That is it for our live coverage of this riveting showdown between these two battle-hardened outfits. Thank you for following the game with us.

The Bulls consolidate their position in the top three on the URC log with a hard-fought away triumph over Munster at Thomond Park in Limerick.

FULL-TIME: Munster 13-16 Bulls. The Bulls have done it. They just became the first South African team to ever beat Munster at Thomond Park. That was an amazing defensive set at the end there to clinch the victory.

This is nail-biting stuff. Munster are proving on attack, the Bulls defence is holding on.

The Bulls' forwards work their socks off to regain possession to protect their slender lead in the dying moments, but Johannes inexcusably slices his kick and puts it out on the full with 30 seconds to go.

Munster spill the ball the ball and the Bulls pounce to hoof it away from the danger zone.

Jake White will be fuming as his fullback Devon Williams puts the ball out on the full, giving Munster possession in a favourable position on the field.

Sean O’Brien will be livid with himself as he drops the ball cold after fielding a Bulls kick. There's under five minutes left in this game and Munster are trailing by three points.

The referee gives Munster a warning. The Bulls will feed the scrum.

Munster get done for a skew throw-in. The Bulls are in control now.

PENALTY, BULLS, JOHANNES. 13-16. The replacement flyhalf splits the uprights with his second attempt to put the Bulls in front.

The Bulls will get another opportunity here as Munster No 8 Kendellen went shoulder first into Ruan Nortje.

OPPORTUNITY MISSED: Johannes' penalty attempt sails past the front of the uprights.

The Bulls have improved their work at the breakdown immensely in this second half. They win a penalty and Johannes will kick at goal.

Zak Burger and Keagan Johannes have replaced Embrose Papier and Johan Goosen as the Bulls' halfback-axis.

When the Bulls need it most, Hanekom comes up with a clutch play to win a turnover penalty for the visitors. Johannes kicks to the line.

The rest of the game will proceed with uncontested scrums due to multiple front row injuries for Munster.

Penalty to Munster at the breakdown. The Bulls were too slow to form a ruck there.

Now it's Munster time to call on their defensive prowess as the Bulls march forward.

Moodie's big hit is rewarded with a Bulls scrum as the offload in the tackle goes forward out of the hand.

The Bulls are putting in thumping tackles on Munster. Their defence are the reason why they are still level on the scoreboard and to behind.

Unforced handling errors are impeding both teams here.

The Bulls escape any form of sanction for a head-high hit on a Munster ball-carrier.

It's absolute chaos at Thomond Park.

This game is breathless, with both teams giving it their all.

Papier is trapped by Abrahams, but the latter is penalised for not releasing the tackled player before attempting the turnover.

Munster are successfully pinning the Bulls back in their own half. So far, the visitors are absorbing the pressure exerted on them.

Neither side has been able to stamp their authority on this encounter.

The Bulls are back to their full complement as Papier returns from the sin bin.

Munster's attack disintegrates and Moodie hacks the loose ball forward into acres space. But the ball beats everyone into touch.

A couple of knock ons either way halt the fluidity and rhythm of the game. Munster will get the put in to the scrum.

PENALTY, MUNSTER, CROWLEY. 13-13. It's tit-for-tat between these to sides at the moment.

The TMO is looking at an off-the-ball incident by David Kriel. And the penalty goes to Munster.

PENALTY, BULLS, GOOSEN. 10-13.

The Bulls are playing under an advantage as Hanekom bulldozes his way through several Munster tacklers. They are five metres out from the tryline and the referee brings them back for the penalty.

Murray comes under pressure after taking the ball out at the back of the scrum and Hanekom is all over him like a rash for a turnover penalty.

This is a fascinating battle between Munster's dynamic attack and the Bulls aggressive defence.

The Bulls pilfer the ball at the lineout. That was a crucial steal.

Murray delays the put in and the Bulls are pinged for an early shove. Munster take the penalty quickly and in his haste to make a tackle, Papier streaks offside and receives a yellow card.

A beautiful little grubber kick bounces perfectly and Moodie rushes back to save the day for the Bulls, but he is tackled in the in-goal area. Five metre scrum to Munster.

Munster are starting this second period like they ended the first: on the front foot.

And the first mistake of the half comes from the Bulls within 30 seconds of the restart as a clearance kicks goes out on the full.

KICK OFF: Crowley kicks off to start the second half.

HALF-TIME: Munster 10-10 Bulls. That brings an end to an explosive first half in Limerick.

Munster have changed the picture of this game in the last 10 minutes or so, and they are now in the ascendancy.

Munster are turning the tide here. They are demolishing the Bulls at the breakdowns, where they've just won another penalty.

CONVERSION, MUNSTER, CROWLEY. 10-10.

TRY, MUNSTER, ABRAHAMS. 8-10. Munster's South African import shrugs off the last line of defence to score.

Good ball retention by Munster puts the Bulls under pressure and the hosts get another penalty.

The linesman points Jan-Hendrik Wessels out for an indiscretion and Munster get the penalty. They take another tap.

There's a hand in there by the Bulls and the ball goes loose. Then there's an off-the-ball scuffle between the two flyhalves Goosen and Crowley.

Munster are probing around the five metre line, but the Bulls defence is well up to the task.

Munster win a kickable penalty but turn down the shot at goal. Crowley kicks to the line and sets a five metres lineout.

Munster are controlling possession right now.

The referee gives the two front rows a stern talking to.

Goosen contest a high ball and gets taken out in the air. But the officials rule that it was accidental. Munster scrum.

Goosen uses his booming boot to get a clearance kick away.

The Bulls feed the scrum and Munster walk them backwards. But the referee doesn't award them a penalty. He calls for a scrum reset.

Frustratingly for Munster, another little mistake halts their progress. They get blown for a skew throw-in.

Munster attack from deep through Thaakier Abrahams. They go over the halfway line and win a penalty.

A beautiful kick-pass is gathered by De Klerk, but Munster immediately closes the gap out wide and then intercept a floated pass.

Moodie eventually wins that battle for the Bulls as he chases down an up and under to get them on the front foot.

This is a battle within a battle as the teams go kick for kick in a fight for territorial supremacy.

PENALTY, BULLS, GOOSEN. 3-10.

Goosen points to the sticks. He will take a long range shot.

Crowley kicks to the line, but then Munster concede a penalty after the set-piece for a neck roll.

Nortje secures possession for the Bulls, but Munster again cause them all kinds of trouble at the breakdown. Penalty to the hosts.

Munster turn the ball over just as the Bulls were beginning to look ominous again.

Papier kicks the ball deep into Munster territory and Munster's fullback takes it at the back, but he steps on the line. Lineout to the Bulls.

The ball goes out on the full from Crowley's restart, handing the Bulls a scrum in centre field.

CONVERSION, BULLS, GOOSEN. 3-7.

TRY, BULLS, COETZEE. 3-5. A couple of aggressive carries are enough to break Munster's will in defence and the Bulls score.

The free kick go to the Bulls and Hanekom takes a quick tap and drives close.

Munster knocked the ball down. The Bulls will have an attacking scrum.

Akker van der Merwe finds his jumper and the Bulls spring on the attack inside the 22.

The Bulls get a much-needed penalty and Goosen kicks to the line.

Munster are looking sharp in the early stages of this high-profile clash.

The match is too scrappy at the moment.

The hosts are setting the pace here. The Bulls are tackling well, but they need to get their hands on the ball.

PENALTY, MUNSTER, CROWLEY. 3-0.

Munster are dominating the Bulls physically.

The first penalty of the match go to Munster after Marcel Coetzee was caught on the wrong side of the breakdown.

Munster do enough to secure possession at the back of the scrum.

The scrum is a bit wobbly and the referee calls for a reset.

The teams engage in a bit of aerial ping pong before Moodie decides to run with ball in hand. But the moment he takes contact, he loses control of the ball. Scrum to Munster.

Munster is under pressure from Canan Moodie and hacks the ball into touch for a Bulls lineout.

And both sides are playing at a high intensity from the get-go.

KICK OFF: The Bulls kick off to get the game underway.

Fifth (Munster) hosts third (Bulls) in what should be a mouth-watering encounter at Limerick’s Thomond Park.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (France). Assistant referees: Andrew Cole (Ireland), Sam Holt (Ireland). TMO: Stefano Roscini (Italy).

Bulls: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Canan Moodie, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Ruan Nortje (captain), 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Jan-hendrik Wessels. Subs: 16 Johann Grobbelaar, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 JF van Heerden, 20 Celimpilo Gumede, 21 Izak Burger, 22 Keagan Johannes, 23 Stravino Jacobs.

Munster: 15 Thaakir Abrahams, 14 Seán O’Brien, 13 Tom Farrell, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Andrew Smith, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Craig Casey, 8 Alex Kendellen, 7 Peter O’Mahony, 6 Tom Ahern, 5 Tadhg Beirne (captain), 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Oli Jager, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 Josh Wycherley. Subs: 16 Lee Barron, 17 Mark Donnelly, 18 Stephen Archer, 19 Fineen Wycherley, 20 Jack O’Donoghue, 21 Conor Murray, 22 Diarmuid Kilgallen, 23 Ruadhán Quinn.

Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of the enticing URC showdown between Munster and the Bulls in Limerick.

Munster v Bulls, URC, 18:15