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BreakingNews.ie
2 days ago
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Munster crash out of URC after semi-final shootout defeat to Sharks
Sharks booked their spot in the United Rugby Championship semi-finals after a dramatic shootout decider saw them edge past Munster in Durban. After drawing 24-24 in regulation time, neither side could find a winning score in extra time as the game boiled down to kicks from the 15 and then 10-metre line, where Rory Scannell missed his effort for Munster and the Sharks went on to kick all six of their attempts to reach the final four. Advertisement The visitors had taken the lead nine minutes into the first half when Jack Crowley's cross-field kick bounced up for Calvin Nash to grasp and dive over the line before Crowley added the extras, but the match evolved into a scrappy encounter as both Crowley and Jaden Hendrikse sent penalties wide. The game burst into life after the break and the Sharks capitalised on their bright start when Ethan Hooker cut in from the right wing, weaving around the Munster defence to score, with Hendrikse converting before sending his side ahead with a penalty. Fineen Wycherley then squeezed through a gap to cross following a quick Munster break, with Crowley's kick successful and they extended their advantage when the hosts were unable to defend Mike Haley's kick, allowing Diarmuid Kilgallen to pounce on the loose ball and ground before Crowley converted. The Sharks staged an impressive comeback with two tries in the final 15 minutes, pulling one back when Aphelele Fassi crossed, with Hendrikse converting and Fez Mbatha struck after breaking through the visiting defence on the tryline to ground before Hendrikse added the extras. Advertisement Conor Murray's successful penalty from just inside his own half levelled the score at 24-24 to send the game to extra time and Hendrikse had a drop goal attempt brilliantly blocked by Thomas Ahern before the contest reached its climax with a shootout, where the Sharks claimed victory.
The 42
2 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Munster crash out of URC after penalty shootout loss to Sharks
Sharks 24 Munster 24 Sharks win 6-4 on penalties THERE WERE scenes of mad celebrations at Kings Park on Saturday night when the Sharks prevailed over Munster in a United Rugby Championship quarter-final thanks to a successful penalty shoot-out following 20 minutes of extra time. It was heartbreak for a Munster side that once more showed the character that is the hallmark of one of Europe's great teams. Rugby is not accustomed to soccer-style shootouts and there was an unlikely hero for the Sharks in a fairly unknown replacement scrumhalf, Bradley Davids, who held his nerve after the Munster kicker, Rory Scannell, had earlier missed a kick. The Sharks are through to a semi-final against the Bulls, and they are there by the skin of their teeth after the match finished at 24-24, and the extra time of 20 minutes produced no score. Munster were returning to a ground where seven months ago, they got a 41-24 mauling, a result that cost coach Graham Rowntree his job. The Shark Tank is the one South African venue where Munster have never won a match, although they came close two years ago when they drew 22-22 en route to eventually winning the title in Cape Town. Munster are at their most unpredictable when they are pinning their colours to a mast. This was the case with a collective of more than 600 caps about to retire in the form of warriors Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray and Stephen Archer. Munster have proved they are a team never afraid of delivering on foreign soil — they won a succession of away playoffs to win the title in Cape Town, against the Stormers. On paper, the Sharks were favourites. They boasted eight double World Cup-winning Springboks, mostly in a pack containing Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche and Vincent Koch. They also had a former Munster lock in Jason Jenkins, plus fellow Springboks in Jaden and Jordan Hendrikse, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi, Andre Esterhuizen and Aphelele Fassi in the backline. By the same token, Munster coach Ian Costello had picked the same starting team for three games in a row. The last time Munster had managed that feat was in 2018. Advertisement The visitors scored the first points of the game when the Sharks kicked badly into the space and the counter-attacking Irishmen swept upfield. Jack Crowley kicked astutely to the corner for winger Calvin Nash to scorch into the corner and superbly ground the ball in the ninth minute. Crowley missed a sitter of a penalty shortly after in an opening quarter that was all Munster red and very little black of the home side. The best attacking moment the Sharks could muster in the first half was a hopeful and unsuccessful long-range penalty effort by Jaden Hendrikse. The 28,000 Kings Park crowd was on the point of despair but five minutes into the second half right wing Ethan Hooker stepped several opponents to score. Hendrikse's conversion levelled the scores at 7-7. Munster fought straight back and replacement prop Josh Wycherley charged over. The conversion by Crowley made it 14-10 with just over a quarter of the match to play. The Munster men accelerated into a 21-10 lead when left wing Diarmuid Kilgallen raced up on a speculative kick that had Sharks fullback Aphelele Fassi slip on his backside in the heavy dew, and Kilgallen capitalised in gathering and scoring. A prolonged period of set scum pressure from the Sharks in the Munster 22 paid dividends when a ball worked quickly out wide from an advancing scrum saw fullback Aphelele Fassi saunter over. The score was 21-17 with just over 10 minutes to go. The Sharks took the lead for the first time with six minutes remaining when a penalty kicked to the corner saw replacement hooker Fez Mbatha smash over. The Kings Park crowd raised the rafters, but they were rendered silent when Conor Murray — that wonderful warrior for Munster and Ireland — came off the bench and landed a cool penalty to level the score at 24-24 and take the game into extra time. Neither side could score in the first 10 minutes, although the Sharks applied most of the pressure. The arm wrestle continued in the second half to send the game to a penalty shoot-out. The Sharks' kickers kept their nerve, and it was the unfortunate Rory Scannell who missed first. Sharks scorers: Tries: Tries: Ethan Hooker, Aphelele Fassi, Fez Mbatha Conversions :Jaden Hendrikse [3] Penalty: Jaden Hendrikse Munster scorers: Tries: Calvin Nash, Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Kilgallen Conversions :Jack Crowley [3] Penalty: Conor Murray. Munster: Thaakir Abrahams [Mike Haley, '65], Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell [Rory Scannbell, '65], Alex Nankivell , Duirmuid Kilgallen; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey [Conor Murray, '65]; Michael Milne, Niall Scannell [Diarmuid Barron, '50] , Stephen Archer [Josh Wycherley, '48], Jean Kleyn, Tadheg Beirne (captain), Peter O'Mahony, John Hodnett [Alex Kendellen, '65], Gavin Coombes. Sharks: Aphelele Fassi, Ethan Hooker, Lukhanyo Am [Francois Venter, '75], Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse; Ox Nche [Ntuthuko Mchunu, '68], Bongi Mbonambi [Fez Mbatha, '62], Vincent Koch, Jason Jenkins [Emile van Heerden, '13], Eben Etzebeth, James Venter, Vincent Tshituka, Siya Kolisi [Phepsi Buthelezi, '55]. Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland).
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Munster bow out of URC race in cruel fashion as Sharks edge penalty shoot-out
Veteran Munster back Rory Scannell missed an angled penalty kick from the right-hand side of the field in a dramatic shootout that proved the smallest margin between victory and defeat. It was the first penalty shootout in United Rugby Championship (URC) history, and it added to a dramatic contest that started slowly but boiled up to a wonderful crescendo. The Sharks will now travel to Pretoria to face the Bulls at Loftus in the URC semi-final next week. Leinster will host defending champions Glasgow in Dublin. After 100 minutes of energy and commitment, it came down to a penalty shootout after finishing 24-24. And Munster fell just short. Shootout kicks were taken from the 22-metre line, centre, right and left and then repeated from the 10-metre line. Sharks replacement back Bradley Davids, who only took the field in the 98th minute, kicked the Sharks' sixth straight penalty from the left-hand side from 40 metres out. It broke Munster hearts, as not only does it mark the end of their season, Davids' kick meant the end of the careers of Peter O'Mahony, Stephen Archer, David Kilcoyne, and the Munster career of Murray. Earlier, departing legend Murray's nerveless, 45-metre penalty with 90 seconds of normal time remaining sent this error-strewn, but at times entertaining URC quarter-final, into extra time. Hollywoodbets Sharks players celebrate beating Munster to qualify for the semi-finals. Pic: Shaun Roy/Sportsfile Much of the first half had been torturous to watch because of the error count. The second half was hard to watch because it was so tense. Both teams improved as the contest matured. Murray's kick levelled the score at 24-24 in a game that started with an odd lack of intensity but gradually built into a full-blooded slug fest. The Sharks were particularly passive in the opening quarter, yet by the time the match went into extra-time, Munster were having to tackle missiles in black jerseys. In extra-time, with each side having scored three tries, the possibility of a penalty shoot-out became increasingly probable. The scores remained locked at 24-24 after the first period of extra time with the home team carrying all the momentum. Only the belligerent Munster defence kept the 2023 champions in the contest. The men in red stayed in the game thanks to their defence, as their scrum was dismantled by a Sharks team whose replacement front rowers Fez Mbatha, Ntuthuko Mchunu and Hanro Jacobs picked up where their illustrious Bok starters – Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch had left off. It was one tough night for the Munster pack, and they never stopped scrapping. Munster gather in a huddle with coach Mike Prendergast. Pic: Steve Haag Sports/Darren Stewart/Inpho Munster had some defending to do in the first half of normal time, and the reality was that they never looked stressed as they kept the home team comfortably subdued. The Sharks might have a player roster littered with Springbok World Cup winners, but often when they are clad in black, their performances have been funereal. It was that way for much of the first half before things improved. Munster scored the only points of the half with a well-constructed 10th minute try for wing Calvin Nash that had its genesis from a scrum just inside the Munster half. Scrumhalf Craig Casey, who was excellent throughout, stabbed a grubber through from the set piece inside half that set up good field position. From the lineout and several phases of play later, Jack Crowley poked a wonderful kick through for Nash to run on to and he did the rest. From then, one unsuccessful Crowley penalty attempt aside, the game meandered aimlessly until the half hour mark. It was littered with handling errors and poor options – mostly from the home team – which was in keeping with their recent form. But after the half hour mark the Sharks finally began to string some phases together, mildly stressing the Munster defence. Wings Ethan Hooker and Makazole Mapimpi enjoyed some moments, with half line-breaks, if such a stat is collected, but largely Munster coped comfortably. The half ended with the Sharks gaining momentum – an ominous portent because they carried it into the opening exchanges of the second period. Hooker scored for the Sharks barely six minutes into the second stanza, after a multiple-phase build-up that climaxed with a slick offload by flank Vincent Tshituka. The home side then hit the front with a Jaden Hendrikse penalty in the 54th minute. It sparked Munster to life after the flat period and they stunned the Sharks with two tries in the space of four minutes to reassert themselves on the game. Replacement prop Josh Wycherley smashed over from close range after a good build-up and clever pass by Casey, which Crowley converted. Minutes later, Mike Haley's speculative kick through led to a try for wing Diarmuid Kilgallen as Mapimpi slipped when coming across to cover the threat. It was desperately unlucky for the Bok stalwart, but a reward for smart tactical play and Kilgallen's alertness and opportunism, as he kicked ahead and grounded the ball smartly. The Sharks, though were not done. Fullback Aphelele Fassi ran a hard, angled line onto a fine pass from Jaden Hendrikse from a five-metre scrum with Munster under severe pressure in the set piece. The Sharks then powered ahead on the scoreboard when replacement hooker Fez Mbatha finished from a Sharks lineout and midfield surge by giant centre Andre Esterhuizen to nudge the Sharks ahead before Murray stepped up to cue drama. Scorers: Sharks: Tries: Ethan Hooker, Aphelele Fassi, Fez Mbatha. Conversions: Jaden Hendrikse (3). Penalties: Jaden Hendrikse. Munster: Tries: Calvin Nash, Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Kilgallen. Conversions: Jack Crowley (3). Penalties: Conor Murray. Penalty shootout: 22m-(Middle) Jaden Hendrikse, (Right) Jordan Hendrikse, (Left) Bradley Davids. 22m-(Middle) Jack Crowley, (Right) Rory Scannell (x), (Left) Conor Murray. 40m-Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Bradley Davids. 40m-Jack Crowley, Rory Scannell. Sharks: Aphelele Fassi; Ethan Hooker, Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse; Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch; Eben Etzebeth (capt), Jason Jenkins; James Venter, Vincent Tshituka, Siya Kolisi. Replacements: Fez Mbatha, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Hanro Jacobs, Emile van Heerden, Phepsi Buthelezi, Bradley Davids, Francois Venter, Yaw Penxe. Munster: Thaakir Abrahams; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Diarmuid Kilgallen; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Michael Milne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Peter O'Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Mike Haley. Referee: Mike Adamson
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Sharks beat Munster in dramatic URC kicking shootout
United Rugby Championship quarter-final, after extra-timeSharks (0) 24Tries: Hooker, Fassi, Mbatha Cons: Ja Hendrikse 3 Pens: Ja HendrikseMunster (7) 24Tries: Nash, Wycherley, Kilgallen Cons: Crowley 3 Pens: MurraySharks win kick placing competition 6-4 The Sharks defeated Munster 6-4 in a place kicking competition after their hugely dramatic United Rugby Championship quarter-final in Durban ended 24-24 after Scannell's missed kick in the shootout proved decisive as Sharks trio Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse and Bradley Davids all converted their two shots at the Crowley and Conor Murray also were successful with their couple of kicks thrilling victory sees the Sharks reach the last four of the competition for the first time, having twice previously made the face an away trip to the Bulls next weekend, with Leinster hosting Glasgow in the other a fiercely contested tie, a converted Calvin Nash try helped the Irish province to a 7-0 lead at the interval at Kings Park but an Ethan Hooker score and Jaden Hendriksen's penalty moved the hosts ahead 10-7 early in the second touchdowns from Josh Wycherley and Diarmuid Kilgallen had Munster seemingly in control but Aphelele Fassi and Fez Mbatha went over to help the Sharks into a three-point Murray's monster penalty with three minutes remaining took the game into extra-time and with neither side able to add to their score in the additional 20 minutes, it was the South African side who emerged victors and progressed. Thrilling contest in Durban Munster began the game in the ascendancy and within 10 minutes they were seven points to the good as Kilgallen weaved his way past three defenders to make it into the Sharks 22 and the ball found its way to Crowley, who sent a cross-field kick bouncing into the Mapimpi looked to be the favourite to get it but it evaded him and fell perfectly for Nash, who applied the added the extras but was guilty of a bad miss off the tee after the Sharks had been penalised at the breakdown, pulling his effort Hendrikse missed with a penalty attempt from 45 metres and although his side battled their way back into the match with wave after wave of attacks, they were unable to turn their pressure into a score in the first half because of a combination of regular handling errors and some stubborn defence by six minutes of the resumption John Plumtree's side were level however when wing Hooker cut inside and weaved his way past three defenders to score close to the Hendrikse's penalty edged his team in front but their advantage proved shortlived as replacement prop Wycherley dived over with his first touch after accepting a flat pass from Craig Casey on the line when Nash had been stopped just after the hour mark Ian Costello's charges extended their lead to 14 points when replacement Mike Haley kicked through, Makazole Mapimpi slipped and Kilgallen won the race to the ball to touch down just before the dead ball Munster scrum came under pressure and Sharks went over for the score which would reduce their arrears to visitors collapsed the scrum and were fortunate not to concede a penalty try but their opponents subsequently moved the ball quickly to full-back Fassi, who minutes from the end of regulation time the Sharks were ahead as their pressure told. They gained quick ball off the line-out and it came to replacement hooker Mbatha, who barged his way weren't finished however and Murray forced extra-time by successfully landing an enormous kick from just inside the Sharks half to level the match at 24-24 Sharks dominated extra-time but were unable to add to their score as the Munster defence held fast and the game went to a place kicking competition, from which the South African side emerged triumphant. Team line-ups Sharks: Fassi; Hooker, Am, Esterhuizen, Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse; Nche, Mbonambi, Koch; Etzebeth (capt), Jenkins; Venter, Tshituka, Mbatha, Mchunu, Jacobs, Van Heerden, Buthelezi, Davids, Venter, Abrahams; Nash, Farrell, Nankivell, Kilgallen; Crowley, Craig Casey; Milne, Niall Scannell, Archer; Kleyn, Beirne (capt); O'Mahony, Hodnett, Barron, Wycherley, Ryan, Ahern, Kendellen, Murray, Scannell, Haley.
Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Munster v Sharks: Reds must shut out the Shark Tank vibes to keep season alive
Munster must be all business and forget the party going on around them in the Shark Tank. That's the message from Reds interim boss Ian Costello, who has named an unchanged side for the third game in a row as the province take on the Springboks-laden Sharks in Durban (5.30pm Irish time). 'There's a bit of a party atmosphere is the best way to describe it," he said of what Munster can expect at high altitude in Kings Park. "They're saying it's going to be a sell-out, they'll have people jumping into pools, they have lots of music. It's cool, there's a really good vibe and a really good energy there and I'm sure that fuels the home team. "So we need to channel that and use it in our own way, but there's a lot of distractions there, a lot of noise, a lot of things that can take you off task. "A lot of the chat will be making sure that we're on task, that we're calm and composed all the time - that maybe we don't buy into the atmosphere there.' Jack Crowley has been passed fit after suffering a rib injury in the vital final regular season victory over Benetton, while Rory Scannell is on the bench and primed for his 200th appearance for the province. The Reds' loss to the Sharks at the same venue ended Graham Rowntree's reign but Munster have produced good results in South Africa. "I wouldn't say there's a secret sauce but there are always elements that you tweak and you dial up or down for games like this," Costello said. "We certainly have a formula that we might add in or take out for any particular game and we have some that are specific to playing in South Africa based on conditions - whether it's altitude, whether it's hot, whether it's greasy and against specific teams like the Sharks. 'We have had a good record here and the last couple of weeks have been really good for us to deliver under pressure. It's no different this week, we need to deliver under pressure." Munster: Thaakir Abrahams, Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Diarmuid Kilgallen, Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Michael Milne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (captain), Peter O'Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes. Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Mike Haley.
