cons: Doak 2
Munster 3 (3)
Pen: Hanrahan
Ulster moved second in the United Rugby Championship with a 28-3 victory over Munster in Belfast.
The hosts had led just 6-3 at half-time in snowy conditions but dominated the second period with Tom Stewart, Jake Flannery and Bryn Ward all crossing for tries after the turn.
Nathan Doak, at the end of a week in which he signed a new contract to keep him with the province until 2028, added 13 points off the tee for Ulster, while Munster’s only points of the game came through a JJ Hanrahan penalty.
Richie Murphy’s side have now won six of eight league matches this season with their latest triumph taking them above Cardiff, Munster and Glasgow in the URC standings to sit just one point behind leaders Stormers having played a game more.
After a busy festive period, it was the visitors who rotated more heavily with Irish internationals Tadhg Beirne, Craig Casey and Jack Crowley all absent after the 10 changes made from last Saturday’s defeat by Leinster in Limerick.
In front of their first sold-out crowd of the season, it was certainly Ulster who appeared the more fired up by the prospect of another Irish derby in the opening exchanges.
Jacob Stockdale barged past the tackle of JJ Hanrahan to bring the first roar from the home supporters, while soon after James Hume charged into a tackle of Calvin Nash.
The resulting turnover penalty following the latter allowed Doak to kick the game’s first points after four minutes.
Twice, however, in the opening quarter, Munster turned Ulster over within five metres of the tryline.
That, in truth, set the tone for the first half. The hosts, who are the top try scorers in the league this season, showed plenty of intent but could not match it with accuracy in difficult playing conditions.
Despite a considerable edge in territory and possession, their lead was just 6-3 at the turn with Doak’s second penalty of the evening quickly cancelled out by Munster’s fly-half Hanrahan after his opposite number Jack Murphy made a mess of the restart.
The second half, however, was a different story with Ulster scoring three tries and 22 unanswered points to secure the deserved win.
Despite losing their past three meetings with Munster, they took control of the game across the first eight minutes of the second half and rarely looked like conceding thereafter.
Doak kicked another penalty for the half’s first points before, shortly after Jacob Stockdale had a score chalked off in the corner, Tom Stewart powered over from close range.
Ulster’s second try of the game came 25 minutes from time when Munster were turned over close to their own line and Richie Murphy’s side worked the ball across on the counter for replacement Jake Flannery to go over in the opposite corner.
Having reinvigorated their attack this season, the snow, which worsened again during the second half, ensured a different sort of gameplan was required here and it was again power in the tight exchanges that produced Bryn Ward’s first senior try with nine minutes remaining.
Despite two further visits to the opposing 22 in the closing stages, Ulster could not get the fourth try that would have brought with it a bonus point and will now turn attention back to the Challenge Cup where they face the Cheetahs in Amsterdam on 11 January.
After back-to-back derby defeats, Munster play Toulon on the same day in the Champions Cup.
Ulster: Stockdale; Kok, Hume, McCloskey, Z Ward; Murphy, Doak; Bell, Stewart, O’Toole, Henderson (capt), Hopes, Izuchukwu, Timoney, Ward.
Replacements: Herring, O’Sullivan, Wilson, Sheridan, McCann, McKee, Flannery, Postlethwaite.
Munster: Haley; Nash, Kelly, Nankivell, Abrahams; Hanrahan, Patterson; J Wycherley, D Barron (capt), Ala’alatoa, Kleyn, F Wycherley, T Ahern, Hodnett, Kendellen.
Replacements: Barron, Loughman, Bartley, O’Donoghue, Gleeson, Coughlan, Butler, O’Brien.
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)
