BKT United Rugby Championship: Round 4 Highlights

A Croke Park crowd of 51,859 saw Munster deliver a statement performance as they claimed a 31-14 bonus point victory over Leinster to maintain their impressive unbeaten start to the campaign.

Clayton McMillan’s men outscored the defending champions by four tries to two, and backed that up with an immense defensive shift – led by talismanic captain Tadhg Beirne – to make it four wins from four in the BKT United Rugby Championship.

Second-placed Munster are one of three teams who remain unbeaten after the opening four rounds, along with the DHL Stormers and Ulster, with all three having won on the road this past weekend.

The Stormers stay top on points difference, having secured the maximum haul in beating Zebre Parma 31-13 in Italy. They had a 16-point contribution from South Africa out-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who crossed for two tries.

As for Richie Murphy’s Ulster side, they delivered a superb display to record a 34-26 bonus point win over the star-studded Hollywoodbets Sharks in Durban.

Despite being up against 17 Springboks in the Sharks squad, the visitors took the spoils, running in tries through Michael Lowry, Werner Kok, Tom Stewart, who started and finished an excellent counter attack, and replacement Callum Reid.

Meanwhile, Connacht picked up two points from Friday’s 28-27 loss at the hands of the Vodacom Bulls, their fightback at Dexcom Stadium falling just short despite final-quarter tries from replacement Sean Naughton and Mack Hansen.

The Ireland squad will travel to Chicago on Tuesday, ahead of their Gallagher Cup clash with New Zealand. Round 5 of the URC takes place before that, with in-form Ulster completing their tour of South Africa by visiting the Lions next Saturday.

Leinster will entertain Zebre Parma at the Aviva Stadium that evening – tickets are available here for the 5.30pm kick-off – before Munster and Connacht face off at Thomond Park (kick-off 7.45pm). Buy your ticket(s) for the season’s second interprovincial derby here.

Jack Crowley and returning captain Tadhg Beirne masterminded Munster’s first win in five meetings with Leinster, as they came away from Croke Park with five well-deserved BKT United Rugby Championship points.

Ulster made it three BKT United Rugby Championship bonus point wins on the bounce with a terrific performance on the road, getting the better of the Hollywoodbets Sharks on a 34-26 scoreline.

Connacht fell just short of a late comeback victory at Dexcom Stadium, instead pocketing two bonus points in an agonising 28-27 defeat to the Vodacom Bulls.