Bonus-point for Munster in badly-needed win v Bulls

For the first time this season, Thomond Park was open for business. And for the first time this season, so too were Munster.

Graham Rowntree's side produced their most rounded performance of the season against the Vodacom Bulls, securing maximum points in a 31-17 win in Limerick.

The rugby on display wasn't quite fitting with the fireworks lighting up the sky behind the Ballynanty terrace throughout the opening half, but on a night where conditions were so difficult, it just needed to be efficient. Thankfully for the 12,218 in attendance at Thomond, it was.

From the opening minute, their attitude was on the mark, driven by scrum-half Craig Casey who dictated the pace of the game, while Joey Carbery looked far more assured than his two earlier appearances this season.

Their Emerging Ireland contingent also made an impact; Shane Daly impressing at both wing and full-back, while Thomas Ahern and Jack Crowley made significant contriobutions off the bench.

After grinding their way through the opening quarter, they struck for two Gavin Coombes tries to give themselves a 14-point lead at the break, and a Jeremy Loughman try just after the restart eased fears of a fourth defeat in five games.

Tadhg Beirne’s bonus-point try gave them the buffer to see out a badly needed win, and although they conceded two sloppy second half tries, they defended with determination in the final 10 minutes to deny the Bulls a losing bonus-point of their own, and seal a vital victory ahead of next week’s trip to Leinster at the Aviva Stadium.

They came close to a try inside five minutes,Casey a whisker away after taking a quick-tap penalty off the back of a scrum, only to be held up by Johan Goosen's excellent tackle on the line.

The early energy was good.